Niki Sharma, Attorney General, has released the following statement in response to the introduction of new, proposed Criminal Code amendments by the federal government to protect victims of gender-based and intimate-partner violence:

“Today, the federal government tabled Bill C-16: Protecting Victims Act, a landmark piece of legislation that includes key priorities British Columbia has been strongly advocating for to keep people safe from intimate-partner and gender-based violence, better protect children and address delays in the criminal justice system.

“Gender-based violence and homicides are not new challenges, but public awareness rose sharply after the deaths of Bailey McCourt, Cindy Walsh, Jinfeng Guan and too many more. Across the country, there were 100 victims of intimate-partner violence in 2024, an increase from the year before.

“These deaths are not just a tragic statistic. They are a reality that B.C. is not willing to accept or tolerate.

“That is why I so strongly advocated to the federal government for many of the changes to the Criminal Code that were announced today, including classifying homicides of an intimate partner where there is a pattern of coercive or controlling conduct as first-degree murder. In my meetings and communication with the justice minister and federal government, I have been very clear that B.C. has two simple core beliefs driving our response to this crisis: femicides committed amidst a demonstrated pattern of intimate-partner violence and abuse are among the most serious crimes and should be treated that way; and our court processes must be engineered to better protect victims and witnesses from further violence, re-traumatization and from losing faith in the system.

“Those beliefs are reflected in Bill C-16. I am encouraged that the federal government heard many of our suggestions to provide the courts with clear guidance to prevent court delays and judicial stays, ensure access to justice and address the disproportionate number of Jordan stays in sexual-violence cases.

“I also welcome the introduction of a new offence targeting coercive or controlling behaviour against an intimate partner, as well as the reforms on intimate images, which will work alongside B.C.’s civil Intimate Images Protection Act to better protect victims.

“At the provincial level, we will continue to work through the recommendations in Dr. Kim Stanton’s report to improve how victims and survivors of intimate-partner and sexual violence are in B.C.’s legal system.

“In the six months since receiving the Stanton Report, we have advanced work on 13 of the recommendations to address systemic and legal barriers.  A key focus is on implementing timely, appropriate and standardized screening, risks assessment, and safety planning in both criminal and family-court processes.

“All of this will continue to be victim-centred and responsive to community needs, with measures built in to help hold government accountable for progress.

“These changes will complement the stronger federal bail and sentencing reforms we secured to improve public safety in October. We have an updated bail policy in place based on some of the concerns addressed in the earlier bill, which has already resulted in convicted perpetrators of intimate-partner violence having their bail revoked pending sentencing, when previously it might have continued. These changes will make a difference to improve public safety, but the work is by no means complete. With a problem this widespread, our thinking needs to be focused on the long run. We are making systemic changes that will have a profound impact for years to come.

“I thank the federal government for being so willing to listen and work with us to address the very real challenges we are facing on the ground in B.C. today. I remain deeply grateful and inspired by the dedication and effort of the countless victims, survivors, loved ones and groups championing this cause daily. Together, we will create a safer and more responsive justice system for all victims and survivors of gender-based violence.”

Jennifer Blatherwick, parliamentary secretary for gender equity, said:

“This federal legislation is a step toward a justice system that better protects women, girls and gender-diverse people. We will continue to respond to gender-based and intimate-partner violence with urgency, working across government and with community partners to ensure survivors are safe, supported and heard.”

Quick Facts:

• Domestic violence, sexual violence and intimate-partner violence are forms of gender-based violence.
• In British Columbia, more than one third (37%) of women older than 15 have been sexually assaulted.
• Nearly half (48%) of women older than 15 in B.C. have experienced intimate-partner violence.
• In B.C., 94% of sexual assaults and 80% of intimate-partner violence are not reported to police.
• In 2022, the BC Coroners Service reported that nearly one in 10 (9.4%) reported homicide deaths in British Columbia involved an intimate partner.

Learn More:

To learn more about federal Bill C-16, visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/department-justice/news/2025/12/canada-overhauls-criminal-code-to-protect-victims-and-keep-kids-safe-from-predators.html

Read the province’s update on the Stanton Report: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/law-crime-and-justice/about-bc-justice-system/justice-reform-initiatives/systemic-review/stanton_report_fall_2025_update.pdf