The Alberta Council of Women's Shelter shared their annual report at a virtual event on Dec. 13.

By rdnewsNOW Staff

Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters Annual Report

Pandemic hindering women’s calls to shelters

Dec 14, 2021 | 10:53 AM

In Central Alberta, 591 women with 345 children were admitted to emergency shelters from April 1, 2020 to May 31, 2021. In total, 66,687 Albertans were aided through residential stays, outreach services or calls to shelters.

These statistics were delivered by the annual Alberta Shelter Data Release for 2021 by the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters (ACWS) and presented at a virtual event on Dec. 13.

Women’s level of danger remains at an all-time high in the province, according to ACWS. However, the pandemic has added pressures impacting access to shelters.

Statistically in Alberta, there was a decrease from 9,073 to 5,602 in admissions and turn-away numbers to shelters compared to the 2019-2020 data. While this seems like a positive decrease, the numbers may not be telling the full story, said Jan Reimer, Executive Director of ACWS.

“The more that there was that messaging of ‘stay home, stay safe’ that women became fearful of their health and that of their children. They were less likely to reach out for support but as things relaxed then we again saw those increases and demands both for support calls and outreach,” said Reimer.

Last seen March 31

Missing: Eugenie Headman, 66, of Maskwacis

6h ago

mayor hopes to meet housing minister this month

Alberta demands Ottawa back off on housing funding stripped from Red Deer

Apr 02, 2026

Last seen Jan. 15

Missing: Courtney Cattleman, 17, of Maskwacis

Apr 02, 2026

The increase in 2020-2021 was in women and children admitting to second stage shelters, from 364 to 533, for independent and more long-term living. With almost half of admissions being children, durations in stay also increased. In small towns and rural areas, women and children stayed for an average of 378 days, an increase of 79 days compared to the previous year.

The majority of women sought outreach programs, an increase from 3,700 to 6,100, reflecting pre-pandemic years. Services include safety planning, general counselling and support, assistance finding affordable housing, and others.

The pandemic has added various strains to local shelters, from not having the resources to accommodate, having to reduce capacity for social distancing and having to use hotels as an alternative to space constraints and old infrastructure.

“What we are seeing is that shelters have to do more and more with less and less,” she said.

As well, a higher level of calls for violent incidents were made to the RCMP. In Alberta, 29,588 domestic violence calls were made to police in the 2020-2021 fiscal year and there were 15 domestic homicides.

“We do know anecdotally of stories of women crouching in their closet trying to use their cellphones to contact shelters or their lawyer,” said Reimer.

Using a Danger Assessment, a tool measuring a woman’s risk of being killed by a current or former partner, 58 per cent of women were deemed to be in severe or extreme danger with many reporting attempts of strangulation and threating with a gun.

“That message of ‘stay home, stay safe’, have that social distancing, that physical distancing. We know that isolation is a very common tool and tactic used by perpetrators of violence and those who have abusive personalities, so this played right into their hands,” she said.

The issues faced by women accessing shelter has no age, as the data shows an eight per cent increase in 2019 of police-reported family violence against seniors, a fourth consecutive annual increase. Natasha Carvalho, Executive Director of the Medicine Hat Shelter Society shared the story of an 83-year-old woman going by the name of “Dorothy” who finally accessed shelter and outreach services for the abuse by her husband for 60 years.

While reported violence has increased for seniors, their shelter admissions during the pandemic decreased for the 2020-2021 year, likely due to the restrictions placed against senior activities and fear of catching the virus as a vulnerable population.

“If you need help, go and get it,” said Reimer as she advised the public to also “support your local shelters. They’re just doing amazing work on the front lines, they need your help and support.”

The ACWS represents 40 sheltering organizations operating more than 50 emergency and second stage shelters for women, their children, and seniors fleeing violence and abuse.