Policy Analysis   



YWCA Toronto regularly contributes feminist insights to the public discourse in response to government initiatives and policies. We also participate on coalitions, sector tables, and committees and partnerships to advance meaningful social change. See below for selected links to YWCA Toronto’s recent policy recommendations to improve the lives of women, girls and gender diverse communities. 

YWCA Toronto Policy Priorities 2022-2023

YWCA Toronto is a leader in building a world in which women, girls and gender diverse individuals can thrive. Our advocacy at all levels of government and in the community shapes both public policy and public awareness. Here is a look at what YWCA Toronto stands for and works toward. 

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Today’s Budget is Tomorrow’s Prosperity: Supporting Women, Girls, and Gender Diverse People in Budget 2024
Oral Presentation to Ontario’s Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs
February 2024

2024 City Budget Deputation
Oral Presentation to the City of Toronto's Budget Committee
January 2024

2023 City Budget Deputation
Oral Presentation to the City of Toronto's Budget Committee
January 2023

A Status Quo Budget Won’t Cut it
Oral Presentation to Ontario’s Minister of Finance about Budget 2023
January 2023

YWCA Toronto Calls for an accessible, transparent, and participatory City Budget Process
Deputation to the City of Toronto’s Striking Committee
November 2022

2022 City Budget Deputation
Oral presentation to the City of Toronto's Budget Committee
January 2022

Women Deserve Better from Ontario
Oral presentation to the Ontario Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs
January 2022

YWCA Toronto Calls For Proper Investment In Alternative Community Safety Measures
Deputation to the City of Toronto's Executive Committee
January 2021

YWCA Toronto Calls For A Crisis-Responsive City Budget
Deputation to the City of Toronto's Budget Committee
January 2021

YWCA Toronto Urges the City to Lead an Equitable Recovery Plan
Deputation to the City of Toronto's Executive Committee
October 2020

Reinstate Pandemic Wage Enhancement for Front-Line Workers
Deputation to the City of Toronto's Board of Health
October 2020

Fall 2020 Pre-Budget Consultation
Deputation to Minister Phillips and MPPs
October 2020

In Support of HousingTO
Deputation to the City of Toronto's Housing and Planning Committee
September 2020

The Path Out of Poverty for Women
Oral presentation to the Ontario Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs
January 2020

Business as Usual is Not Enough 
Deputation to the City of Toronto Budget Committee
January 2020

Applying a Gender Equity Lens to Gun Violence
Deputation to the City of Toronto's Board of Health
November 2019

We Urgently Need Gender Equity in Toronto
Deputation to the City of Toronto Executive Committee
September 2019

The Provision of Housing is a Human Right
Deputation to the City of Toronto Budget Committee
February 2019

Put A Gender Equity Lens On The City Budget
Deputation to the City of Toronto Budget Committee
January 2018

What Makes A City World-Class? Investment In Poverty Reduction
Deputation to the City of Toronto Budget Committee
January 2017

Response to Housing and Health: Unlocking Opportunity
Deputation to the City of Toronto Board of Health
October 2016

Building the Toronto We Want Starts with Poverty Reduction
Deputation to the City of Toronto Budget Committee
January 2016

Ontario Needs a Gender Analysis of Homelessness 
Deputation to Ontario’s Expert Advisory Panel on Homelessness
May 2015

Working Together to End Sexual Violence and Harassment
Deputation to Ontario’s Select Committee on Sexual Violence and Harassment
May 2015

YWCA Ontario Submission to the Standing Committee on Justice Policy, Bill 173 Declaring Intimate Partner Violence an Epidemic
September 2024

RECOMMENDATIONS: Regulations and implementation protocols related to intimate violence enabling the effective implementation of Bill C-21
Endorsed Brief Submitted to Federal Government by National Association of Women and the Law & PolySeSouvient
June 2024

Ontario Budget 2024: YWCA Ontario Coalition Pre-Budget Submission
Pre-Budget Submission to the Honorable Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance by YWCA Ontario Coalition
January 2024

YWCA Toronto 2024 City Budget Written Submission
Submitted to the City of Toronto's Budget Committee
January 2024

Canadian Disability Benefit Regulation Responses - YWCA Toronto
Submitted to Employment and Social Development Canada in Collaboration with the Defend Disability Coalition
December 2023

Federal Budget 2024: Submission to 2024 Pre-Budget Consultations
Joint submission with Imagine Canada's Nonprofit Federal Data Working Group
August 2023

Ontario Budget 2023: YWCA Ontario Coalition Pre-Budget Submission
Pre-Budget Submission to the Honourable Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance by YWCA Ontario Coalition
February 2023

Submission for the Pre-Budget Consultations in Advance of the 2023 Federal Budget
Joint submission with Imagine Canada's Nonprofit Federal Data Working Group
January 2023

YWCA Toronto Recommendations for Building a robust and sustainable care economy
YWCA Toronto's Submission to the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities on labour shortages, working conditions, and the care economy
April 2022

YWCA Toronto Recommendations for Addressing Intimate Partner and Domestic Violence in Canada
YWCA Toronto's Submission to The House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women
March 2022

