Frequently Asked Questions

  • 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.

  • 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!