Government Renews $700K for Gender-Based Violence Crisis Hotlines

The federal and provincial governments announced a renewed investment of $700,000 over five years to strengthen gender-based violence crisis hotline services across Newfoundland and Labrador.

The funding will support the work of End Sexual Violence NL and the Transition House Association of Newfoundland and Labrador, organizations that provide crisis response services for people experiencing gender-based violence.

The announcement was made by Lela Evans, alongside Rechie Valdez and Joanne Thompson.

Government officials said crisis hotlines provide immediate access to information, safety planning, referrals and emotional support for people affected by gender-based violence. The renewed funding is intended to strengthen those services while supporting a coordinated, trauma-informed response tailored to the needs of communities throughout the province.

The Newfoundland and Labrador announcement forms part of a broader federal commitment of $31 million over five years, with an additional $6.2 million in ongoing annual funding, to support provincial and territorial crisis hotlines across Canada.

The federal government said the initiative also complements a planned $607.4 million investment over four years beginning in 2027-28 to continue implementing the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence through renewed bilateral agreements with provinces and territories.