Ottawa – Key equality issues for women are receiving long overdue attention today in the federal budget, says YWCA Canada, the country’s oldest and largest women’s multi-service organization. Nation-wide access to quality, affordable child care, a coordinated national approach to ending violence against women, and increased access to affordable housing  all high priorities for YWCA Canada  are tagged for new funding.

“Finally, a federal budget with women in view,” says Ann Decter, Director of Advocacy and Public Policy at YWCA Canada. “The investments announced today open the door to movement on child care, violence against women and access to affordable housing. These are crucial issues for women. We welcome the direction of this budget and look forward to implementation of national strategies that improve women’s lives.”

Multi-year funding for affordable child care positions the federal government to lead on creating a much needed national framework. With more than three-quarters of mothers of pre-schoolers in the workforce, child care is essential to women, their families and gender equality. Affordable child care provides women raising children on their own with access to employment and a path out of poverty.

“We’ll be looking for strong gender-based analysis in the National Housing Strategy,” says Ann Decter. “We know violence is a major driver of homelessness for women and girls. With shelters full and turning violence survivors away, the National Housing Strategy and the Federal Strategy Against Gender-based Violence must connect to increase access to safe, affordable housing for women.” YWCA Canada congratulates the government for producing the first federal budget that attempts a broad inclusive gender-based analysis.

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For interviews contact: Ann Decter, 416-275-0443 and on site at Centre Block.

About YWCA Canada:
YWCA Canada is the country’s oldest and largest women’s multi-service organization, with 32 Member Associations across the country serving women and girls in nine provinces and two territories. For more information visit www.ywcacanada.ca, find us on Twitter @YWCA_Canada or at www.facebook.com/ywcacanada.