A $90 million initial provincial investment to provide safe places for women and children fleeing domestic violence will create 40 new units of second stage and permanent affordable housing.
At Thursday’s funding announcement in the Lower Mainland, Premier John Horgan said the 280 transitional and peermanent affordable housing units are the first step of an eventual $734 million, 1,500 unit commitment over the next decade to help those fleeing violence in their homes.
“We ultimately want to stamp out violence in the home, but if we can’t stop it we need to help address the needs of those fleeing from that violence. And providing housing is an integral part of that reaction for women and children who can have a place to go and not have to remain in an abusive relationship,” Horgan said.
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Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Selena Robinson said community non-profit agencies have struggled for years to provide safe havens for women escaping a violent home situation, not just in larger centres like Vancouver and Victoria but smaller communities like Port Alberni, Smithers and Invermere as well.
“It is a sad reality that women are turned away from help for them and their children because of a lack of shelter housing and badly needed support services to help put their lives back together,” Robinson said.
“That is absolutely unacceptable and I am proud our government is making a long overdue investment. These 12 projects announced today are just the beginning and a major step forward,” she said.
Along with emergency transitional shelter support, Robinson said the funding will also address the need for second stage and permanent affordable housing needs.
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Emergency transition housing is for a 30-day period but often women need a longer period of time to rebuild their lives, to seek out emotional and employment programs to help get their live back on the rails.
“Financial, emotional and legal issues can often be overwhelming and affordable housing can be scarce, hard to find in regions hit by high housing prices,” added Makenna Rielly, executive director of Victoria Women’s Transition House Society.
“Both short and longer term transitional housing is needed.”
Without those resources, the risk of homelessness often leads women to return to violent domestic situations out of frustration, said Joanne Baker, executive director of B.C. Society of Transition Houses.
“The investment in affordable housing… that is dedicated to women and children escaping violence is crucial,” Baker said.
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Under the Building BC: Women’s Transition Housing Fund, the province is providing funding to build and operate the following new projects:
Lower Mainland:
Burnaby – Dixon Transition Society will operate up to 20 units of permanent affordable housing for women and women with children.
Chilliwack – Ann Davis Transition Society started operation of a new 10-bed transition house on Oct. 1, 2018.
Vancouver – Governing Council of the Salvation Army will operate up to 10 beds for women who have experienced exploitation and human trafficking.
Interior:
Invermere – Family Dynamix Association will operate seven safe homes and second-stage housing units. These units will be part of the society’s affordable housing project that was approved as part of the BC Housing-Columbia Basin Trust partnership agreement announced in May 2018
Kelowna – Central Okanagan Emergency Shelter Society will operate up to 40 units of second-stage and permanent affordable housing.
North:
Kitimat – Tamitik Status of Women Association will operate 12 transition house beds, 10 units of second-stage housing and 20 affordable rental homes, including 10 accessible units for women and families in need. The District of Kitimat donated the site for the project, announced by the province in August 2018.
Smithers – Northern Society for Domestic Peace will operate four second-stage housing units for young women and young mothers, and five second-stage units for women and women with children.
Vancouver Island:
Nanaimo – Snuneymuxw Youth and Family Society will operate 10 transition house beds that will primarily serve Indigenous women and children and will provide culturally appropriate supports.
Port Alberni – Alberni Community and Women’s Services Society will operate up to 20 units of second-stage housing.
Langford – Victoria Women’s Transition House Society will operate approximately 20 second-stage housing units.
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