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.
In October 2023, the Women's Advisory Voice of Edmonton Committee Bylaw 20670 was approved by Edmonton City Council.
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
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.
