Item - 2015.HL8.1
Tracking Status
- City Council adopted this item on December 9, 2015 with amendments.
- This item was considered by Board of Health on November 30, 2015 and was adopted with amendments. It will be considered by City Council on December 9, 2015.
HL8.1 - Action on Intimate Partner Violence against Women
- Decision Type:
- ACTION
- Status:
- Amended
- Wards:
- All
City Council Decision
City Council on December 9 and 10, 2015, adopted the following:
1. City Council direct City Manager to work with the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, the General Managers, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, and Parks, Forestry and Recreation, and other relevant City divisions and agencies to collaborate with the Medical Officer of Health, to identify opportunities for implementing the intimate partner violence action plan.
2. City Council acknowledge the Ontario government's commitment to the prevention of intimate partner violence and other forms of gender-based violence, and urge the Provincial government to:
a. provide in the 2016 Provincial Budget capital and operational funding that is dedicated to increasing the availability of affordable housing, emergency, and transitional/supportive housing to those affected by intimate partner violence;
b. provide for those affected by intimate partner and gender-based violence legal aid; and alternate court and legal supports for women unable to qualify for legal aid;
c. increase provision of social support and mental health services in Toronto for women experiencing violence, perpetrators, and children exposed to IPV, with attention to more vulnerable groups;
d. engage with municipalities to look at ways to provide affordable housing options to women without status;
e. increase funding to the Healthy Babies Healthy Children program in Toronto to reach more children at risk of poor developmental outcomes; and
f. include comprehensive intimate partner violence prevention education in teacher education programs.
3. City Council request the Toronto Police Services Board to review policies related to responding to intimate partner violence, including, but not limited to, the mandatory charging policy, enforcement of no-contact orders and probation conditions.
4. City Council request the Federal Minister of Status of Women to develop the promised national strategy and action plan to address gender-based violence, that considers increasing federal investments in affordable housing, emergency, and transitional/supportive housing for those affected by intimate partner violence.
5. City Council request the Chief Statistician of Statistics Canada to address the gaps in providing comprehensive data on intimate partner violence attitudes, knowledge, and behaviour that is inclusive of all affected populations, including gender diverse communities, and to ensure that these data are available at the municipal level.
6. City Council support the action of the Board of Health in forwarding the report (November 16, 2015) from the Medical Officer of Health, to:
- all City divisions and agencies;
- the City's Occupational Health and Safety Coordinating Committee;
- the four Toronto School Boards;
- Legal Aid Ontario; and
- government ministries that provide programs or services to groups of women, youth and children who are vulnerable and more likely to experience violence including the:
- Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs
- Ministry of Children and Youth Services
- Ministry Responsible for Women's Issues
- Ministry of the Attorney General
- Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services
- Department of Justice Canada
- Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration Canada
- Ontario Women’s Directorate
- Ministry of Status of Women Canada.
7. City Council direct the City Manager to take the necessary steps to reinstate programs that would provide education and necessary legal and other supports for City Employees who are experiencing intimate partner and gender-based violence.
8. City Council request Toronto Community Housing to expand the Special Priority Housing program to eliminate the wait time gap between shelter stay times, for those qualified to receive the service including women experience domestic and gender-based violence.
City Council Decision Advice and Other Information
The Medical Officer of Health gave a presentation to City Council on Action on Intimate Partner Violence against Women.
Background Information (Board)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2015/hl/bgrd/backgroundfile-85930.pdf
Attachment 1: Summary of Risk Factors for Intimate Partner Violence
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2015/hl/bgrd/backgroundfile-85931.pdf
(November 30, 2015) Presentation from the Medical Officer of Health on Action on Intimate Partner Violence against Women
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2015/hl/bgrd/backgroundfile-86169.pdf
Background Information (City Council)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2015/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-86651.pdf
Communications (City Council)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2015/cc/comm/communicationfile-57664.pdf
Motions (City Council)
That:
1. City Council amend Board of Health Recommendation 1 by adding the words "City Manager to work with" so that Recommendation 1 now reads as follows:
1. City Council direct the City Manager to work with Executive Director of Social Development, Finance and Administration, the General Managers of Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, and Parks, Forestry and Recreation, and other relevant City divisions and agencies to collaborate with the Medical Officer of Health, to identify opportunities for implementing the intimate partner violence action plan.
2. City Council amend Board of Health Recommendation 2a by adding the words "in the 2016 Provincial Budget" so that Recommendation 2a now reads as follows:
2. City Council acknowledge the Ontario government's commitment to the prevention of intimate partner violence and other forms of gender-based violence, and urge the provincial government to:
a. Provide in the 2016 Provincial Budget capital and operational funding that is dedicated to increasing the availability of affordable housing, emergency, and transitional/supportive housing to those affected by intimate partner violence;
3. City Council delete Board of Health Recommendation 2b:
Reccomendation to be deleted:
b. Further increase access to legal aid for those affected by intimate partner violence;
and replace it with the following:
b. Provide for those affected by intimate partner and gender-based violence legal aid; and alternate court and legal supports for women unable to qualify for legal aid.
