Standing Committee on the Status of Women

Comité permanent de la condition féminine

For immediate release

Ottawa, May 28, 2026 -

The House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women (the committee) tabled its report entitled, Preventing Violence Against Women: Criminal Code Peace Bonds, Bail and Sentencing Reforms in Canada. The report examines gaps across jurisdictions in Canada’s criminal justice system that undermine the safety of women and children and identifies potential areas for reform.

As part of the study, the committee focused on potential reforms to Criminal Code peace bonds, bail and sentencing regimes to better protect women and children from domestic and intimate partner violence. The committee heard testimony and received submissions from survivors and family and friends of victims of gender-based violence, as well as from advocates, researchers, organizations supporting survivors and their families, Indigenous organizations, police services, and the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and the Minister of Public Safety.

The report identifies key areas for reform, including changes to the Criminal Code regarding peace bonds and bail processes; sentencing reforms, including designating the murder of an intimate partner a first-degree murder; criminalizing coercive control; increased funding and support for community-based organizations that provide trauma-informed and culturally relevant survivors’ services; strengthening prevention and public education initiatives; and improving data collection, monitoring and reporting to support cross-jurisdictional information sharing.

In its report, the committee put forward 19 recommendations and made 2 observations aimed at strengthening protections and improving safety for women and children across Canada.

The report can be consulted on the committee’s web page on the Parliament of Canada website.