Joining virtually, Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, made the announcement late last week. (Shan Qiao Photography)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

50 beds & 40 housing units

Red Deer women’s shelter to build new facility with $30 million federal investment

Jun 22, 2023 | 2:09 PM

The Central Alberta Women’s Emergency Shelter (CAWES) is finally able to move full steam ahead with an ambitious project which will see the construction of a brand new purpose-built facility.

The facility will serve women and children fleeing domestic violence, and who are looking to start their healing journey.

CAWES made the announcement on Wednesday, just less than a week after the funding was announced by the Government of Canada. The project, which includes 50 emergency shelter beds and 40 secure transitional housing units, is cause for a federal investment just shy of $30 million.

It isn’t disclosed where the 47,940 square foot facility will be, which is standard as far as protecting the privacy of its users.

The number of beds and units represents an increase of over 200 per cent from the current facility, which has been operating over capacity for years. Design and construction support will be provided by local partners Stantec and Chandos Construction.’

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It was in Budget 2021 that the Federal Government first announced the Women and Children Shelter and Transitional Housing Initiative, which targeted $250 million towards the construction, repair, and operating costs of 560 shelter beds and transitional homes for women and children fleeing domestic violence.

The second funding window, represented by this announcement, is valued at $82.4 million, while the first phase was $121.2 million.

“In our current state as a 40-bed emergency shelter, we provide safe refuge for up to 28 days. At this size, we can only accommodate about a third of the requests for admissions that we receive,” explains Danica Hoffart, CAWES executive director.

“Furthermore, due to the lack of affordable housing, often the women and children leaving the shelter have nowhere else to go. The expansion to a 50-bed emergency shelter and the addition of 40 units of transitional housing will be a monumental shift is our ability to provide safe housing and support to women and children fleeing domestic violence in our region.”

As far as timeline, the project in Red Deer has already started construction, and should be complete by sometime in 2025.

Included in the 12 communities benefiting from the rest of the $82.4 million, along with Red Deer, are:

· Oshawa, Ontario

· Lac La Biche, Alberta

· Kelowna, British Columbia

· Squamish, British Columbia

· Terrace, British Columbia

· Dog Creek, Manitoba

· Fisher River, Manitoba

· Fort Erie, Ontario

· Kenora, Ontario

· Sioux Lookout, Ontario

· St. Catharines, Ontario

“Everyone deserves a safe place to call home. A place where a child is able to learn and grow in a stable environment. This is why the Government of Canada is providing funding to build and operate over 200 new shelter beds and transitional homes across Canada,” says Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion.

“These new shelter beds and transitional homes mean that women and children fleeing violence in communities across Canada will have more places to turn to. They will provide the foundation they need to rebuild their lives, heal, and gain independence. This is the National Housing Strategy at work.”

To learn more about the Women and Children Shelter and Transitional Housing Initiative, visit cmhc-schl.gc.ca.