May 20, 2020 – Labrador, NL – Women and Gender Equality Canada
During this critical time, the Government of Canada recognizes the immediate need to help our most vulnerable. Through Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) the Government of Canada has announced up to $50 million to support shelters and sexual assault centres. These organizations are dedicated to helping victims of gender-based violence find support, protection and access to crucial resources.
The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the risks to survivors and victims of sexual assault and domestic abuse. Social distancing and restricted community access have significantly impacted those vulnerable to domestic abuse and those looking to flee these abusive environments. Under WAGE, this investment is allocated directly to community shelters, centres and workers.
These measures will help local organizations provide crucial supports to help combat gender-based violence during the COVID-19 crisis. Some supports include personal protective equipment purchases, finding women alternative housing, employee overtime and additional staff coverage. With these supports in place, shelters and centres can continue to help vulnerable communities across Labrador while reducing the spread of COVID-19.
As we continue through this pandemic, it is important that women who are particularly vulnerable to domestic abuse have places they can turn to for support including community centres, places of worship and the company of family and friends. While social distancing has restricted access, the Government of Canada continues to work diligently in finding alternative solutions, whether through funding or consultation with those on the ground, to find solutions.
Women’s shelters and sexual assault centres in Labrador, like Libra House in Happy Valley Goose Bay continue to provide essential services every day to survivors of gender-based violence. Our new WAGE funding initiative will address the increased need shelters like Libra House require to support our communities during this pandemic.
That’s why today, Yvonne Jones, MP for Labrador is pleased to announce funding under this WAGE initiative for the following organizations:
• Libra House
• Libra House – Second Stage
• Selma Onalik Safe House
• Hope Haven
• Nain Transition House
• Natuashish Women’s Shelter and Safe House
• Kirkina House
• Rigolet Partnership Against Family Violence
• Mushau Innu First Nation
• Hopedale Status of Women Council Inc.
This funding is part of the COVID-19 Economic Response Plan, in which the Government of Canada is investing up to $50 million to support shelters and sexual assault centres, including assistance to shelters on First Nations reserves.
To address immediate needs of shelters and sexual assault centres, the Government of Canada has dispersed funding to over 420 women’s shelters across Canada. Another $3 million has been distributed to approximately 89 sexual assault centres across the country. Indigenous Services Canada is providing up to $10 million to its existing network of 46 shelters on First Nations reserves and in Yukon to support Indigenous women and children fleeing violence.
This funding will support a range of activities, including efforts to increase safety, emergency preparedness, as well as support the business continuity of these organizations in Labrador.
We will continue to support all Canadians, especially those most vulnerable, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Quotes
“If home isn’t a safe place for you to be, help is available. Organizations that provide a safe place for survivors of violence are open and ready to provide support and we are deeply grateful for their tireless work at this challenging time. The quick flow of these emergency funds will help ensure that these organizations have the resources they need to continue their lifesaving work. The first phase of our emergency COVID-19 measures has enabled over 420 shelters and 89 sexual assault organizations to stay open and operate with new COVID-safe measures in place. The next phase of our supports is under way.”
The Honourable Maryam Monsef, P.C., M.P.
Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development
“As the fight against COVID-19 continues, it is important we provide our vulnerable communities with continued support. With this funding, we can help combat gender-based violence and protect victims with vital community resources. Labrador is place where everyone should feel safe and supported. This first phase of funding aims to keep women and their family protected from gender-based violence during social isolation and limited support systems. We will continue on this investment so no one is left vulnerable to gender-based violence in Labrador and communities across Canada.”
Yvonne Jones
Member of Parliament for Labrador
“These funds have been immensely helpful to our organization in order to adapt and continue to provide the critical support to women and their children fleeing violence in a safe way.
Covid-19 has impacted us all but has certainly created added barriers for women experiencing violence. With help from this additional funding, we are confident in our ability to address and respond to Covid-19 and ensure that our doors remain open during this challenging time.” Nicole Northcott
Hope Haven Transition House
“I would like to thank the federal government for the WAGE funds. It will be helpful in keeping our shelter running during this difficult time, ensuring the women and children of Rigolet have a safe place to go in these trying times. Also, it helps keeps our staff and residents safe to ensure we have funding to buy necessary PPE.”
Desiree Wolfrey
Executive Director, Kirkina House
“The WAGE funding has been a huge asset to the Libra House. We have been able to rent an offsite location to use as an isolation unit for women and children who may present COVID-19 symptoms. We have been able to supply our four second stage units with a large amount of cleaning supplies and groceries during these unprecedented times. We have had the ability to offset our casual wages, stock our shelter on the required cleaning/sanitizing products and so much more. This funding has given the staff, women and children the necessities and price of mind during these unknown times of this pandemic. We are very grateful, thank you.”
Jessica Keating
Executive Director, Libra House
Quick Facts
• The overall measures announced as part of the Government of Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan, will provide up to $27 billion in direct support to Canadian workers and businesses, plus $55 billion to meet liquidity needs of Canadian businesses and households through tax deferrals to help stabilize the economy. Combined, this $82 billion in support represents more than 3 per cent of Canada’s GDP. This wide-ranging support will help ensure Canadians can pay for rent and groceries, and help businesses continue to pay their employees and their bills during this time of uncertainty.
• Since 2015, the Government of Canada has invested over a quarter billion dollars to support capacity and sustainability of women’s and equality seeking organizations, with a focus on those supporting the underserved and underrepresented.
• To date, our government has invested in renovating and building 7000 shelter units. A third of the National Housing Strategy is dedicated to providing affordable housing for women
• Visit the Gender-Based Violence Knowledge Centre (KC) for access to timely and relevant information, evidence, resources and research in a single platform. The KC also provides a searchable database, which brings together existing data and evidence on content related to gender-based violence.
• Over 100 survivor, community and family-led projects have received federal support from the Commemoration Fund to honour the lives and legacies of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, including LGBTQ and Two Spirit people.
• In June 2017, Women and Gender Equality Canada announced the first-ever federal Strategy to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence. To date, the Government of Canada has invested over $200 million to prevent gender-based violence, support survivors and their families, and create more responsive legal and justice systems.
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Contacts
Michael Clarke
[email protected]