Vote (Amend Item) Dec-10-2015 3:42 PM
| Result: Carried | Majority Required - HL8.1 - Wong-Tam - motion 1a |
|---|---|
| Total members that voted Yes: 35 | Members that voted Yes are Paul Ainslie, Maria Augimeri, Ana Bailão, Jon Burnside, Christin Carmichael Greb, Raymond Cho, Josh Colle, Gary Crawford, Joe Cressy, Janet Davis, Glenn De Baeremaeker, Justin J. Di Ciano, Frank Di Giorgio, Sarah Doucette, John Filion, Paula Fletcher, Mary Fragedakis, Mark Grimes, Stephen Holyday, Norman Kelly, Mike Layton, Chin Lee, Giorgio Mammoliti, Josh Matlow, Pam McConnell, Mary-Margaret McMahon, Joe Mihevc, Ron Moeser, Frances Nunziata (Chair), Cesar Palacio, James Pasternak, Gord Perks, Jaye Robinson, John Tory, Kristyn Wong-Tam |
| Total members that voted No: 0 | Members that voted No are |
| Total members that were Absent: 10 | Members that were absent are Michelle Berardinetti, John Campbell, Shelley Carroll, Vincent Crisanti, Rob Ford, Jim Karygiannis, Denzil Minnan-Wong, Anthony Perruzza, David Shiner, Michael Thompson |
That:
1. City Council direct the City Manager to take the necessary steps to reinstate programs that would provide education and necessary legal and other supports for City Employees who are experiencing intimate partner and gender-based violence.
2. City Council request Toronto Community Housing to expand the Special Priority Housing program to eliminate the wait time gap between shelter stay times, for those qualified to receive the service including women experience domestic and gender-based violence.
Vote (Amend Item (Additional)) Dec-10-2015 3:43 PM
| Result: Carried | Majority Required - HL8.1 - Wong-Tam - motion 1b |
|---|---|
| Total members that voted Yes: 35 | Members that voted Yes are Paul Ainslie, Maria Augimeri, Ana Bailão, Jon Burnside, Christin Carmichael Greb, Raymond Cho, Josh Colle, Gary Crawford, Joe Cressy, Janet Davis, Glenn De Baeremaeker, Justin J. Di Ciano, Frank Di Giorgio, Sarah Doucette, John Filion, Paula Fletcher, Mary Fragedakis, Mark Grimes, Stephen Holyday, Norman Kelly, Mike Layton, Chin Lee, Giorgio Mammoliti, Josh Matlow, Pam McConnell, Mary-Margaret McMahon, Joe Mihevc, Ron Moeser, Frances Nunziata (Chair), Cesar Palacio, James Pasternak, Gord Perks, Jaye Robinson, John Tory, Kristyn Wong-Tam |
| Total members that voted No: 0 | Members that voted No are |
| Total members that were Absent: 10 | Members that were absent are Michelle Berardinetti, John Campbell, Shelley Carroll, Vincent Crisanti, Rob Ford, Jim Karygiannis, Denzil Minnan-Wong, Anthony Perruzza, David Shiner, Michael Thompson |
Vote (Adopt Item as Amended) Dec-10-2015 3:44 PM
| Result: Carried | Majority Required - HL8.1 - Adopt the item as amended |
|---|---|
| Total members that voted Yes: 35 | Members that voted Yes are Paul Ainslie, Maria Augimeri, Ana Bailão, Jon Burnside, Christin Carmichael Greb, Raymond Cho, Josh Colle, Gary Crawford, Joe Cressy, Janet Davis, Glenn De Baeremaeker, Justin J. Di Ciano, Frank Di Giorgio, Sarah Doucette, John Filion, Paula Fletcher, Mary Fragedakis, Mark Grimes, Stephen Holyday, Norman Kelly, Mike Layton, Chin Lee, Giorgio Mammoliti, Josh Matlow, Pam McConnell, Mary-Margaret McMahon, Joe Mihevc, Ron Moeser, Frances Nunziata (Chair), Cesar Palacio, James Pasternak, Gord Perks, Jaye Robinson, John Tory, Kristyn Wong-Tam |
| Total members that voted No: 0 | Members that voted No are |
| Total members that were Absent: 10 | Members that were absent are Michelle Berardinetti, John Campbell, Shelley Carroll, Vincent Crisanti, Rob Ford, Jim Karygiannis, Denzil Minnan-Wong, Anthony Perruzza, David Shiner, Michael Thompson |
Councillor Karygiannis, rising on a Point of Order, stated that Councillor Cho's remarks about refugees coming from a single country are not appropriate.
