A number of programs for P.E.I. women are in jeopardy after Ottawa cut their funding, says the chair of the province's status of women group.

Bev Oda, federal status of women minister, told groups across the country this week the Harper government will no longer fund women's groups that do advocacy, lobbying or general research. It is also dropping "equality" from the goals of Status of Women Canada.

Kirsten Lund said the decision basically eliminates women's equality groups.
(CBC)

"My initial reaction was horror. It has eliminated, basically, the women's equality-seeking organizations across Canada," Kirstin Lund of the P.E.I. Advisory Council on the Status of Women told CBC News Thursday.

"Without funding to do advocacy work and lobbying work, which is the essence of these organizations … how can they exist? This is devastating for women's equality in Canada."

The P.E.I. group still receives money from other sources, but Lund said programs like the women in government initiative or a project in Summerside to increase women's access to family legal aid, will be affected by the federal decision.

Women's groups across the country plan to lobby against the changes. Lund said a local campaign will be announced later this month.