10-24-2023 - No.16The City of Niagara Falls, Ontario
Resolution
No.16 October 24, 2023
Moved by: Councillor Lori Lococo
Seconded by: Councillor Victor Pietrangelo
Motion - Recommendations from the Renfrew County Inquest and Declaration of
Intimate Partner Violence as an Epidemic
The City of Niagara Falls, at its meeting held on October 24, 2023, passed the following
motion:
WHEREAS the jury that adjudicated the Carol Culleton, Anastasia Kuzyk, and Nathalie
Warmerdam Inquest (The Renfrew County Inquest) issued 86 recommendations to the
Province of Ontario on Intimate Partner Violence;
WHEREAS Recommendation #1 of the Inquest is for the Province of Ontario to declare
Intimate Partner Violence an epidemic;
WHEREAS every six days in Canada a woman is killed by her intimate partner;
WHEREAS on any given night in Canada, more than 6,000 women and children sleep
in shelters because it is not safe for them at home;
WHEREAS this past year in Ontario, 52 women or one every week, were victims of
femicide;
WHEREAS violence against Indigenous women (including but not restricted to intimate
partner violence) is a national crisis, as evidenced by the findings of the National Inquiry
into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, with Indigenous women
(61 %)experiencing some form of intimate partner violence in their lifetime compared
with non -Indigenous women (44%);
WHEREAS gender -and sexually -diverse Indigenous women are particularly at risk,
being five times more likely than non -Indigenous gender -and sexually -diverse women to
experience intimate partner violence in their lifetime;
WHEREAS in Niagara Region in 2022, there were 5,160 Intimate Partner Violence calls
for service made to Niagara Regional Police Service and 1,143 of those calls involved
criminal investigations;
WHEREAS for the 2022-2023 fiscal year, Victim Services Niagara provided service to
749 victims of intimate partner violence, including 31 children; developed 91 safety
plans for victims and had to revise 55 of those safety plans due to breaches;
WHEREAS for the 2022-2023 fiscal year, Victim Services Niagara provided service to
227 victims of sexual violence;
WHEREAS for the 2022-2023 fiscal year, Birchway Niagara received 2,571 crisis calls;
supported 575 women through outreach services; 233 women and children stayed in
shelter, and 278 women were turned away due to a lack of space;
WHEREAS for the 2022-2023 fiscal year, Gillian's Place received 10,383 crisis calls;
supported 2,017 people through outreach services; 166 adults and 127 children lived in
shelter; and 431 people were turned away due to lack of space;
WHEREAS violence against women costs the national justice system, health care
systems, social service agencies, and municipalities nearly $10 billion dollars per year;
and municipalities are on the front lines in addressing gender-based violence;
WHEREAS more than 40 municipalities and regions across Ontario have declared a
gender-based violence and/or intimate partner violence epidemic;
WHEREAS on August 16, 2023, Justice Minister Arif Virani described gender-based
violence as an epidemic and stated this his government is committed to ending the
gender-based violence epidemic "in all its forms, and is working to address any gaps in
the Criminal Code to ensure a robust justice system response;"
WHEREAS on August 20, 2023, Ontario Big City Mayors (OBCM) and Mayors and
Regional Chairs of Ontario (MARCO) passed a motion declaring intimate partner
violence and gender-based violence epidemic; called on the Federation of Canadian
Municipalities (FCM), the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), and all
municipalities and regions in Ontario and Canada to do the same; and called for
changes to the Criminal Code; and
WHEREAS The City of Niagara Falls recognizes that issues of gender-based violence
and intimate partner violence are matters of local importance, including public
health,EMS, community services,and community safety, in all of our communities.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
1. That The City of Niagara Falls RECOGNIZE the issues of gender-based violence
and intimate partner violence in Niagara as serious to the health and wellness of
local residents and their families;
2. That the City of Niagara Falls COMMIT to engaging with community partners to
educate and support our residents about the seriousness and long-term danger
of violence in our communities;
3. That the City of Niagara Falls Council DECLARE, in accordance with
Recommendation #1 of the Renfrew County Inquest, that intimate partner
violence and gender-based violence are an epidemic;
4. That the Regional Chair WRITE a letter to The Honourable Doug Ford, Premier
of Ontario, requesting that the Province of Ontario re -consider their previous
decision and declare intimate partner violence and gender-based violence as
epidemic and act on all of 86 Recommendations from The Renfrew County
Inquest,
5. That a copy of this motion BE SENT to each of Niagara's 12 Local Area
Municipalities requesting they endorse the declaration of intimate partner
violence and gender-based violence as an epidemic; and
6. THAT a copy of this motion BE SENT to The Honourable Arif Virani, Minister of
Justice, The Honourable Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario; The Honourable
Charmaine A. Williams, Associate Minister of Women's Social and Economic
Opportunity; The Honourable Parm Gill, Minister of Red Tape Reduction; Niagara
four MPs; Niagara's four MPPs; the Association of Municipalities of Ontario
(AMO); the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM); Mayors and Regional
Chairs of Ontario (MARCO);and Ontario's Big City Mayors (OBCM).
AND The Seal of the Corporation be hereto affixed.
in
WILLIAM G. MATSON
CITY CLERK
Distribution List:
Local Area Municipalities
Carried Un imously
v'
JAMES M. DIODATI
MAYOR
Premier of Ontario
Minister of Justice
Associate Minister of Women's Social and Economic Opportunity
Minister of Red Tape Reduction
Local Members of Parliament
Local Members of Provincial Parliament
Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO)
Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM)
Mayors and Regional Chairs of Ontario (MARCO)
Ontario Big City Mayors (OBCM)