YWCA Toronto supports Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association submission to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
YWCA Toronto's response to proposed regulatory amendments related to service agreements, service level requirements, and access
February 2022

YWCA Ontario Pre-Budget Submission 2022
Pre-Budget Submission to the Honourable Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance by YWCA Ontario Coalition
February 2022

YWCA Toronto’s Recommendations for Ontario 2022 Budget
YWCA Toronto’s Submission to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs on the 2022 Budget
January 2022

Submission on Women and the Economy
Ontario Nonprofit Network Submission to Ontario’s Task Force on Women and the Economy
July 2021

Recommendations for a Gender-Responsive Workforce Recovery Plan
YWCA Toronto Submission to Ontario Workforce Recovery Advisory Committee
July 2021

Spring 2021 Ontario Pre-Budget Submission
Ontario YWCA Coalition Releases Vision for an “Equitable, Gender-Responsive Budget” in Joint Pre-Budget Submission to the Minister of Finance
February 2021

2021 Capital and Operating Budgets
Joint submission to the Toronto Budget Committe
January 2021

Rethinking Community Safety: A Step Forward for Toronto
Joint report with Toronto Neighbourhood Centres and other community partners
January 2021

Fall 2020 Ontario Pre-Budget Submission
Submission to the Minister of Finance
October 2020

Recommendations for a Gender-Responsive Recovery Plan
Submission to the Hon. Rod Phillips, Minister of Finance (Ontario)
August 2020

Priorities for an equitable recovery
Joint submission from non-profit leaders to inform Toronto Office of Recovery and Rebuild final recommendations to City Council
July 2020

Ensuring an Inclusive and Equitable COVID-19 Pandemic Recovery Plan
Submission to the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology regarding the Canadian Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
July 2020

Study on the Government's Response to to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Submission to the Senate Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology
June 2020

Poverty Reduction Strategy
YWCA Toronto Written Submission to Ontario's New Poverty Reduction Strategy
March 2020

Lifting Women Out of Poverty 
Pre-Budget Submission to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs (Ontario)
January 2020

Put A Gender Equity Lens On Income Security Reforms 
Submission to the Hon. Helena Jaczek, Minister of Community and Social Services (Ontario)
January 2018

Promoting Women’s Economic Empowerment
Submission to the Hon. Indira Naidoo-Harris, Minister of Status of Women (Ontario)
July 2017

Bill 148: Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act
Submission to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs (Ontario)
July 2017

Investing in Ontario’s Women and Girls
Pre-Budget Submission to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs (Ontario)
January 2017

Working Together To Create Safe, Affordable, Supportive Homes for Women
Submission for the National Housing Strategy Consultations
October 2016

Working Together To End Violence Against Women
Submission for the National Strategy to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence
September 2016

Open Letter: Ensure Canadian Disability Benefit Will Not Be Clawed Back
Letter to Canadian Premiers and Canada's Minister of Finance
June 2024

Support for Bill 173 and Declaring Intimate Partner Violence and Epidemic in Ontario
Letter to Premier Ford, Minister Parsa, Children, Community and Social Services and Associate Minister Williams, Women's Social and Economic Opportunity
May 2024

Open Letter: Canadian Government must cancel plans to use federal prisons for immigration detention
Letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau; Minister Dominic LeBlanc, Public Safety; Minister Marc Miller, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
May 2024

Ensuring Equitable and Fair Temporary Immigration Measures for Humanitarian Crises
Letter to Minister Marc Miller, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada
March 2024

Joint Letter: We Need Toronto City Council to Fund Our City!
Letter to Mayor Olivia Chow and Toronto City Council
February 2024

YWCA Ontario Supports Feminist Organizations Joint Appeal for Immediate Ceasefire in Gaza
Letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Minister Melanie Joly, Global Affairs Canada
December 2023

100+ Organizations Sign Open Letter Calling for a Provincial Declaration of Intimate Partner Violence as an Epidemic
Letter to Premier Doug Ford
December 2023

Open Letter of Support with 22 John and 33 King Rent Strike
Letter to Dream Unlimited
August 2023

Everyone needs cell service in the TTC: YWCA Toronto joins TTCRiders as intervener in CRTC complaint
Letter to Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commissioners
July 2023

Open letter from over 130 organisations on World Refugee Day regarding the Safe Third Country Agreement
Letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and leaders of the opposition parties
June 2023

YWCA Toronto Responds to Ontario's Employment Services Transformation Impact on Torontonians
Letter to Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie
May 2023

YWCA Ontario’s Reflections on the Canada-Wide Early Learning Child Care 2024 Child Care Funding Formula Discussion Paper
Letter to Ministry of Education Assistant Deputy Minister, Holly Moran
May 2023

YWCA Ontario Calls On Provincial Government to Reverse the Cuts to Healthcare for Uninsured People in Ontario
Letter to Hon. Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario & Hon. Sylvia Jones, Minister of Health
April 2023

YWCA Ontario calls on the provincial government to take meaningful action on Renfrew County Inquest Recommendations
Letter to Solicitor General
March 2023

