441-02086 (Social affairs and equality)

The Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for sharing their concerns about the right to a safe and affordable place to call home.

Providing a safe and secure space for persons fleeing domestic violence is a priority for the Government of Canada. The National Housing Strategy (NHS), a 10-year, more than $82 billion plan launched in 2017, is giving more people living in Canada a place to call home. The NHS consists of complementary programs and initiatives that aim to address needs across the housing continuum and prioritize populations most in need, including women and their children. The Government of Canada aims to put 33% of the strategy’s investments, with a minimum of 25%, toward serving the unique needs of women and their children.

NHS programs and initiatives support the creation of shelters, such as the $13.2 billion Affordable Housing Fund, previously known as the National Housing Co-Investment Fund, which aims to create 2,000 new shelter spaces and repair 2,000 shelters for survivors of family violence. The Government of Canada has committed to create 1,388 new shelter spaces or transitional housing units for survivors of gender-based violence, and to repair/renew a further 347 spaces or units.

The Government of Canada recognizes that Indigenous women and children face unique challenges and barriers to housing. For those who experience violence, a shelter is often a first step to rebuilding their lives and protecting them from further violence. The NHS includes programming and funding exclusively for shelters in Indigenous communities and in the North.

As part of the 2020 Fall Economic Statement, the Government of Canada announced funding of $724.1 million to develop a comprehensive Violence Prevention Strategy to expand culturally-relevant supports for Indigenous women, children and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people facing gender-based violence. From this funding, $420 million is allocated to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) over five years to support the construction of a minimum of 38 shelters and 50 transitional homes across the country. 

In addition, we have committed $44.8 million to build a total of 12 new shelters across Canada for Indigenous women, children, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people escaping family violence. To date, construction is complete for four shelters, with the remaining eight shelters expected to be completed in 2024. These Indigenous-led shelters will provide vital refuge and culturally appropriate critical supports and services to help survivors of family violence recover from the trauma of their experiences, access support programming and create a stable environment where they can begin to regain an independent life. They are also a crucial element of the Federal Pathway to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People, the Government of Canada’s response to the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and an important contribution to the National Action Plan to end violence against Indigenous women, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people.

To date, the Indigenous-led Steering committees have selected 47 projects for funding (25 shelters and 22 transitional housing) and provided $195.9 million in capital for the creation of 349 units. A total of 24 projects have advanced to the point of receiving an agreement, and $27 million in funding has been advanced. The committees have conditionally approved an additional 23 projects, which may be provided final approval once complete proposals are received. 

Budget 2021 included an additional $315.4 million for the Canada Housing Benefit (CHB) to increase support for women and children fleeing violence. The program has since shifted in scope to encompass survivors of gender-based violence consistent with the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence which the Government of Canada and provinces and territories (excluding Quebec) endorsed in November 2022.

CMHC is in the process of negotiating agreements with provinces and territories to deliver and cost-match the additional federal funding for survivors of gender-based violence through the CHB. This funding will be available for provinces and territories to deliver until 2028. Each province and territory has flexibility to cost-match this funding through a housing benefit for any vulnerable population, including survivors of gender-based violence. To date, agreements for additional funding for survivors of gender-based violence through the CHB have been signed with 3 provinces and territories.  

CMHC launched a Call for Proposals in November 2021, which has remained open on a continual basis until March 1, 2024. CMHC and Indigenous Services Canada work with Indigenous-led committees comprised of representatives from Indigenous organizations, subject matter experts in shelters and housing delivery, as well as people with lived experience. The Government of Canada understands that a need for urgent shelter remains and is committed to working collaboratively to support the work of the Indigenous-led committees and expediting funding for projects that are approved. 

Gender-based violence is one of the most pervasive, deadly and deeply rooted human rights violation of our time. This is why the Government of Canada is taking action.

The pandemic created unprecedented challenges for those experiencing gender-based violence (GBV) and the organizations providing supports and services to them. While preventing and addressing GBV is a shared responsibility between the federal, provincial, and territorial governments, the Government of Canada acted swiftly in 2020 to provide an initial $90 million in COVID-19 emergency funding, through Women and Gender Equality Canada, to organizations across Canada serving those experiencing GBV. A year into the pandemic, the government responded to high demand and pressing needs by more than tripling the funding support and extending the timeframe for this emergency measure through Budget 2021. Since April 2020, approximately $300 million in total funding has been committed to organizations, providing emergency funding to over 1,400 organizations including women’s shelters, sexual assault centres, and other GBV organizations. As a result, more than 2 million individuals experiencing violence had a safe place to go, and access to supports across Canada. These investments served as an emergency response to the crisis above and beyond the ongoing work under the Federal Gender-Based Violence Strategy.

Like other COVID-19 emergency measures introduced by the federal government since 2020, this temporary measure has come to an end. However, the Government of Canada remains committed to addressing GBV:

• Budget 2021 invests $601.3 million over five years in initiatives to advance towards the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence. This included $200 million (of the $300 million) specifically for COVID-19 emergency funding.
• Budget 2022 invests a further $539.3 million over five years to support provinces and territories with the implementation of the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence.

On November 9, 2022, Federal-Provincial-Territorial Ministers Responsible for the Status of Women launched a historic 10-year National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence –. This Plan is a concrete step in fulfilling a long-standing commitment of Federal, Provincial and Territorial governments to work together towards a Canada free of gender-based violence. The Plan is supported by an investment of $539.3 million over five years, committed in Budget 2022, to support the provinces and territories in their implementation efforts. This funding is provided to provinces and territories through bilateral agreements.

As of December 2023, the Government of Canada announced agreements with all provinces and territories. These agreements, along with the respective provincial/territorial implementation plans are available on Women and Gender Equality’s website.