On May 28, Marie McGregor Pitawanakwat, WNHHN’s Co-Chair and Chair of the National Indigenous Women’s Housing Network, appeared as a witness before federal Standing Committee on the Status of Women
Read Marie’s opening statement here:
This is a presentation to the Standing Committee on the Status of Women. This is a brief discussion of the role and capacity of women’s shelters and transitional housing. Five issues are briefly stated, along with a statement regarding what is at risk if there is insufficient additional support provided to women’s shelters and transitional housing. Finally, recommendations are provided with respect to the five stated issues.
The Issues
Staffing
One of the critical issues is the matter of staffing of VAW shelters. The staffing numbers tell part of the story. There are 3,546 full time workers, 1,076 part time workers, and 1,682 casual or relief staff at women’s shelters and transitional homes in Canada. The question is: are these numbers adequate for the number of clients being served? In addition, staff fatigue, high turnover and recruitment challenges were cited as issues risking shelters’ abilities to provide adequate support to clients. (Hoogendam, R., and Maduakoram, C., 2026, 46.)
Aging Infrastructure
A second major issue is aging infrastructure. A survey conducted in 2025 asked 618 VAW shelter staff to participate in a national survey. 317 shelters responded and completed the survey. (Hoogendam, R., and Maduakoram, C., 2026, 8.) When asked about the condition of buildings and infrastructure, 45% of respondents indicated that major repairs were needed, with costs of more than $40,000. When asked about minor repairs, survey respondents stated that 31% of shelter buildings and infrastructure required minor repairs, with costs at less than $40,000. (Ibid., 24.) Also stated was that many buildings were created before accessibility standards were imposed, which required retrofitting to comply with regulations.
Housing Crisis
The housing crisis and deep affordability issues are reflected in shelters and transition homes having to turn away survivors after reaching capacity in the shelter or transition home. Survivors are also staying longer in both emergency shelters, transition homes, and second stage shelters. This means that beds and units are not as available to new survivors as formerly, since survivors are tending to stay longer.. (Hoogendam, R., and Maduakoram, C., 2026, 32.)
Fundraising
Fundraising is a vital issue. “The need to raise funds for core operational costs is almost universal.” Fundraising is conducted to cover renovations (71%), technology (51%), transportation (50%), office administration (44%), salaries (47%), safety/security (38%), utilities (31%), and rent/mortgage (19%). (Hoogendam, R., and Maduakoram, C., 2026, 51.)
Multi-faceted Needs
Shelters, emergency shelters, and transition homes are working with clients who present multi-faceted needs. Some clients have histories of sexual exploitation, trafficking, forced marriage and family violence. Clients include Indigenous women, clients living in rural, remote, isolated and northern communities, immigrant women, 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals and women involved in sex work, and survivors of human trafficking. (Hoogendam, R., and Maduakoram, C., 2026, 35.) In addition, technology-facilitated gender based violence (GBV) shows up as tracking, hacking and harassment of clients. (Cahill, Wong, and Hoogendam, 2024). This work requires increasingly specialized and trauma-informed and culturally safe approaches.
The Harm Caused by Insufficient Remedy
The view of clients and shelter workers has to change. Clients are not merely victims, survivors, or “criminalized by poverty and violence committed on them”. Clients are parents, life-givers, providers of nurturing, and anchors for early education of their children. The children will grow up having worn the teachings provided to them, and they will either grow up healthy by having been provided wrap-around services from shelter workers and transition home workers, entering trades, professions, enterprises, or otherwise living “m’no bimaadziwin”.. The children who are not provided with the wrap-around services through their parents, may grow up scarred by a society that sees them as “less than”, or “othered”.
The Recommendations
The training and education brought to shelter workers is crucial. Professional development, adequate time off work, adequate numbers of staff, and a work environment that is supportive and respectful will inform the staff that their work is of value, not only to the clients and survivors, but also to the wider society who will benefit as time goes by. If insufficient or inappropriate training and education is provided for shelter workers, whether front-line or administrative, the services provided to clients are also at risk.
It is recommended that aging infrastructure and new builds be provided. Survivors and clients with multi-faceted needs require an environment that allows air that is breathable, adequate space for recovery, accessibility for those with limited physical ability, and a space that reflects healing, safety, and security. Infrastructure and repairs to existing infrastructure are important. These constitute the four walls and a roof component of women’s shelters and transitional housing. Providing a healthy living environment responds to the right to life, liberty, and security.
Some of the survivors appear at shelters, and transition homes because of the national housing crisis that Canada faces. A program of Build Canada Homes needs to be devoted to the provision of shelters and transition homes that can meet the needs of those in precarious housing or the homeless. Every human being is a ‘living national treasure.”
Fundraising by shelters and transition homes is a testament to their resilience. But it should not have to be. Core operational funding needs to be provided to shelters and transition homes. Shelter workers and the administration need to turn their attention to the multi-faceted needs of their clients, the survivors.
Multi-faceted needs are not the only challenge facing shelters and transition homes. There are also external natural disasters like forest fires, flooding, major storms which cause power outages among hundreds, if not thousands of citizens. Shelters and transition homes need support that allows for emergency preparedness and readiness for climate change caused emergencies.
This is a time for creating a society in which every human being is a “living national treasure”.
Mii sa iw. Miigwech (thank you).