Thirty women already killed in 2026: Canada struggles with gender violence
TORONTO – Thirty women have been “violently” murdered in Canada since the beginning of 2026, according to the Canadian Femicide Observatory for Justice and Accountability. In 2025, 147 femicides were recorded, marking the first decrease since 2019 after years of rising numbers. These figures – as CTV reports, anticipating the study: here – are collected from journalistic and police reports, updated and cross-referenced with official statistics as investigations conclude and suspected deaths are confirmed as homicides.
Femicides are often committed by current or former partners, and about 72% of victims are killed in private locations such as their own home or that of the perpetrator. Around 18% of men accused of partner femicide have committed suicide. Organizations running shelters for women report an increase in both the number of cases and the severity of violence. The harm suffered by survivors includes physical, psychological, financial, and sexual abuse.
In December 2025, the federal government allocated CAD 223.4 million over five years to strengthen actions against gender-based violence and introduced Bill C-16, a law that incorporates the term “femicide” into the Canadian Criminal Code, classifying this crime as first-degree murder. According to the Observatory, legal recognition is a crucial step toward improving awareness, prevention, and investigations. However, the road ahead is still long: Bill C-16 (Protecting Victims Act) is still a federal bill—introduced on December 9, 2025—that has not been definitively approved. It completed the first and second readings in the House of Commons but has not yet been reviewed in committee nor passed to subsequent stages of Parliament.
While federal politicians delay action, several provinces—including Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia—have established “Domestic Violence Death Review Committees” that analyze cases and formulate preventive recommendations. The main obstacle remains changing societal attitudes toward women, with education and awareness considered key tools to reduce femicides.
One final figure – based on data collected by the Italian daily newspaper Corriere Canadese – highlights how alarming the phenomenon is in Canada: since the beginning of 2026, Italy (population 60 million) has had 10 femicides, compared to 30 in Canada (population 40 million). In 2025, there were 97 in Italy and 147 in Canada. In Italy, femicide has been officially a crime since December 2025, punishable by life imprisonment.
