NDP MPP Wong-Tam moves motion to declare intimate partner violence an epidemic

QUEEN’S PARK – MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam (Toronto Centre) moved a Unanimous Consent motion that would have declared intimate partner violence (IPV) an epidemic in Ontario. Passing this motion would have declared IPV an epidemic without further delay or debate.

“This government has heard loud and clear from survivors and their families, law enforcement and 100 municipalities that they must immediately declare intimate partner violence an epidemic,” said Wong-Tam. “Today’s refusal again ignores those calls and puts survivors at risk. The house will rise for the summer, and today the Ford government chose to deny survivors the immediate resources they need to escape or recover from violence.”

“It was reported just a few days ago that in the first half of 2025, the city of Ottawa has experienced the same number of femicides as they did in all of 2024,” added Windsor West MPP Lisa Gretzky. “These numbers are alarming and it’s happening in every community across Ontario. This Premier and his government must be held accountable. They have been given lots of expert advice and multiple opportunities to take the first step by declaring IPV and femicide an epidemic and to implement solutions to help save lives in this province. The Premier continues to let so many survivors and victims’ down -- as a result it continues to cost lives.”

The Ford government defeated the motion, refusing to recognize the urgency of the epidemic that disproportionately affects Indigenous women, girls, and gender-diverse people who face multiple, compounding barriers when seeking help.

Over 100 municipalities across Ontario have already declared IPV an epidemic. Ford is choosing to lag instead of choosing to lead.

Background:

• Prior to the government refusing to declare IPV an epidemic today, they moved to revive the Standing Committee on Justice Policy’s Study on Intimate Partner Violence.
• The Ford government killed the study on IPV when they called an early election in January 2025.
• In April 2024, the government created a study in the Standing Committee on Justice Policy to study Intimate Partner Violence because of pressure from survivors and the Ontario NDP.
• The Ford government promised that this study would be resourced to travel to Northern, Indigenous, and rural communities, to hear directly from Indigenous women about the disproportionate violence that they experience.
• The Ford government broke that promise in 2024. Funding to for the committee to travel was never delivered, and consultations instead occurred online, over video call.
• The Ford government knows that Northern and Indigenous communities struggle to access high-speed internet. Yet, they did nothing to ensure that survivors had a secure, private place to share their stories. Because of these callous choices, so many survivors' stories went unheard.