About

WAVE’s Vision: Our Edmonton is a city where all women and gender-diverse people are respected, included and empowered to be full participants in all aspects of city life.

WAVE’s Mission: WAVE will draw on the power of women and gender-diverse folks in our communities, and through their voices, we will bravely advocate to create the city we all deserve.

The Women’s Advisory Voice of Edmonton (WAVE) was created by Edmonton City Council in 2014. WAVE fosters and promotes equity, opportunity, access to services, justice and inclusion for women and gender diverse individuals in our city. It is among the first of its kind in Canada, and we are proud to be ensuring that the unique perspectives of women and gender diverse peoples are included in the conversations that shape our city.

We actively advise on behalf of Edmonton women and gender diverse people in City decision-making and policy development, and we are a central community hub for culture-changing conversations at the municipal level.

Our purpose is to empower women and gender diverse folks, to work toward social, political and economic equity in our city, and to add a gender-based analysis plus (GBA+) lens to decision making (a lens that has been historically, and is currently, under-represented). Our solution is additive and inclusive, not subtractive and exclusive.

Ultimately this equity makes our city stronger and improves the health and well-being of all Edmontonians.

“WAVE is proof for me that every person’s voice, no matter their gender, is equally important. It’s a symbol of progress, a building block towards an equitable society where every one of us fully valued.”

Meghana Valupadas, Founding WAVE Committee Member

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The Women’s Advisory Voice of Edmonton

In February 2014, the Women's Advocacy Voice of Edmonton Committee Bylaw 16658 was approved by Edmonton City Council. There was a public and open recruitment process for Edmontonians interested in applying and being considered for this Council. More than 150 applications were screened and Council selected 15 members.

Since its inception in 2014, the Women's Advocacy Voice of Edmonton (WAVE) has been an influential committee to City Council; its name initially created from the voices of over 300 women who came together during a women’s symposium facilitated by the City of Edmonton. With a shared vision for positive change for Edmonton to be an equitable and inclusive city, the metaphor of waves, symbolizing the ripple effect of women advocating for change and using their voices, has been a driving force behind our mission.

As we step into our second decade, we would like to announce that on October 24, 2023 Edmonton City Council changed WAVE’s name to the Women’s Advisory Voice of Edmonton. The shift from advocacy to advisory is a clarification of our role and relationship with Edmonton’s City Council. Advisory roles have the transformative potential to be radical and push boundaries for change. Over the past nearly nine years, WAVE has firmly established itself as a valued and influential voice, bringing crucial perspectives to City Council, supporting women and gender diverse people in Edmonton to engage in local change and politics, and much more.

We believe that true change happens at the local level, where transformation takes root. The WAVE Committee is dedicated to influencing local government leaders and Edmontonians alike. The name change embodies our continued commitment to inspire and champion change at the municipal and local level, where the real action happens.

As we embark on this new chapter, WAVE carries forward the undiminished goals of change, and a steadfast commitment to making a difference in our community. We are proud of the ripple effects we have achieved so far and are inspired by the lasting impact we aim to create in the years to come.

Thank you for your unwavering support throughout our journey. Together, let's continue to make waves and create a more inclusive, equitable and empowered Edmonton.

WAVE’s Value Statements

Advocacy and Engagement

We believe that in order to advocate for women and gender diverse people, we need to engage deeply with a broad spectrum of communities to accurately reflect their perspectives and lived experiences to decision-makers.

Interconnected Community and Inclusion

We believe in fostering connections between diverse communities, so that everyone can feel that they belong.

Equity

We believe in order for our society to progress, women and gender-diverse people deserve equity. In fact, we demand it.

Reconciliation

We believe it is our responsibility, both as individuals and as a group, to address the legacy of wrongs that have been enacted against Indigenous Peoples, and to ensure our work is continually informed by the principles of Truth and Reconciliation.

Self-Reflection and Learning

We can’t take action if we don’t understand the nuances of any given issue. Therefore, we believe in taking steps to reflect on our own privileges and power, to educate ourselves and each other, and to actively listen and learn from others, in order to effectively make positive change.

Meet the Members

FAQs

  • Women’s Advisory Voice of Edmonton (WAVE) Committee consists of 20 members, appointed to advise City Council on behalf of women and gender diverse individuals in Edmonton.

  • The purpose of WAVE is to add a gender lens to policy discussions that shape the direction of our city. Women and gender diverse individuals in Edmonton are disproportionately under represented in areas such as government and business leadership, and over represented in areas such as poverty and violence.

