Clarification: The N.B. legislature says gender-based violence is an epidemic, not the government of New Brunswick, after a motion was supported by all provincial MLAs last week.
The New Brunswick legislature says gender-based violence is an epidemic.
The motion, introduced by PC MLA Tammy Scott-Wallace, was unanimously adopted in the legislature on Thursday.
This comes after more than 20 organizations wrote an open letter calling on the province to make the declaration.
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“Naming a crisis an epidemic is not symbolic, it is strategic, so people can get the resources we need,” said Scott-Wallace.
“It is putting a proper name to a problem that needs to be addressed.”
According to the most recent available data from 2023, New Brunswick has the third highest rate of intimate partner violence reported in the country.
The province saw an almost 40 per cent increase over a 12-year period, with rural communities being particularly affected.
Nova Scotia is the only province in Canada that has officially declared gender-based violence is an epidemic.
The government of New Brunswick must still officially declare IPV an epidemic to match what Nova Scotia did.
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