Thank you, Madam Chair.
Honourable Chair and members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to speak with you today about the urgent need for additional shelters and transitional housing for women and children escaping violence.
For more than 20 years, I have served with the Elspeth Heyworth Centre for Women. During that time, I have witnessed the courage of women who have made the difficult decision to leave abusive relationships in search of safety and a better future for their children. I've also witnessed the heartbreaking reality that many women cannot find a safe place to go. Their children live in fear, witnessing violence in their homes and carrying emotional scars that can last a lifetime.
Many women who seek safety are turned away because shelters are full. Shelters are not merely emergency housing; they are a critical violence-prevention service. When shelter space is unavailable, women and children are often forced to remain in dangerous situations or face homelessness.
Statistics Canada has reported that women continue to be turned away primarily because facilities are operating at capacity. This remains a significant challenge across Canada, particularly in major urban centres. However, I believe we have an opportunity to address two major challenges facing our country at the same time.
Canada faces a chronic shortage of skilled trades workers. Employers across the country are searching for qualified people in construction, welding, carpentry, heavy equipment operation, electrical work and many other trades. At the same time, thousands of women leaving violence are seeking a pathway to independence.
Shelters need to become not only places of safety but also centres of opportunity for the women seeking to start a new life. By integrating skilled trades training into shelter programs, women could gain valuable skills while rebuilding their lives. Through partnerships with unions, employers, colleges and apprenticeship programs, shelters could become gateways to meaningful careers.
Women should not be limited to minimum wage employment when they have the potential to become skilled professionals with stable incomes, benefits, pensions and long-term career prospects. A woman who seeks safety and enters a shelter can leave with a trade, an apprenticeship opportunity and the ability to support herself and her family with dignity and confidence.
I would like to share a practical example. The Elspeth Heyworth Centre for Women recently had an opportunity to partner with the County of Simcoe and the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury to establish a shelter in Bradford, Ontario. This area has a high need for a shelter. Seventy women were placed in hotels because shelter space was not available.
A municipally owned property is available and could accommodate up to 20 women and their children at a time. The shelter could provide safe housing, children's programming, personal development opportunities and training in construction craft worker skills. The estimated investment would be approximately $13,000 per woman, including both shelter accommodation and training. Within a matter of months, many participants could be employment-ready, moving toward apprenticeships and long-term careers.
The benefits extend far beyond the individual woman. When women secure meaningful employment, they gain financial independence. They begin planning for home ownership, transportation, further education and a brighter future for their children. Communities gain skilled workers. Employers gain much-needed talent. Governments benefit through reduced reliance on social assistance and increased tax revenues. This is not simply a social investment; it is an economic investment with measurable returns.
The vision for the Bradford shelter received strong support from municipal leaders, community partners and labour organizations. The need is clear, and the opportunity is real. The only barrier is funding.
Today, I urge the government to view shelters not as a cost but as an investment in public safety, workforce development, economic growth and the future of Canadian families. Every shelter space represents more than a bed. It represents—