HALIFAX: The following is a statement from Leah Martin, Minister responsible for the Advisory Council on the Status of Women, and Attorney General and Minister of Justice Scott Armstrong, in response to the May 15 Supreme Court of Canada decision on intimate partner violence.
“The Supreme Court of Canada’s recent decision to recognize a new type of legal claim related to intimate partner violence is a significant and meaningful step forward for survivors across the country.
This ruling acknowledges that intimate partner violence is not limited to isolated incidents of physical harm, but often involves a pattern of coercion and control, including emotional, psychological and financial abuse, that can profoundly affect a person’s life.
By recognizing these experiences in law, the court has created a clearer path for survivors to seek accountability and compensation through the civil justice system.
This decision reflects what survivors, advocates and community organizations have long known: that the impacts of intimate partner violence are complex, cumulative and deeply felt.
It is also an important milestone. Progress in addressing gender-based violence does not happen all at once – it is built through steps like this. While there is still more work to do, decisions like this help move us forward, strengthening accountability and helping to shape a system that better reflects the realities survivors face.
Our government welcomes this important development.
We remain committed to supporting survivors, strengthening services and working with partners across Nova Scotia to identify gaps and take action to close them, so survivors can access the support and justice they need to heal and rebuild their lives.”
A summary of the decision is available at: https://www.scc-csc.ca/judgments-jugements/cb/2026/41061/
