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“To me, leadership means never losing sight that the issues at hand are so much bigger than oneself. It is about clarity, focus, and looking inward to lead with strength.”
~ Siila Watt-Cloutier, Inuit advocate
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LEADERSHIP MESSAGE
Dear YWCA Toronto Community,
Happy Indigenous History and Pride month! This season brings so much to celebrate, and I am excited to share the commemorative and activating events we have planned to celebrate and honour these communities and histories.
Lately, I have been reflecting on how vital connection is to our shared work. Over the past couple of months, our team has been deeply engaged in community events and advocacy efforts. From Aura Freedom’s Headlines and Harm: Reframing Media Coverage on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) event, to the Right to Food Canada Summit, and the Ontario Nonprofit Network Care Economy Summit, we have been reminded of the power of community action.
On May 7, in honour of the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two Spirit People, we visited the 4000 Cover Stories exhibit at Queen’s Park—a powerful reminder of the ongoing need for truth and reconciliation and our commitment to anti-racism and decolonization.
We also attended the Voice the Vote Summit and Social Planning Toronto’s City for All Summit, joining partners from across Toronto to discuss ways to support meaningful civic engagement ahead of the upcoming municipal election.
May was South Asian Heritage Month and in celebration Deepa Mattoo, our Chief Executive Officer, spoke on the “Uniting Against Hate” panel at Toronto City Hall. Organized by Councillor Neethan Shan, Council of Agencies Serving South Asians (CASSA), and the United Way Greater Toronto Area, the event focused on addressing hate and strengthening safety and solidarity within South Asian communities.
Through each of these moments, we were reminded that collaboration strengthens our work and advances gender equity and justice.
As we look ahead, we are eager to continue gathering, learning and showing up for our community with intention, humanity and care.
In solidarity,
Sami Pritchard
Director of Advocacy and Communications
YWCA Toronto
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Preventable, Predictable, and Compounding: Childhood Adversity in Our Systems
For many of the children and families that access YWCA Toronto’s programs, adverse childhood experiences show up in multiple, intersecting ways. They appear when families arrive in shelter, face housing precarity or migration, or when caregivers navigate trauma while seeking safety, childcare, and income support. Insufficient support for caregivers directly compromises children’s healthy development.
Sami Pritchard, Director of Advocacy and Communications, delivered an oral deputation to the City of Toronto’s Board of Health sharing how preventing adversity for children means reducing violence and instability in caregivers’ lives.
Read the full deputation.
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YWCA Toronto Employment Centre in Scarborough
Our Employment Centre offers free support for women, youth, and gender diverse individuals seeking jobs!
Services include connections to employers, résumé and cover‑letter help, interview preparation, one‑on‑one career counselling, Better Jobs Ontario guidance, and free access to computers, internet, and printers.
Start your employment journey today. Visit us at 3090 Kingston Rd., Suite 300, Scarborough or call 416‑269‑0090.
Learn more.
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YWCA Toronto’s Distinction Awards Create Change Challenge
On May 28th, we welcomed over 550 guests to the 45th YWCA Toronto Distinction Awards presented by Elmwood Spa and Bangkok Garden. Together, we celebrated seven remarkable leaders advancing gender equity and social justice. We are deeply grateful to our guests, sponsors, volunteers, and supporters.
To commemorate 15 years of our Elm Centre providing permanent, affordable housing, we released a mini documentary at the event, highlighting Elm’s transformative impact. The Elm Centre has shown us what is possible when community believes in and supports a bold vision of delivering essential programs and services for women, gender diverse individuals, and families.
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Let’s Talk Trans!
Alongside Queer Momentum, we are excited to host "Ask a Trans Person Anything," as part of their Trans Canada Tour!
Victoria Bucholtz and Fae Johnstone, two prominent transgender activists, welcome all to join an important conversation on transgender issues!
Register here and join us on June 24 from 5-7 PM at 87 Elm Street.
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A Significant Step Forward in Addressing Intimate Partner Violence
On May 15th, the Supreme Court of Canada released its decision in Ahluwalia v. Ahluwalia, addressing the legal treatment of harms arising from intimate partner violence, including patterns of coercive and controlling behaviour.
The decision recognizes that the cumulative impacts of coercive control may not be fully captured by traditional, incident-based claims. It represents an important development in how the law responds to the lived realities of survivors and supports broader access to civil remedies.
Our CEO, Deepa Mattoo, was involved in this case from its early stages, working alongside feminist lawyers across the country.
This marks a meaningful moment in advancing accountability and strengthening legal responses to gender-based violence in Canada.
Learn more.
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Homelessness and Equality Rights Under the Charter
In May, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice released a decision addressing homelessness in the context of Section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The ruling highlights the need to consider the rights and safety of people experiencing homelessness—many of whom are women, gender diverse individuals, children, and survivors of violence.
The Court acknowledged that restrictions on outdoor sheltering can create distinct risks, and that encampments may serve as a form of relative safety when adequate alternatives are not available.
The decision reinforces the responsibility of municipalities to take a rights-based approach, including ensuring safe and appropriate alternatives before displacing encampment residents.
Learn more.
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LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
YWCA Toronto operates on the traditional territory of the Huron-Wendat and Petun First Nations, the Seneca, and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. We are grateful to work on this territory as we strive to build a more equitable and just city for women, girls, and gender diverse people. For a full land acknowledgment, please visit our website.
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