Useful Links

Women’s Shelters

• Shelternet This website provides reliable and up-to-date information for abused women, their family, friends, and colleagues in Canada, including special sections on topics such as understanding abuse, find a shelter, or abuse and children. This website is multilingual.
• Hot Peach Pages International directory of domestic violence agencies. Abuse information in over 80 different languages.
• Ontario Association of Interval and Transition Houses (OAITH) A provincial coalition founded by women’s shelter advocates that works with member agencies to educate and promote change in all areas that abused women and their children identify as important to their freedom from violence.

 

Aboriginal

• Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada One of the federal government departments responsible for meeting the Government of Canada’s obligations and commitments to First Nations, Inuit and Métis, and for fulfilling the federal government’s constitutional responsibilities in the North
• Aboriginal Education Directorate Provides leadership and co-ordination for departmental initiatives in Aboriginal education and training in Manitoba
• Equay-wuk (Women’s Group) This group in Sioux Lookout ON, originally started to help women and children experiencing family violence in remote northern communities, has expanded to provide other culturally appropriate support services, resources, information, and workshops to Aboriginal men, women, youth, and families who reside within Northwestern Ontarion First Nation communities
• NativeWeb Resources for Indigenous Cultures around the World
• Native Canadian Centre of Toronto Delivering programs and service to urban Native people
• Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) An aggregate of Native women’s organizations from across Canada founded on the collective goal to enhance, promote, and foster the social, economic, cultural and political well-being of First Nations and Métis women within First Nation, Métis and Canadian societies.
• National Aboriginal Circle Against Family Violence (NACAFV) This organization works to reduce family violence in Aboriginal communities across Canada
• Ontario Federation of Indian Friendship Centres (OFIFC) Administering a number of programs delivered by local Friendship Centres in areas such as health, justice, family support, and employment and training design, as well as delivering local initiatives in areas such as education, economic development, children’s and youth initiatives, and cultural awareness
• Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada The national voice of Inuit women in Canada, advocating on their behalf in an effort to ensure their input on national issues of concern to aboriginal peoples in Canada, and to increase their participation in federal policies and programs
• Stolen Sisters: A Human Rights Response to Discrimination and Violence Against Indigenous Women in Canada Amnesty International, October 2004
• The Aboriginal Multi-Media Society (AMMSA) An independent Aboriginal communications organization committee to facilitating the exchange of information reflecting Aboriginal culture to a growing and diverse audience

 

Children

• Boost Child Abuse Prevention and Intervention Dedicated to the prevention of child abuse and violence through education and awareness, and to collaborating with our community partners to provide services to children, youth, and their families, based in Toronto
• Campaign 2000 A cross-Canada public education movement that has become a vibrant network of national, regional and local partner organizations that actively work on child/family issues from diverse perspectives
• Kids Help Phone Canada’s only toll-free, 24-hour, bilingual and anonymous phone counselling, referral and Internet service for children and youth
• Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care (OCBCC) Working together for more access to quality child care, for more affordable child care and to improve child care services in Ontario

 

Feminist

• Feminist Alliance for International Action (FAFIA) A dynamic coalition of over 75 Canadian women’s equality-seeking and related organizations furthering women’s equality in Canada through domestic implementation of its’ international human rights commitments
• Canadian Women’s Foundation Canada’s only national foundation dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls by working to end violence against women, move low-income women out of poverty and empowering girls with confidence
• DisAbled Women’s Network Canada (DAWN-Canada) A national organization controlled by and comprised of women who self-identify as Women with disAbilities working to achieve control over our lives and end the stereotype that labels us dependent burdens on society
• International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) A leading international institute on gender and development, they seek to promote a world free of povery in which women and men, girls and boys have equal opportunities to achieve their potential and realize their rights
• Ontario Women’s Directorate Celebrating the strengths, achievements and diversity of women throughout Ontario while working with community partners to help women achieve financial independence and safety from violence
• Ontario Women’s Justice Network (OWJN) Promotes an understanding of the law with respect to violence against women, providing accessible legal information to women and their supporters in a manner that reflects the diverse experiences and realities of women
• PAR-L (Policy, Action, Research List) A bilingual, electronic network of individuals and organizations interested in women-centred policy issues in Canada
• Women Watch United Nations Inter-Agency Network on Women and Gender Equality (IANWGE) providing information and resources on gender euqlity and empowerment of women
• Women’s Web An online community for women by women for women, offering resources to help women find self-esteem and the tools to empower themselves