    By including women and gender diverse individuals in discussions and decision-making that shape Edmonton, and ensuring that we, as a city, address the unique issues women and gender diverse individuals face, we’re working to create an optimal future for all citizens in our city.

  • WAVE began under the scope of the Women’s Initiative, which was championed by former Councillor Bev Esslinger and former Mayor Don Iveson, which was made up of:

    1. Women’s Advisory Voice of Edmonton (WAVE) Committee: a volunteer council of 15 members, appointed to advocate to City Council on behalf of women and girls in our city.

    2. Women’s @ the City: a group of City employees who advise on women’s issues within the municipal structure of the City of Edmonton.

    3. City of Edmonton staff who oversee and support the initiative.

    The seed of the idea for the Women’s Initiative originally came from community stakeholders who approached former Mayor Mandel with the idea of creating a group designed to advocate for the needs of Edmonton women. City Council was already supporting initiatives for other groups, such as the Youth Council, NextGen, and persons with disabilities, and the community and City Council saw the need and value in establishing a focused initiative for women.

    In 2012, several community forums were held, including two symposium events, and more than 700 diverse women were involved in conversations about women’s issues, engagement and leadership. This phase of work was spearheaded by the former Mayor, and his vision is supported and now championed by former Councillor Bev Esslinger and former Mayor Don Iveson, and the City’s Community Services Department.

    The WAVE Committee was formed in 2014, after a public recruitment process. Today, WAVE continues to advocate for women and gender diverse individuals on myriad issues in our city.

  • Councillor Erin Rutherford (Ward Anirniq)

    Erin was born and raised in Alberta, and has lived in Edmonton for over 20 years. She currently resides in Ward Anirniq with her 2 children and a cat named Olive.

    With many years of public sector experience, Erin has worked hard to drive change from within. For the last 12 years, Erin has focused her career on building community, working with many diverse communities. Erin has advocated for the rights of young people and LGBTQ2S+, supported public engagement on capital projects, and led a team dedicated to major issues like poverty and homelessness and equity, diversity, and inclusion.

    Erin holds an undergraduate degree in Anthropology and Human Geography, and a Masters of Arts (Community Development). Her community involvement includes several volunteer board positions including: fundraising, program and social chair positions.

    Erin is proud to serve the people of Ward Anirniq.

    Councillor Jo-Anne Wright (Ward Sspomitapi)

    Jo-Anne has worked primarily in the financial services industry for 30 years in the areas of customer service, financial planning, credit granting, and credit training. In 2015, she achieved her Bachelor of Human Resources & Labour Relations degree from Athabasca University with a focus on adult learning and development in the workplace.

    Born and raised in Edmonton, and being a mother of three, Jo-Anne has long been dedicated to building strong communities. She has enjoyed being an active member in the community from coaching and managing her kids' sports teams and participating on Parents Advisory Councils, to sitting on the boards of the Meadows Community League and the Society of Parents & Friends of Michener Centre, and serving as Volunteer Coordinator with the University Hospital Foundation’s Festival of Trees.

    In her role as City Councillor, Jo-Anne is appointed to the Executive Standing Committee, is Vice-Chair of the Audit Committee and is a Member of the Inter-City Forum on Social Policy. She participates as Council Advisor to the Community Services Advisory Board, Women's Advocacy Voice of Edmonton (WAVE) and the Accessibility Advisory Committee. She is also an Alternate on the Edmonton Metropolitan Regional Board’s Region Servicing Committee.

    Jo-Anne is honoured to serve as an Edmonton City Councillor representing the residents of Ward Sspomitapi and looks forward to working collaboratively with her council colleagues.

  • Respecting that issues of gender are complex, and that imbalance affects both sides negatively, WAVE does not demean, belittle or challenge the rights of men. The Committee, however, is tasked with providing a woman’s and gender diverse individual’s perspective. Our research and activities are focused on the unique experiences of women and gender diverse individuals in our city to make sure that the concerns they face are brought to the table in conversations about the future of our city, while making room for, and respecting the needs and opinions of other groups, using an intersectional gender lens, which takes the needs of men into account.

  • There are lots of ways to get involved!

    First, you can join our social media communities and take part in our conversations.

    If you have special interests, or if there’s something you’d like to approach us about, please bring it forward to our Committee/Subcommittees, and come present at one of our meetings. We want to hear from you!

    For any other questions or ideas, please contact us to get involved and be part of changing our city for the better!