County Council approves emergency funding for gender-based violence organizations

County of Brant Council approved a one-time allotment of $266,177 to be split between Intimate Partner and Gender-based Violence organizations during their regular Council meeting on Tuesday, March 26, 2024.

During the meeting, Councillor Lukas Oakley introduced a resolution to help provide emergency funding to four local non-profits who work to supply a variety of wrap-around services to those in the community.

He noted that back in November 2023, the County of Brant declared that Intimate Partner (IP) and Gender-based Violence (GBV) is an epidemic and requested that related community services submit funding requests.

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While regular funding for these services and organization have since been deferred to the Joint City-County Shared Services Committee in regards to the 2025 budget and beyond, Oakley noted that there is critical funding that is needed in the meantime.

“On February 22, 2024, council failed to make good on this pledge by denying any funding from our 2024 budget to the Sexual Assault Centre of Brant, Victim Services of Brant, Willowbridge Community Services, or Nova Vita Brant,” said Oakley in his March 22 public announcement. “…While I am hopeful that through this avenue we can recognize that meaningful and permanent action must be taken, all four of these service providers have an immediate acute underfunding crisis. Thus, I am recommending that through reserve and surplus funds, we fund the requests from these four services to carry them through this year as we deliberate permanent funding measures through Joint Services.”

The full story can be found on our content partner, The Brant Beacon.