Question Period Note: Funding and Programs for Women’s Shelters

How is the federal government supporting the creation of women’s shelter spaces?

• This government is committed to providing safe and secure shelter spaces for people fleeing gender-based violence.

• The Affordable Housing Fund will help build and maintain at least 4,000 shelter spaces for survivors of gender-based violence by 2028.

• Additionally, the Indigenous Shelter and Transitional Housing Initiative has committed more than $378 million toward the construction of 38 shelters and 39 transitional homes for those fleeing violence.

• The National Housing Strategy (NHS) prioritizes meeting the needs of vulnerable populations, including women and children fleeing domestic violence. Many NHS initiatives aim to improve access to stable shelter, including shelters and transitional housing, for vulnerable populations. As of June 30, 2025, 19,060 shelter spaces have been created or repaired through the NHS.

• For example, the now $16.1 billion Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) provides capital contributions and low-cost loans for new construction and repair and renewal of existing shelters, including via the new $1 billion Rapid Housing Sub-Stream. Through the AHF the Government of Canada plans to help build and maintain at least 4,000 shelter spaces for survivors of family violence by 2028.

• The NHS targets having at least 25% of funding go toward meeting the housing needs of women and their children. As of June 2025, 33.7% of all NHS committed funding has gone toward this objective.

• In the 2020 Fall Economic Statement, the Government of Canada announced a comprehensive Violence Prevention Strategy to expand culturally relevant supports for Indigenous women, their children, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people facing gender-based violence. This strategy allocated $420 million from 2020-2025 to support construction of new shelters and transitional (second stage) housing across Canada for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis. Indigenous Services Canada will invest $304.1 million from 2020-2025, and $96.6 million annually, to support operational costs and expand funding for culturally relevant violence prevention activities.

• Through the Canada Housing Benefit, the federal government has partnered with provinces and territories to co-fund and deliver monthly financial assistance directly to households in need to help them afford housing costs. Funding totals $4.8 billion, cost-matched by federal, provincial and territorial governments.

• These programs and initiatives are in addition to the nine-year, $5 billion Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy. Reaching Home provides funding to urban, Indigenous, rural and remote communities to help them address their local homelessness needs, which can include funding shelters and transitional housing.

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