WAGE Faces 81% Budget Cut: Setback in Canada’s Efforts Towards Gender Equality

Over the next three years, Canada’s Department for Women and Gender Equality (WAGE) is

expected to face drastic budget cuts of up to 81 per cent. Although this number is currently only an estimate, government-funded initiatives that support and advance gender equality are likely to face setbacks if additional funding is not secured.

In March, Prime Minister Mark Carney dismissed WAGE minister Marci Len, and dissolved the position. On April 15, following backlash for the decision, he reinstated the position, appointing Rechie Valde as the new WAGE minister. Despite the position’s reinstatement, challenges remain as the department continues to experience cuts elsewhere. As part of these cuts, the number of full-time staff in the department is anticipated to drop from 444 to 254 by 2028 (Morrison, 2025,para. 3).

What is WAGE?

WAGE is a federal department within the Canadian Government established to address

gender-related issues across Canada. The department is responsible for improving equality and providing women and 2SLGBTQI+ people with resources. Typically the focus is on eliminating gender-based violence. The department also emphasizes the intersecting barriers people may face associated with “race, ethnicity, disability, Indigenous origin, age, and socioeconomic status”(Women and Gender Equality Canada, 2025).

Government-funded programs and initiatives help WAGE accomplish its objectives, but

additional challenges are created when the department’s budget is decreased, limiting the

department's ability to provide sufficient support.

Expected Budget Cuts and the Consequences

In recent years, funding towards WAGE has remained consistent. In 2022-23, the department

received $323 million, and by 2025-26 funding had increased to $407 million. This increase was mostly driven by time-limited programs, including a ten year-budget plan to combat

gender-based violence and support members of the 2SLGBTQI+ community across Canada.

For the department to adequately address and respond to gender-specific challenges, which are still highly prevalent in Canada, WAGE requires additional and steady funding. Statistics Canada reports that “there were 28 more female homicide victims in 2024 than in 2023” (2024). This is an alarming increase that highlights how gender-based violence remains high in Canada, even with decade-long initiatives in place. It indicates that better initiatives are needed for significant change to occur, but this is not achievable without sufficient funding.

A few of the organizations affected by the funding changes wrote to Carney, stating that "the

proposed cuts will severely undermine national and local feminist organizations, shelters, sexual assault services, and victim services" (Morrison, 2025, para. 15). The letter highlighted that gender-specific issues will only worsen without proper funding to maintain essential resources.

The sustainability of essential government-funded initiatives and programs that promote gender equality and support victims of violence and discrimination are threatened by the impending budget cut. Much of the current progress will be lost unless a new budget plan is introduced.

References

Kachhela, Riddhi. (2025, July 25). ‘It’s being levelled’: advocates worried about potential 81 percent cut to Women and Gender Equality Canada’s budget by 2028. The Hill Times.

https://www.hilltimes.com/story/2025/07/25/its-being-levelled-advocates-worried-about-potential-81-per-cent-cut-to-women-and-gender-equality-canadas-budget-by-2028/468551/.

Morrison, Catherine. (2025, July 30). Organizations sound alarm as gender equality department faces 81% budget cut. The Canadian Press. https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/politics/organizations-sound-alarm-as-gender-equality-department-faces-81-budget-cut/article_48b6271a-7800-569d-b244-0e976c840569.html.

Scott, Katherine. (2025, July 25). Potential cuts to Women and Gender Equality Canada couldtake us back to the Harper days. Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

https://www.policyalternatives.ca/news-research/cuts-to-women-and-gender-equality-canada-will-take-us-back-to-the-harper-days/.

Government of Canada. (2025, September 19). Women and Gender Equality Canada.

women-gender-equality.html

Statistics Canada. (2024, July 22). Police-reported crime statistics in Canada, 2024.dq250722a-eng.htm.

Women and Gender Equality Canada. (2025, June 17). Women and Gender Equality Canada’s 2025-26 Departmental Plan.https://www.canada.ca/en/women-gender-equality/transparency/departmental-plans/2025-2026.html