 

Health

• Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada (ARCC) The only nation-wide political pro-choice group devoted to ensuring abortion rights and access for women
• Across Boundaries A mental health centre providing a range of support and services to people of color in the Greater Toronto Area who are experiencing severe mental health problems/serious mental illness using a holistic approach
• Action Canada for Population and Development (ACPD) A human rights advocacy organization that seeks to enhance the quality of life of women, men and children by promoting progressive policies in the field of international development with a primary focus on reproductive and sexual rights and health and an emerging focus on international migration and development
• Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) An independent, not-for-profit organization that provides essential data and analysis on Canada’s health system and the health of Canadians
• Canadian Women’s Health Network (CWHN) One of Canada’s top bilingual sites for women’s health information
• Canadians for Choice (formerly Childbirth by Choice) A pro-choice, non-charitable organization dedicated to ensuring reproductive choice for all Canadians
• Ontario Health Coalition A network of grassroots community organizations empowering its members to become actively engaged in the making of public policy on matters related to health care and health communities
• Telecare Distress Centres of Canada Ensuring that every Canadian has access to a caring, non-judgemental and confidential listener. Includes information for distress centres across Canada
• Women’s Health in Women’s Hands A Community Health Centre providing Primary Healthcare to Black Women and Women of Colour from the Caribbean, African, Latin American, and South Asian communities in Metropolitan Toronto and surrounding municipalities

 

Housing/Homelessness

• Canadian Housing and Renewal Association (CHRA) A national non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and strengthening the social housing sector
• Canadian Housing Information Centre The library of Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) located in Ottawa is the most extensive housing information source in the country, serving consumers, builders, developers, academics and industry decision-makers
• Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) Canada’s national housing agency working with community organizations, the private sector, non-profit agencies and all levels of government to help create innovative solutions to today’s housing challenges, anticipate tomorrow’s needs, and improve the quality of life for all Canadians
• Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation (CERA) An Ontario-based non-profit human rights organization that promotes human rights in housing and challenges discrimination
• Habitat for Humanity – Durham A non-profit, non-denominational Christian housing organization building simple, decent, affordable homes in partnership with low-income families
• Homeless People’s Network Discussion List (HPNLIST) An international website where homeless people working with activist groups, street newspapers and other homeless-run projects (such as squats, centers, shelters and housing) can share information daily
• HouseLink Community Homes A non-profit, charitable agency based in Toronto that provides supportive housing to people living with mental illness
• Kehilla Residential Programme Identifies and champions affordable housing in the Greater Toronto area and implements housing initiatives for the Jewish community
• Landlord Tenant Board of Ontario Providing information about the Residential Tenancies Act (the RTA) which sets the rules for most residential rental housing in Ontario (this Act replaced the Tenant Protection Act (TPA) on January 31 2007)
• Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association The authority on non-profit housing at all levels of government in communities all across Ontario
• Ontario Tenants Rights Information for landlords and tenants in Ontario (with additional information for other communities in other provinces and territories throughout Canada)
• Raising the Roof Canada’s only national charity dedicated to long-term solutions to homelessness
• Shared Learnings on Homelessness (A project by Raising the Roof) Practical tools, resources and information sharing for frontline staff, managers and volunteers working to address the problem of homelessness in their communities across Canada

 

Immigration

• Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR) A non-profit umbrella organization committed to the rights and protection of refugees in Canada and around the world and to the settlement of refugees and immigrants in Canada
• Canadian Immigration for Same-Sex Partners (LEGIT) A grassroots lobby and support group providing immigration information and support to queer, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered people while working to end discrimination in Canada’s immigration regulations
• Centre for Spanish Speaking Peoples Serving the needs of new immigrants from 22 Spanish – speaking countries and members of other communities by offering a variety of services designed to overcome barriers based on language, race, age, sex, and sexual orientation
• Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) Information on Canada’s immigration programs
• COSTI Immigrant Services A community-based multicultural agency providing employment, educational, settlement and social services to all immigrant communities, new Canadians and individuals in need of assistance with locations in Toronto, York Region and Peel
• National Organziation of Immigrant and Visible Minority Women of Canada (NOIVMWC) A non-profit, non-partisan and non-sectarian organization working to ensure equality for immigrant and visible minority women, within bilingual Canada
• Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI) Advocate for the immigrant-serving sector and expert on immigrant and refugee issues
• RoseNet A website providing information about Canadian laws and issues relating to immigrant women in abusive relationships
• Settlement.Org Providing information and answers to settle in Ontario, Canada
• Settlement.Org At Work Professional development/sector resources for those working with Newcomers to Ontario