Councillor Cho withdrew his remarks.
HL8.1 - Action on Intimate Partner Violence against Women
- Decision Type:
- ACTION
- Status:
- Amended
- Wards:
- All
Board Recommendations
The Board of Health recommends that:
1. City Council direct the Executive Director of Social Development, Finance and Administration, the General Managers of Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, and Parks, Forestry and Recreation, and other relevant City divisions and agencies to collaborate with the Medical Officer of Health, to identify opportunities for implementing the intimate partner violence action plan.
2. City Council acknowledge the Ontario government's commitment to the prevention of intimate partner violence and other forms of gender-based violence, and urge the provincial government to:
a. Provide capital and operational funding that is dedicated to increasing the availability of affordable housing, emergency, and transitional/supportive housing to those affected by intimate partner violence;
b. Further increase access to legal aid for those affected by intimate partner violence;
c. Increase provision of social support and mental health services in Toronto for women experiencing violence, perpetrators, and children exposed to IPV, with attention to more vulnerable groups;
d. Engage with municipalities to look at ways to provide affordable housing options to women without status;
e. Increase funding to the Healthy Babies Healthy Children program in Toronto to reach more children at risk of poor developmental outcomes; and
f. Include comprehensive intimate partner violence prevention education in teacher education programs.
3. City Council request the Toronto Police Services Board to review policies related to responding to intimate partner violence, including, but not limited to, the mandatory charging policy, enforcement of no-contact orders and probation conditions.
4. City Council request that the federal Minister of Status of Women to develop the promised national strategy and action plan to address gender-based violence, that considers increasing federal investments in affordable housing, emergency, and transitional/supportive housing for those affected by intimate partner violence.
5. City Council request the Chief Statistician of Statistics Canada to address the gaps in providing comprehensive data on intimate partner violence attitudes, knowledge, and behaviour that is inclusive of all affected populations, including gender diverse communities, and to ensure that these data are available at the municipal level.
6. City Council support the action of the Board of Health in forwarding the report (November 16, 2015) from the Medical Officer of Health, to:
- all City divisions and agencies
- the City's Occupational Health and Safety Coordinating Committee
- the four Toronto School Boards
- Legal Aid Ontario
- government ministries that provide programs or services to groups of women, youth and children who are vulnerable and more likely to experience violence including the:
- Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs
- Ministry of Children and Youth Services
- Ministry Responsible for Women's Issues
- Ministry of the Attorney General
- Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services
- Department of Justice Canada,
- Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration Canada
- Ontario Women’s Directorate
- Ministry of Status of Women Canada.
Decision Advice and Other Information
The Board of Health:
1. Requested the Medical Officer of Health to collaborate with the Executive Director of Social Development, Finance and Administration, the General Managers of Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, and Parks, Forestry and Recreation, and other relevant City divisions and agencies, to identify opportunities for implementing the intimate partner violence action plan and report to the Board of Health in the third quarter of 2016 on the progress of the implementation plan.
2. Acknowledged the Ontario government's commitment to the prevention of intimate partner violence and other forms of gender-based violence, and urged the provincial government to:
a. Provide capital and operational funding that is dedicated to increasing the availability of affordable housing, emergency, and transitional/supportive housing to those affected by intimate partner violence;
b. Further increase access to legal aid for those affected by intimate partner violence;
c. Increase provision of social support and mental health services in Toronto for women experiencing violence, perpetrators, and children exposed to IPV, with attention to more vulnerable groups;
d. Engage with municipalities to look at ways to provide affordable housing options to women without status;
e. Increase funding to the Healthy Babies Healthy Children program in Toronto to reach more children at risk of poor developmental outcomes; and
f. Include comprehensive intimate partner violence prevention education in teacher education programs.
3. Requested the Toronto Police Services Board to review policies related to responding to intimate partner violence, including, but not limited to, the mandatory charging policy, enforcement of no-contact orders and probation conditions.
4. Requested the federal Minister of Status of Women develop the promised national strategy and action plan to address gender-based violence, that considers increasing federal investments in affordable housing, emergency, and transitional/supportive housing for those affected by intimate partner violence.
5. Requested the Chief Statistician of Statistics Canada to address the gaps in providing comprehensive data on intimate partner violence attitudes, knowledge, and behaviour that is inclusive of all affected populations, including gender diverse communities, and to ensure that these data are available at the municipal level.
6. Forwarded the report (November 16, 2015) from the Medical Officer of Health, to:
- all City divisions and agencies
- the City's Occupational Health and Safety Coordinating Committee
- the four Toronto School Boards
- Legal Aid Ontario
- government ministries that provide programs or services to groups of women, youth and children who are vulnerable and more likely to experience violence including the:
- Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs
- Ministry of Children and Youth Services
- Ministry Responsible for Women's Issues
- Ministry of the Attorney General
- Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services
- Department of Justice Canada,
- Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration Canada
- Ontario Women’s Directorate
- Ministry of Status of Women Canada.
