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ADVOCACY / COMMUNITY / EDUCATION

Empowering women through advocacy and education.

The CFUW (Canadian Federation of University Women) Ontario Council represents 48 member clubs with 4,700 members across the province, providing lifelong learning, influencing public policy, and advocating for gender equality.

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48

CLUBS ACROSS ONTARIO

6

ACTIVE ISSUE CAMPAIGNS

100+

YEARS OF IMPACT

$500,000

SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED PER YEAR

OUR MISSION

From Local Clubs
to Legislative Change

We believe that women's voices must shape public policy. Through 48 clubs, speaker series, resolutions, and direct government correspondence, CFUW Ontario Council turns community insight into systemic change.

Gender Equality

Fighting for equal rights and opportunities for all women, including those who identify as women, and girls

Lifelong Learning

Education as the cornerstone of empowerment and advocacy

Community Power

48 clubs uniting thousands of women across Ontario

Environmental Justice

Protecting Ontario's natural heritage for future generations

ADVOCACY

The Causes We Champion

Critical issue areas where CFUW Ontario Council is driving legislative action right now.

Eliminating Intimate Partner Violence in Ontario

Mobilizing strategic action to end intimate partner violence across Ontario.

Protect Student Access to OSAP

CFUW Ontario Council urges Premier Ford to halt OSAP grant cuts and protect equitable postsecondary education.

Close the PostPartum Depression Care Gap

Nearly 1 in 4 mothers experience postpartum depression— but only 33% seek help.

Protecting Ontario's Vulnerable

Demanding consistent, low-barrier Warming Centres opened at 0° C throughout Ontario
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Ontario Council turns community insight into systemic change — one letter, one resolution, one bill at a time.

SANDRA SHAW, PRESIDENT, CFUW ONTARIO COUNCIL

LATEST UPDATES

News & Updates

Latest updates from our organization and Ontario's 48 clubs!

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Leading Change through Legislation-Speaker Series #1

Ever written to your MPP and wondered what happened next?


On October 24, two sitting MPPs and a veteran lobbyist will tell us — plainly — how an issue travels from a constituent's concern to a bill on the order paper, and where advocacy actually lands.


If your club is building an advocacy plan this year, this one is for you.


Speaker Series #1: Leading Change Through Legislation

Saturday, October 24 | 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. ET | Zoom


Learn more and register: https://www.cfuwontcouncil.org/speaker-series-1

October 15, 2026

Managing the Information Overload

Managing the volume of information coming from CFUW National, Ontario Council, and local Club communications can quickly lead to information overload for executive members and general members who subscribe alike.


Most subscribers actually like to read through the newsletters. But it is important to have a standardised way to get the information out to all Club members, whether they receive the newsletters or not. Additionally, time sensitive material needs to be forwarded to the appropriate person for action....

October 15, 2026

CFUW’s Defence of Democracy and The Politics of Rage

While supporting my home Club through an All Candidates Meeting (ACM), the Club President and I came face to face with the Politics of Rage (the use of anger and resentment as a political tool to mobilize support and influence public opinion. This approach often exploits societal divisions and grievances.).


The Club President was subjected to threatening emails and defamatory statements by candidates and their supporters....

Oct. 15, 2026

Fall Preparation from Ontario Council’s Environment and Climate Change Chair

October is a month to enjoy the seasonal transitions. The array of colour in the trees is a spectacular sight. An autumn hike, complete with the crunch of leaves underfoot, can be uplifting. As we prepare for the winter ahead, storing some of those leaves in our flower beds provides winter shelter and insulation for insects. When birds migrate back to Ontario in the spring, you can enjoy watching them forage through those leaves for a nutritious meal. Surviving insects will emerge to become our seasonal pollinators. Leaving leaves is a win-win.


Preparing for winter is another fall task. Charming is a winter scene with a snowy roof and icicles everywhere. Icicles hanging from a roof?! This can be a sign of heat loss which can contribute to higher usage of fossil fuels. It turns out that fall is a perfect time of year to insulate our attics. It is not too hot to work up there. Cellulose insulation is preferred as it emits fewer greenhouse gases. (Drawdown Explorer, 2026). Deploy Alternative Insulation Materials |

Project Drawdown®)


Enjoy some pumpkin spice, squash soup and preparations for the fall season! If you have Ontario-specific questions, suggestions, pictures or resources to share, I would be pleased to hear from you at ecc@cfuwontcouncil.org

Thanks, Sue Bailey

October 15, 2026

Re-engaging Club Leaders (Part 1 of 3)

Re-engaging former leaders, women who have "been there, done that" and stepped back, requires a fundamentally different approach than developing emerging or early-career leaders. Traditional incentives like title elevation, basic committee seats, or standard promotional roles

often feel likes "more of the same" work without new value or inspiration....



October 15, 2026

The Housing We Need-Questions to Ask Your Candidates

Submitted by CFUW Northumberland

We face important decisions in the coming municipal election. Our votes for Mayor and Councillors will set the stage for the kind of housing we need in the next four years and beyond. 


Open the PDF file to find the key issues to discuss with candidates.



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Ontario Council Speaker Series

The CFUW Ontario Council Speaker Series exists to educate, advocate, and support life-long learning around key social, economic, and educational issues affecting women and society.

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48 CLUBS. ONE VOICE

Join a CFUW Club in Ontario

Any woman who supports the goals of CFUW Ontario Council is welcome to join. Find a club near you and become part of a century of impact.

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Member voices

Hear from women driving change:

Stay in the loop

Join 48 clubs across Ontario advocating for women's rights and equality. 

A voluntary, self-funded, non-partisan women's organization advancing education, gender equality, and the rights of women and girls across Ontario since 1976.

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GET INVOLVED

EXPLORE

CFUW Ontario Council acknowledges that our members live across the traditional lands and treaty territories of Indigenous peoples in Ontario.

© 2026 Canadian Federation of University Women Ontario Council Inc. (CFUW Ontario Council). Ontario Corporation #1759473.

All Rights Reserved.

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