 

Legal

• Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies (CAEFS) An association of self-governing, community-based Elizabeth Fry Societies that with work and for women and girls in the justice system, particularly those who are, or may be, criminalized
• Centre for Children and Families in the Justice System Known around the world for their innovative approach to understanding children exposed to domestic violence, supporting their mothers and creating resource for service deliverers
• Guide to Ontario Courts Providing links to websites for the Court of Appeal for Ontario, the Superior Court of Justice, and the Ontario Court of Justice
• Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) An independent but publicly funded and publicly accountable non-profit corporation, promoting access to justice throughout Ontario for low-income individuals by means of providing consistently high quality legal aid services in a cost-effective and efficient manner
• VIOLET: Law and Abused Women A plain language, woman-friendly, safe space on the Internet providing passive and interactive services to meet the legal information needs of abused women and their service providers in Alberta
• Your Legal Rights A web site of legal information for community workers and advocates who work with low-income and disadvantaged communities in Ontario

 

LGBTQ

• Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives (CLGA) Based in Toronto, this is the second largest LGBT archive in the world determined to preserve queer history in Canada and beyond
• Egale Canada A national organization that advances equality and justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans-identified people and their families, with members in every province and territory
• Canadian Immigration for Same-Sex Partners (LEGIT) A grassroots lobby and support group providing immigration information and support to queer, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered people while working to end discrimination in Canada’s immigration regulations
• TransActionCanada A group dedicated to the health, welfare and legal/justice issues of the Canadian Trans community

 

Poverty

• Campaign 2000 A cross-Canada public education movement that has become a vibrant network of national, regional and local partner organizations that actively work on child/family issues from diverse perspectives.
• Canada Without Poverty A not-for-profit and non-partisan organization dedicated to the elimination of poverty in Canada
• Canadian Council on Social Development (CCSD) A non-profit social policy and research organization focusing on issues such as poverty, social inclusion, disability, cultural diversity, child well-being, employment and housing
• Canadian’s Coalition to End Global Poverty (CCIC) A coalition of Canadian voluntary sector organizations working globally to achieve sustainable human development. CCIC seeks to end global poverty, and to promote social justice and human dignity for all
• Charter Committee on Poverty Issues (CCPI) Bringing together low-income activists and poverty law advocates to ensure that poor people are able to make more effective use of their rights in Canada
• Growing Gap – an initiative of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives’ Inequality Project A national project to increase public awareness about the alarming spread of income and wealth inequality in Canada
• Income Security Advocacy Centre (ISAC) Works with and on behalf of low income communities in Ontario to address issues of income security and poverty
• National Council of Welfare (NCW) An arm’s length advisory body to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development on matters of concern to low-income Canadians
• Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP) Based in Toronto ON, this direct-action anti-poverty organization mounts campaigns against regressive government policies as they affect poor and working people and provides direct-action advocacy for individuals against wellfare and ODSP, public housing and others who deny poor people what they are entitled to
• Pay the Rent AND feed the Kids Campaign This campaign is an effort to challenge the Ontario provincial government to raise social assistance rates to reflect the actual cost of living
• Poverty Quiz Test your knowledge on child and family poverty in Canada
• PovNet Resources in British Columbia and Canada for advocates, people on welfare and community groups and individuals involved in anti-poverty work
• Share the Warmth Based in Montreal QC, Share the Warmth collects and distributes warm clothing and food for the homeless, in addition to other programs
• Social Assistance Review Part of the Ontario government’s Poverty Reduction Stratege of December 2008, this website has updates on what the government is doing, what ISAC is doing, and what activists across Ontario are doing
• Social Security Reform Centre A source on the Social Security reform debate in the USA
• Walking on Eggshells: Abused Women’s Experiences of Ontario’s Welfare System
  Final Report of Research Findings from the Woman and Abuse Welfare Research Project, April 2004