The Medical Officer of Health gave a presentation to the Board of Health on Action on Intimate Partner Violence Against Women.
Origin
Summary
This report is dedicated to the memory of Zahra Abdille and her sons, Faris (age 13) and Zain (age 8), who were killed on November 29, 2014. Zahra was a public health nurse in Toronto Public Health and is remembered and missed by her colleagues.
Intimate partner violence (IPV) refers to behaviour within an intimate relationship that causes physical, sexual or psychological harm, including acts of physical aggression, sexual coercion, psychological abuse and controlling behaviours. It is an urgent, yet preventable public health concern. In Canada, one in three women has experienced abuse at some point in her life, and every six days, a woman is killed by her partner. In 2013, Toronto police data indicate that 4,695 women were victims of IPV. Intimate partner violence has immediate and long lasting detrimental health, social, and economic effects on victims, their families and society as a whole. The damaging effects of IPV also affect the workplace. Canadian employers lose an estimated $77.9 million annually due to the direct and indirect impacts of IPV.
Addressing IPV is a collective responsibility and public health can play an important role in this endeavour. A comprehensive public health approach must include action to prevent IPV from occurring in the first place but also include action to identify those at risk and support those affected by IPV to mitigate the impact on health and prevent future harm.
Based on a review of the data on the extent of IPV, a review of published evidence, and an environmental scan, Toronto Public Health (TPH) has developed an action plan to enhance TPH capacity for prevention, early identification, and response to IPV. This report outlines this action plan which includes ten overall goals and a series of actions, some of which require collaboration with other City agencies and divisions and community partners. For actions beyond the mandate of TPH, recommendations to provincial and federal governments are made.
Background Information
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2015/hl/bgrd/backgroundfile-85930.pdf
Attachment 1: Summary of Risk Factors for Intimate Partner Violence
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2015/hl/bgrd/backgroundfile-85931.pdf
(November 30, 2015) Presentation from the Medical Officer of Health on Action on Intimate Partner Violence against Women
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2015/hl/bgrd/backgroundfile-86169.pdf
Speakers
Tim Maguire, President, Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 79
Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam
Motions
1. That City Council direct that the Executive Director of Social Development, Finance and Administration, the General Managers of Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, and Parks, Forestry and Recreation, and other relevant City divisions and agencies collaborate with the Medical Officer of Health, to identify opportunities for implementing the intimate partner violence action plan.
2. That City Council acknowledge the Ontario government's commitment to the prevention of intimate partner violence and other forms of gender-based violence, and urge the provincial government to:
a. Provide capital and operational funding that is dedicated to increasing the availability of affordable housing, emergency, and transitional/supportive housing to those affected by intimate partner violence;
b. Further increase access to legal aid for those affected by intimate partner violence;
c. Increase provision of social support and mental health services in Toronto for women experiencing violence, perpetrators, and children exposed to IPV, with attention to more vulnerable groups;
d. Engage with municipalities to look at ways to provide affordable housing options to women without status; and
e. Increase funding to the Healthy Babies Healthy Children program in Toronto to reach more children at risk of poor developmental outcomes.
f. Include comprehensive intimate partner violence prevention education in teacher education programs.
3. That City Council request the Toronto Police Services Board to review policies related to responding to intimate partner violence, including, but not limited to, the mandatory charging policy, enforcement of no-contact orders and probation conditions.
4. That City Council request that the federal Minister of Status of Women develop the promised national strategy and action plan to address gender-based violence, that considers increasing federal investments in affordable housing, emergency, and transitional/supportive housing for those affected by intimate partner violence.
5. That City Council request the Chief Statistician of Statistics Canada to address the gaps in providing comprehensive data on intimate partner violence attitudes, knowledge, and behaviour that is inclusive of all affected populations, including gender diverse communities, and to ensure that these data are available at the municipal level.
6. That City Council support the action of the Board of Health in forwarding the report to all City divisions and agencies, the City's Occupational Health and Safety Coordinating Committee, the four Toronto School Boards, and Legal Aid Ontario.
That the Board of Health:
Forward the report to government ministries that provide programs or services to groups of women, youth and children who are vulnerable and more likely to experience violence including the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs, the Ministry of Children and Youth Services, the Ministry Responsible for Women's Issues, the Ministry of the Attorney General, the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services, the Department of Justice Canada, the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration Canada, the Ontario Women’s Directorate, and the Ministry of Status of Women Canada.
That the Medical Officer of Health report back to the Board of Health in the third quarter of 2016 on the progress of the implementation plan.