New funding for shelters, transitional housing and violence prevention activities
Through the 2020 Fall Economic Statement, the Government of Canada committed $724.1 million to:
- expand culturally relevant supports for Indigenous peoples facing gender-based violence
- support new emergency shelters and transitional (second-stage) housing across the country, including in the North and in urban centres
Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) will invest $304.1 million to
- support the operational costs of new shelters and transition homes
- expand funding for culturally-relevant violence prevention activities
This funding will be distributed in the first 5 years starting in fiscal year 2021 to 2022, with an additional $96.6 million annually after.
The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) will allocate $420 million over 5 years for the construction of the new shelters and transitional housing.
We estimate that this funding will support the creation of at least 38 emergency shelters and 50 transitional (second stage) homes across Canada. Funding can be used for new construction or the acquisition and rehabilitation of existing buildings for the creation of new shelter and transitional housing spaces.
This is a first step toward the Government of Canada's Federal Pathway to Address Violence Against Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People and responds to the Calls for Justice (PDF) (4.7 and 16.19) in the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls by developing and funding safe houses and shelters for Indigenous peoples escaping violence or subjected to gender-based violence.
Recent initiatives
On May 29, 2020, the Government of Canada committed $44.8 million to CMHC over 5 years to build 10 new shelters in First Nations communities on reserve across the country and 2 in the territories, to support Indigenous women and children escaping violence.
ISC is investing $40.8 million in operational funding for these new shelters over 5 years and $10.2 million annually after.
On June 17, 2021, the Government of Canada announced the results of the selection process.
Also, as part of the Government of Canada's response to the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, ISC is providing $1 million a year ongoing, starting in 2020, to support engagement with Métis leaders and service providers on assessing shelter needs and community-led violence prevention projects for Métis women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people.
As part of the COVID-19 Economic Response Plan, the government of Canada provided up to $10 million to ISC's network of existing shelters on reserve and in Yukon to help them manage or prevent an outbreak in their facilities. The funding has been distributed through ISC's regional offices through existing contribution agreements and using the Family Violence Prevention Program authorities.
Eligible recipients are the network of shelters currently receiving operational funding through the Family Violence Prevention Program. The amount for each shelter was determined using a formula that includes factors such as population, remoteness and number of beds.
The Family Violence Prevention Program has an annual budget of $83.6 million on an ongoing basis to support shelters and transition (second-stage) housing for Indigenous women, children, and families across Canada, including First Nations (on and off reserve), Inuit, Métis and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people as well as family violence prevention activities on reserve and across Canada.
The Government of Canada takes the issue of violence against Indigenous women, children, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people very seriously and will continue to work in partnership with provincial and territorial governments, Indigenous peoples and other partners to develop effective and appropriate solutions. The Family Violence Prevention Program is part of Government of Canada efforts to end violence against Indigenous women and girls.