 

Reports and Statistics

• Arlene May – Coroner’s Inquest Recommendations by METRAC and OAITH at the Inquest into the death of Arlene May, murdered in March 1996 by her former boyfriend after months of abuse, threats and harassment, along with the Jury’s Verdict and Recommendations
• Bill 68, Brian’s Law (Mental Health Legislative Reform), 2000 This law, passed in 2000 by the Ontario Legislature, amended the Mental Health Act and the Health Care Consent Act, introducing community treatment orders and new criteria for involuntary commitment to psychiatric facilities
• Centre for Research and Education on Violence against Women and Children The Centre promotes the development of community-centered, action research on violence against women and children, located at the University of Western Ontario
• Welcome Home: A Guide to Services for Tenants Useful information about community resources that can help people stay housed
• Inclusive Cities Canada A Cross-Canada Civic Initiative
• Muriel McQueen Fergusson Centre For Family Violence Research (MMFC) Affiliated with the University of New Brunswick Frederick Campus, the MMFC undertakes activities that will contribute broadly to the elimination of family violence from our society
• Raising The Roof Organization working towards long-term solutions for Canada’s Homeless
• Trans Accessibility Project – Making Women’s Shelters Accessible to Transgendered Women This manual was written to assist shelters for abused women in making the changes required to provide transgendered women with the respectful and supportive services that all women deserve (1999)
• Woman Power and Politics A project of the Toronto Coalition for Better Child Care, this book explores how women can create more power in today’s political systems

 

Useful Organizations

• Campaign 2000 A cross-Canada public education movement to build Canadian awareness and support for the 1989 all-party House of Commons resolution to end child poverty in Canada by the year 2000
• Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) An independent, non-partisan research institute concerned with issues of social, economic environmental justice
• Canadian Child Care Federation Committed to excellence in early learning and child care through best and promising practice, capacity building and collaborations, networks and partnerships
• Canadian Council on Social Development (CCSD) A non-profit social policy and research organization focusing on issues such as poverty, social inclusion, disability, cultural diversity, child well-being, employment and housing
• Canadian Housing Information Centre This library of the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) is the most extensive housing information source in the country
• Canadian Race Relations Foundation (CRRF) Canada’s leading agency dedicated to the elimination of racism in the country
• Canadian Social Research Links A virtual resource centre for Canadian social program information
• Department of Justice Canada Information on Canada’s justice system, including programs, initiatives and publications
• Law Central Canada Canada’s connection to the world of justice and law
• Ministry of Community and Social Services (Ontario) Information on Social Assistance, including Ontario Works (OW) and Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP), and the Family Responsibility Office (FRO)
• National Clearinghouse on Family Violence (NCFV) Canada’s resource centre for information on violence within relationships of kinship, intimacy, dependency or trust, operated by the Public Health Agency of Canada
• Ontario Public Service Interest Research Group – Toronto (OPIRG) Based out of the University of Toronto, this group has a mandate for action, education, and research on environmental and social justice issues. They are part of an international network of Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs)
• Ontario Women’s Directorate Celebrating the strengths, achievements and diversity of women throughout Ontario, they work with community partners to help women achieve financial independence and safety from violence
• Poverty Quiz Test your knowledge on child and family poverty in Canada
• Resources for Feminist Research (RFR) A Canadian scholarly journal addressing Canadian and international feminist research issues and debates
• Social Security Reform Centre Information on Social Security in the United States
• Status of Women Canada (SWC) Working to advance equality for women and to remove the barriers to women’s participation in society, putting particular emphasis on increasing women’s economic security and eliminating violence against women
• Social Planning Toronto Committed to independent social planning at the local and city-wide levels in order to improve the quality of life for all people in Toronto
• Working Group on Homelessness – National Housing Research Committee (NHRC) This group helps provide a comprehensive response to the homeless population’s needs, and to coordinate the services and the service providers acting in homeless persons’ interests

 

* 10 Texting and Driving Statistics Everyone Should Know Important Information provided by Brad, a student at Learning Haven.  Thanks Brad!