Rio Tinto donates C$360,000 to domestic and family violence support organisations across Canada

Montreal – To help support women and children experiencing domestic and family violence, Rio Tinto is donating C$360,000 to 12 women’s shelters and local organizations across Canada.

The contribution will allow these organizations to continue providing a variety of support services to women and their families, including safe shelters, education and training, counselling, workshops and activities for kids.

The organizations are located in communities where Rio Tinto operates across British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador, the Northwest Territories and Quebec, and five of the groups are focussed on working with Indigenous women and their children.

Montreal Women’s Y Foundation executive director, Isabelle Lajeunesse, said, “Rio Tinto’s support comes at a critical time to ensure we can continue to fulfil our mission to support the Montreal YWCA in building a better future for girls, women and their families. The current health crisis has disrupted our self-financing activities, at a time when the demand for our services from women experiencing violence has significantly increased.”

Rio Tinto country head for Canada Alf Barrios said, “On this International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, we are showing our support for women experiencing domestic and family abuse and for the dedicated professionals who help protect and empower them. Now more than ever, we must come together to end gender-based violence and make our communities safer for all.”

The organisations Rio Tinto is supporting are:

• Centre d’hébergement Tipinuaikan, Uashat mak Mani-utenam, Quebec
• Centre féminin du Saguenay, Saguenay, Quebec
• Centre le Volet des Femmes, Aguanish, Quebec
• Elizabeth Fry Society, Burns Lake, British Columbia
• Hope Haven, Labrador City, Newfoundland and Labrador
• La Passerelle, Alma, Quebec
• Maison des femmes de Sept-Îles, Sept-Îles, Quebec
• Maison La Source, Sorel-Tracy, Quebec
• Native Women’s Association of the NWT, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
• Puakuteu Comité de femmes de Mashteuiatsh, Mashteuiatsh, Quebec
• Tamitik Status of Women, Kitimat, British Columbia
• YWCA Montreal, Montreal, Quebec

Notes to editors

Rio Tinto is committed to supporting efforts to end family and domestic violence, by collaborating with initiatives such as the White Ribbon Campaign.

In 2018, Rio Tinto announced a variety of measures to protect and support employees in North America who are experiencing domestic abuse, or who have an immediate relative who is experiencing abuse. These measures include access to paid leave, 24 hours support services, short-term financial assistance and emergency accommodation for survivors of domestic violence.

The donations announced today will come from the Rio Tinto Aluminium Canada Fund. Established in 2008, the Fund aims to deliver long term social and economic benefits for the communities in which Rio Tinto operates, First Nations and the broader society. The Fund invests over C$10 million annually to encourage programmes and initiatives in the fields of education, environment, health and community liveability.

Contacts

Rio Tinto

Simon Letendre

Director, Media Relations – Canada and US

C: +1 514 796 4973

simon.letendre@riotinto.com 

YWCA Montreal

Katy Houle

Advisor, Media and public relations

T: +1 514 442 5053

khoule@ydesfemmesmtl.org

Category: Canada