Photo (above) credit: Shelly Ives. Attendees gather at Family Transition Place (FTP) for annual candlelight vigil to honour the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. FTP is located in Orangeville, with satellite locations in Bolton and Shelburne.
On December 4th, under the first full moon of winter, Family Transition Place (FTP) hosted its annual outdoor candlelight vigil to mark the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, formally observed every year on December 6. Those attending the vigil lit candles in honour of the 14 women murdered at l’École Polytechnique de Montréal in 1989, and the many other women whose lives have been lost to gender-based violence across Ontario this year.
FTP Executive Director Lynette Pole-Langdon addresses those attending the annual candlelight vigil on Thursday, December 4, 2025. Photo credit: Shelly Ives
Established in 1991 by the Parliament of Canada, this day is also informally recognized as White Ribbon Day. It offers an opportunity to remember those lost and call for action to end gender-based violence.
“Every year, the Ontario Association of Interval and Transition Houses (OAITH) compiles an Annual Femicide List based on media reports,” said FTP Executive Director Lynette Pole-Langdon during her remarks. “This past year – the last 52 weeks – there have been 42 women killed here in Ontario. The youngest was 20 years old, the oldest was 83.”
As a list memorializing the names of those 42 women was circulated to the assembled crowd, Pole-Langdon went on to say that last month, the Provincial government declared gender-based violence to be endemic, an acknowledgement that many feel is long overdue. She noted, however, that situations considered to be endemic are typically seen as something you just manage. She offered the caution that naming it as such must not imply acceptance or permanence.
Vigil participants lit candles to honour and remember the victims on the list of names of Ontario women who died as a result of gender based violence. Photo credit: Shelly Ives
“Women, children and families deserve far more than the management of violence. They deserve meaningful action and sustained investment. The truth is, there is still so much work to be done.”
On December 6, FTP will continue its recognition of this national day through its social media channels. They encourage the community to stand against gender-based violence by engaging with online content, sharing FTP’s posts, and contacting Members of Parliament, local officials and community leaders to ask about their commitments to addressing femicide and ending GBV.
Since 1984, Family Transition Place has provided critical services to women and their children who have experienced abuse or unhealthy relationships. Their main office is in Orangeville, with satellite locations in Bolton and Shelburne.
If you or someone you know needs support, FTP’s compassionate staff are available 24/7 at 1-800-265-9178. If you are in immediate danger, please call 911.
