Funding lets women’s shelters move forward

A new Alberta government commitment of $ 15 million in annual funding for women’s shelters will allow for the expansion of services and the hiring of dozens of new child- trauma and support workers.

“To have that sustained ongoing funding is just wonderful and really helps with forward planning,” said Jan Reimer, executive director of the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters.

“This is the best news Alberta shelters have had in a very long, long, long time. It’s a welcome and very significant investment in the lives of women and in their safety.”

The funding will allow the province to better fund its second- stage shelters, and hire 40 child- trauma workers and 84 support workers across the province.

The new money increases the current provincial investment in women’s shelters to $ 49 million from $ 34 million, a 44- per- cent increase in guaranteed annual funds.

When Reimer told shelter staff they would be able to hire workers to help women find permanent safe housing and get legal help, as well as councillors to help children with the trauma of witnessing violence against their mothers, she said she needed Kleenex.

“It really is making that significant difference for the shelter workers, for the front lines who have worked so tirelessly.”

Alberta has 41 shelter organizations that run emergency and secondstage shelters in the province.

The five shelters on reserves will see a seven- per- cent per diem increase for women who normally live off- reserve but seek shelter there.

That’s a key investment since the federal government, which is responsible for services for women who live on reserve, hasn’t increased funding for those shelters since 2007, Reimer said. All offreserve shelters will also receive a seven- per- cent increase to their operational funds.

Alberta’s 13 second- stage shelters — two on- reserve funded federally, with the 11 others provincially contracted — provide women and their children full apartments with subsidized rent instead of the single rooms available at emergency shelters for shorter stays. Women live at these specialized second- stage shelters for six months to one year, during which workers will help them find permanent housing or deal with legal and child custody issues.

Until Wednesday’s announcement, only two of the 11 off- reserve second- stage shelters received provincial funding as continuous pilot projects, although those shelters still needed to fundraise to operate.

A $ 5- million injection into these shelters will help keep all the doors open.

“Second- stage shelters … are an important component in ensuring women and children can live free from violence,” said Human Services Minister Irfan Sabir.

“Alberta is a place of great opportunity and compassion, but unfortunately, there are far too many incidents of family violence. … No one should have to live in fear. No one should be subjected to violence, particularly in their homes, a place that is supposed to be safe.”

It really is making that significant difference for the shelter workers, for the front lines who have worked so tirelessly.

JAN REIMER