More Funds for Survivors of Violence in Nipissing
February 1, 2022Investment increasing access to supports in rural and remote communities
NIPISSING – Today, MPP Vic Fedeli announced that the Ontario government is addressing the growing strain on services due to COVID-19 by investing $16,500 to rural frontline organizations in Nipissing.
“Someone’s location should not act as a barrier to access quality care and services,” said Vic Fedeli, MPP for Nipissing. “Services such as the Mattawa Women’s Resource Centre are critical to the most vulnerable members of our community and this funding will ensure they can access and receive the support they need.”
Local rural funding to support survivors of violence and exploitation include:
- $14,012 for the Mattawa Women’s Resource Centre
- $2,500 for the Amelia Rising Sexual Violence Support Centre
“Rural and remote funding from the province helps to address some of the challenges faced by survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking in the north,” said Beverly Bell, Executive Director of the Mattawa Women’s Resource Centre. “This funding will assist with the long distances, transportation, lack of services and affordable housing which create barriers for women struggling to leave their abusive situations.”
The additional investment will provide agencies with more resources, strengthen culturally responsive supports for Indigenous women, and reduce geographic and transportation barriers which will significantly improve access to quality care and services to victims in rural and remote communities. It will also help promote awareness of available local services, address service gaps and build community capacity to support women in rural and remote communities who have experienced violence and sex trafficking.
The ministry will work collaboratively with rural service providers to deliver targeted localized supports and implement projects that build positive outcomes for women living in or from rural communities.
QUICK FACTS
- As a result of COVID-19, women and gender-diverse Ontarians have faced additional challenges, such as increased economic insecurity, greater burden of caregiving responsibilities and a rise in the incidence of domestic violence and human trafficking. Ontario established the Ontario’s Task Force on Women and the Economy to identify how the government can address these challenges.
- Ontario’s Anti-Human Trafficking Strategy represents the largest total investment dedicated to anti-human trafficking supports and services in Canada.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
- Ontario provides up to $40 million in relief funding for residential service providers that support vulnerable populations.
- Ontario releases Pathways to Safety: Ontario’s Strategy in Response to the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls