On April 28, women voters delivered a major victory for the Liberal party, turning around the electoral fortunes of a party that had been trailing its major opponent by 25 points in the year leading up to the election.  

The Liberals succeeded despite only a cursory discussion of gender equality in the Liberal platform, as the Liberals forcefully sought to distance themselves from the Trudeau record. And despite the removal of Minister for Women and Gender Equality (WAGE) from Cabinet in March when Mark Carney was elected Liberal leader, a decision that he walked back after the general election in the face of protest.

Questions continue to linger about the new government’s commitment to gender equality. What’s the status of the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence? Where is the new Employment Equity Act? What’s being done to bolster the capacity of gender equality organizations confronting an increasingly violent anti-feminist backlash? 

The answer is “not much,” according to the new 2025-26 Departmental Plan. In fact, with the conclusion of current funding programs, WAGE Canada’s budget is set to decline by a whopping 80 per cent between 2024-25 and 2027-28, a much larger cut than the 15 per cent identified in the new Finance Minister’s Champagne “Comprehensive Expenditure Review.”


In the Liberal platform, the government promised to increase support for the Women’s Economic and Leadership Opportunities Fund, but funds for the Women’s Program (including the Opportunities Fund) are being slashed by over 90 per cent from a high of $226.6 million in 2022-23 to $18.9 million in 2027-28 (in constant 2025 dollars).  


If these cuts are implemented, the women’s movement will be thrown back to the wrenching Harper years when then minister for Status of Women Canada, Bev Oda, famously excised the word “equality” from the agency’s mandate, arguing it wasn’t needed any more. 

Funding for the Women’s Program is actually forecast to be 36.5 per cent lower in 2027-28 (at $18.9 million) than it was in 2014-15—the last full year that Stephen Harper was in power (at $29.8 million in 2025 dollars). 

Funding for the Equality for Sex, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression Program (which includes transfers to the provinces and territories under the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence) effectively falls to zero by 2027-28 (at $1.9 million). The dedicated GBV funding stream (in addition to the support offered through the Women’s Program) will fall to $10.7 million at the same time. 


In mid July, territorial ministers for gender equality asked the federal minister, Rechie Valdez, to secure funding for the remaining six years of the National Action Plan. Valdez was non-committal, stating that her department is seeking “more clarity around the details” from the Prime Minister’s office.

As it stands, WAGE’s total budget, which represents 0.08 per cent of total federal expenditures, will fall to 0.01 per cent in 2027-28. And staffing levels are expected to decline by 35.2 per cent to 254 full-time equivalents between 2024-25 and 2027-28.



All eyes on the budget

Moving forward with the planned cuts would be a massive slap in the face to the millions of feminist voters who secured this government’s mandate—and a dangerous signal as global attacks on reproductive and 2SLGBTQ+ rights intensify. 

Pre-election, the Liberals promised to “never” compromise women’s rights in Canada. “We will protect these rights, and fight for true equity for women – in health, in the workplace, and in their access to fundamental rights.” 

Now the government is talking about cuts so deep that they will exceed those that laid waste to the women’s sector during the Harper years. It is the same story playing out in Washington—the only significant difference is that Canadian policymakers are doing it without the hateful rhetoric. 

The upcoming federal budget may yet include investments to strengthen vital supports for Canadians and civil society. Banishing women’s voices and concerns in government and closing down gender equality organizations is not the path of a just or prosperous future.