New Brunswick has declared Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) an epidemic and a systemic crisis.
It signals the need for action in a province that reports some of the highest rates of IPV in Atlantic Canada after the unanimous motion was passed in the Legislature on Thursday.
Labour union Unifor played a key role in advocating for the motion.
“Naming IPV as an epidemic is in line with recommendations from the Mass Casualty Commission and mirrors the approach taken in Nova Scotia,” Jennifer Murray, Unifor’s Atlantic regional director, said.
“It signals the urgency needed to address violence in our communities.”
The declaration follows discussions at Unifor’s Intimate Partner Violence Symposium on June 3 with Minister of Women’s Equality Lyne Chantal Boudreau.
Unifor has since called on the government to back up the motion with increased funding, better support for survivors, new legislation, and a coordinated response with frontline service providers.
The group has also written to premiers across Canada, asking all provinces and territories to revise their approach to addressing IPV.
Advocates say these steps are necessary to improve education, support services, and funding for those experiencing or fleeing violence.
This effort follows the unanimous passage of a similar bill in Nova Scotia in September 2024, a move that highlights the growing political will to address gender-based violence across the country.
