I can answer that question first.
On average, each year, we field approximately 2,500 crisis calls. We provided shelter to 250 women and 275 children last year. Our turn-aways are about 1,200 women and children per year.
Where do these women go? We do referrals to other shelters in the city of Calgary. There are two other emergency shelters.
What we're finding is that some indigenous women are not comfortable with going to mainstream shelters. Here's the reason why: Often there's a lack of understanding. That's primarily around cultural understanding. There may be no brown faces in the shelter. There may be no one who speaks their language or has a common history or experience. There may be someone who just doesn't get it. It's impacted by racism. The woman is not necessarily comfortable.
Therefore, we have found that women will actually wait until they can come into our indigenous shelter, which puts them in a further vulnerable situation.
Thank you.