OFL – Red Dress Day 2026: Ontario Must Act on a Red Dress Alert

Press Release

May 5 is Red Dress Day, a National Day of Remembrance and action to honour Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two‑Spirit People (MMIWG2S).

As of March 2026, MP Leah Gazan’s call for a Red Dress Alert has moved from an unanimously passed parliamentary motion into a regional pilot phase, with a full launch expected in Manitoba by June 2026. This Indigenous‑led pilot marks a critical step forward and Ontario must be next.

On Red Dress Day, the Ontario Federation of Labour calls on the Government of Ontario to:

• Commit to participating in the next phase of Red Dress Alert expansion

• Allocate provincial funding for an Indigenous‑led alert system

• Formally engage Indigenous women’s organizations in Ontario on the design and development of the system

The Red Dress Alert must be Indigenous‑led, community‑based, and paired with wraparound supports for families and survivors. This is a concrete, gender-based violence prevention tool with the potential to save lives. It can no longer be delayed.

We are also calling on affiliates and allies to take action through education, advocacy, and solidarity to raise awareness and honour those stolen through violence and systemic failure.

Here’s how you can take action on Red Dress Day:

• Wear red to show visible solidarity.

• Hang a red dress in your workplace, union hall, community space, or outside your home as a visual reminder of the MMIWG2S+ crisis.

• Use social media to share information and amplify Indigenous voices using hashtags like #RedDressDay, #MMIWG2S, and #NoMoreStolenSisters.

• Attend local vigils, walks, and ceremonies, to honour those taken, following community protocols.

• Listen to families and survivors and prioritize Indigenous, stories, and experiences.

• Write to elected officials demanding action on a Red Dress Alert and full implementation of the 231 Calls for Justice.

• Support Indigenous-led organizations working directly with MMIWG2S families and survivors, such as the Native Women’s Association of Canada or local friendship centres.

Every red dress is a reminder. Every action builds pressure for change.

Join us in the call to stop violence against Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People.

ILR5