#Women4GunControl Call for a Federal Ban on Assault-style Firearms

Endorsed Open Letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, MP Pierre Poilievre, MP Yves-François Blanchet, MP Jagmeet Singh, MP Elizabeth May
March 2023

Letter to Mayor Tory and City Council: Review Revenue Tool Options for Toronto & Investigate Commercial Parking Levy
Joint letter to Mayor Tory and City Council with The Toronto Environmental Alliance (TEA), TTCRiders, David Suzuki Foundation, Toronto & York Region Labour Council, Social Planning Toronto and NeighbourhoodPodsTO
February 2023

Support for Bill C-22, the Canada Disability Benefit Act
Endorsed Open Letter To Primer Minister and House Leaders
January 2023

Migrant Rights Network Calls On Ontario Government to Support Regularization Program
Endorsed Open Letter to Minister of Labour, Immigration and Skills Development by Migrant Rights Network
December 2022

The child care sector is in crisis
Letter from YWCA Ontario to Minister Lecce and Premier Ford
November 2022

Joint Letter to the Ontario Government about Bill 23 the “More Homes Built Faster Act”
Endorsed Letter to Premier Ford, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and Association Minister of Housing
November 2022


YWCA Toronto & WomanACT launch Open Letter to Municipal Election Candidates #VoteEquityTO
Open letter to Toronto Mayoral and Council candidates
September 2022

Canadian Council For Refugees Calls For Immigration System Reform
Letter to Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
September 2022

Ontario Social Assistance Recipients need a Basic Living Standard
Endorsed open letter with MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions
June 2022

Letter to Ministers: Firearms Controls and Violence Against Women
Endorsed open letter with the National Association of Women and the Law (NAWL) 
May 2022

Joint Statement on Promoting Menstrual Equity in Ontario Post-Secondary Schools with Toronto Youth Cabinet (TYC)
Letter to Minister of Colleges and Universities
March 2022

Gender-based violence claimed 58 lives in Ontario this year. It’s an indictment of our collective failure to keep women and girls safe.
Open letter from Heather McGregor, Chief Executive Officer, YWCA Toronto
December 2021

Endorse our Open Letter on Restoring the GIS for Low-income Seniors
Letter to Hon. Carla Qualtrough Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion
October 2021

We Need a Plan to End Ontario's She-cession: More than 30 Community Advocates Support Open Letter to the Province
Letter to Premier of Ontario
October 2021

Building an affordable and national public transportation system
Letter to Minister of Transport
June 2021


Letter to Premier of Ontario
May 2021

YWCA Toronto CEO Letter RE: Child Care Worker Vaccinations
Letter to Minister of Education
April 2021

Joint Statement on Promoting Menstrual Equity in Ontario Schools
Letter to Minister of Education
March 2021

Call to Action on Ontario's 2021 Budget
Letter to all provincial party leaders and MPPs
February 2021

Advancing the Community Benefits Framework
Letter to the Mayor of Toronto
January 2021

Action Plan on Women in the Economy Taskforce
Letter to the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
November 2020

YWCA Toronto Response to Ontario's Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014
Letter to the Minister of Education
July 2020

The Use of a Restorative Approach to an Inquiry into the NS Mass Shooting
Letter to the NS Minister of Justice and federal Minister of Public Safety and Minister of Justice
July 2020

Funding Community Safety
Letter to the Mayor and Toronto City Council
June 2020

Letter on Re-Opening Child Care
Letter to the Minister of Education
June 2020

Ensuring a viable and successful reopening of child care in Ontario
Open Letter to the Premier of Ontario and Minister of Education
June 2020

'Extreme Intoxication' Ruling by the Ontario Court of Appeal
Letter to Ontario's Attorney General
June 2020

Open Letter Urging Action on Gun Violence
Letter to the Mayor and Toronto City Council
June 2020

A Plan for a Resilient Recovery in Toronto
Open Letter to Toronto City Council
May 2020

Ensuring marginalized children have first call on federal resources in the pandemic response and recovery
Open Letter to the Prime Minister of Canada
May 2020

Ontario Needs a COVID-19 Plan for People in All Group Living Settings

Open Letter to Deputy Premier and Minister of Health and Minister of Children, Community and Social Services
April 24, 2020

Open Letter to the Right to Housing 
Letter to the Prime Minister of Canada 
August 2018

End Sex Discrimination in the Indian Act
Open Letter to the Prime Minister of Canada
October 2017

Fix the Backwards Budget Process
Open Letter to Toronto City Council
May 2017

Gender Equity in the City Budget
Open Letter to Toronto City Council
February 2017

Take Action to Combat Islamophobia and Hatred
Open Letter to all levels of government
February 2017

Act Now on Inclusionary Zoning
Open Letter to Toronto City Council
March 2016

Stop Proposed Child Care Regulatory Changes
Open Letter to the Premier of Ontario
March 2016

Support Supervised Injection Services in Toronto
Open Letter to Toronto City Council
March 2016

Support Postal Pay Equity
Open Letter to the Prime Minister of Canada
August 2016