Evidence of meeting #119 for Status of Women in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was shelter.
A recording is available from Parliament.
NDP
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Pam Damoff
Is the committee okay with using the testimony from the previous study and including it in this study?
NDP
Sheila Malcolmson NDP Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC
It's just two pages.
Can you talk with us a little more about the experience you've heard from the women, the clientele that you're serving, the link between domestic violence, and how it is they became homeless?
Executive Director, Island Crisis Care Society
Yes. It's such a common occurrence. You hear about the first time when they escaped. They maybe had some support initially, but then often will end up going back because they can't find the housing. We hear when we have to turn people away, “Where are they going to go?”
They're going to go into an unsafe situation. It's heartbreaking when we have people show up at our door two days later after we've turned them away because we have no beds, and they've been beaten or raped, or even worse. It's just not okay. There definitely is a link. I would say such a high percentage of the women we serve have had some sort of domestic abuse.
NDP
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Pam Damoff
Eva, we'll go to you for one question and then we'll go to Rachael for one question.
Liberal
Eva Nassif Liberal Vimy, QC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I thank our witnesses for waiting for us while we voted.
My question is for Ms. Arseneault, who is speaking today on behalf of two organizations. She is here as an administrator of Maison L'Esther—located in the Vimy riding, which I represent—and as president of the Regroupement des maisons pour femmes victimes de violence conjugale.
Could you tell me how many spaces you have? What are the Regroupement's priorities when it comes to the shortage of 400 spaces in Laval?
President, Regroupement des maisons pour femmes victimes de violence conjugale
Maison L'Esther, located in Laval, has 12 shelter spaces, and the occupancy rate is always over 95%. According to the statistics over the past few months, two women out of three are turned away from shelters. That's a lot.
I'm also president of the Regroupement des maisons pour femmes victimes de violence conjugale. Addressing the acute shortage of emergency spaces is a major priority for the Regroupement. As I said earlier, if women cannot find a safe haven in our homes, where will they go? That is the big question. That is among our priorities, and it is why we have participated in a study and consulted all the shelters. The reality of the Laval, Outaouais and Montreal regions is really a priority for us. We are trying to document the issue and negotiate with our provincial partners, but we would clearly need to engage in discussions with the federal government in order to be able to support women who need safety.
Liberal
President, Regroupement des maisons pour femmes victimes de violence conjugale
Yes, at Maison L'Esther, we have been carrying out a project in that direction for a few years.
President, Regroupement des maisons pour femmes victimes de violence conjugale
Maison L'Esther's project has a goal to increase the number of spaces. However, we are having trouble obtaining permits for expansion or finding adequate land. In reality, in addition to fulfilling my task, I must also search for land.
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Pam Damoff
I'm sorry. It's over to Rachael. It was just one question. You had two.
Go ahead, Rachael.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
Ms. Hayes, I'm coming back to you.
Can you expand on what it would look like to help women successfully live independently?
Access to affordable housing is one thing. The monetary portion of that of course is a necessity. One of the things that we've heard from other witnesses as well is providing these women with the support they need to be able to live independently. There's a lot more that goes into it than just the monetary piece.
Can you comment on that further with regard to the support that these women require in order to live vibrant lives?
Executive Director, Island Crisis Care Society
That's where we've seen women blooming, when you can bring staff alongside and just really encourage them and help them.
There are different levels of housing, and when we move the women into.... It's in the north end of Nanaimo and it's close to the biggest mall. It's just a regular house. It has six bedrooms. Six of the women live together in that home. Then we have an outreach worker who goes in daily and just checks in with them, just to tell them that they believe in them and that they can help them get into schooling.
We've had people who have gone back to school and started jobs. Most of the women there are working at the mall, whether it be cleaning in the cinema or working in the food court or one of the stores. It just gives them that confidence to say, yes, we can do this. They just need that at this point in their lives, when they've been downtrodden and they've gone through the abuse and just don't have that hope anymore. It's so key to have those relationships, and that's why we've found that with the multi-levels of housing and the same staff being able to move through with them we've had the most success.
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Pam Damoff
Thank you very much.
I'd like to thank all our witnesses for being here and also for your patience in accommodating us while we went to vote. Your testimony will be very helpful in our study.
With that, we are adjourned.