Question Period Note: Supports for Indigenous women

Our government is making investments to address the social
determinants of health, including housing, economic
opportunities, and Indigenous-led healthcare systems.
• In June 2021, 12 new shelters were announced, with $85 million
committed to build and support their operation over five years
and $10.2 million annually.
• In May 2023, the Government of Canada announced an
investment of $103.8M to create 178 new Indigenous Shelters
and Transitional units in 21 communities across the country.
This is part of the $724.1 million committed through the 2020
Comprehensive Violence Prevention Strategy.

The Family Violence Prevention Program
The goal of the Indigenous Services Canada's Family Violence Prevention Program is to
improve the safety and security of Indigenous women, children, families, and 2SLGBTQQIA+
people.
The Family Violence Prevention Program provides funding for the following components:
• day-to-day operations of emergency shelters and transitional (second stage) housing
that provide services for Indigenous women, children, families, and 2SLGBTQQIA+
people across Canada, including in the North and in urban centres;
• support for shelter capacity;
• engagement and community prevention projects to raise awareness specific to Métis
women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people; and
• culturally-appropriate prevention projects across Canada, such as public awareness
campaigns, stress and anger management support groups, and community needs
assessments.
2020 Shelter Initiative for Indigenous Women and Children
On May 29, 2020, $44.8 million was announced over five years for the Canada Mortgage and
Housing Corporation to build 12 new shelters: 10 shelters for First Nations communities across
the country, and two in the territories. The government will also provide ISC with $40.8 million to
support operational costs for these new shelters over the first five years, and then $10.2 million
annually ongoing.
In response to the Expression of Interest for the Shelter Initiative, 69 proposals were received
by the deadline of January 15, 2021. On June 17, 2021, both Ministers jointly announced the
location of the 12 new shelters for Indigenous peoples seeking to escape family violence. The
approved shelters are intended to be Indigenous-led and seek to provide vital refuge as well as
critical supports and services to help survivors of family violence recover from the trauma of
their experiences. The shelters will be built in partnership with the following communities:
• Lil'wat Nation, British Columbia
• Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation, Alberta
• Whitefish Lake First Nation #459, Alberta
• Prince Albert Grand Council, Saskatchewan
• Keeseekoowenin, Manitoba
• Hollow Water, Manitoba
• Wasauksing First Nation, Ontario
• Odanak First Nation, Quebec
• Natoaganag (Eel Ground) First Nation, New Brunswick
• Acadia First Nation, Nova Scotia
• Council of Yukon First Nations, Yukon
• Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, Northwest Territories
This funding is in addition to the $10 million previously announced in COVID-19 supports for
First Nations shelters in 2020-2021 and to the $1 million per year ongoing to engage Métis
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leaders and service providers on assessing shelter needs and community-led violence
prevention projects for Métis women, girls, 2SLGBTQQIA+ People.
Through the 2020 Fall Economic Statement, the Government of Canada committed $724.1
million to launch a Comprehensive Violence Prevention Strategy that would:
• expand culturally relevant supports for Indigenous peoples facing gender-based
violence; and,
• support new emergency shelters and transitional (second-stage) housing across the
country, including in the North and in urban centres.
Indigenous Shelter and Transitional Housing Initiative
In November 2021, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation launched the Indigenous
Shelter and Transitional Housing Initiative in collaboration with ISC, which will support a
minimum of 38 emergency shelters and 50 transition homes (second-stage housing) for First
Nations, Inuit, Métis, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people across Canada, including in the North and
urban Centres.
Through its Family Violence Prevention Program, ISC will provide:
• an average annual allocation of $1 million to operate shelters in the Territories and Inuit
Nunangat.
• an average annual allocation of $800,000 to operate shelters in Provinces across the
country.
• an average annual allocation for transition homes of $500,000. It is anticipated that
transition homes will incorporate some geared-to-income rent from clients as part of their
operational budgets.
The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation will provide capital funding based on an
average cost of up to:
• $7.2 million per facility in the Territories and Inuit Nunangat.
• $3.48 million per facility in Provinces across the country.
The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and ISC have been working with the Steering
Committee and Selection Committee for the general and Inuit streams of the initiative, which are
comprised of representatives from Indigenous Organizations, including First Nations, Inuit,
Métis, 2SLGBTQQIA+ people, urban Indigenous groups, those with lived experience, and
shelter staff.
• The committees have supported the development of the evaluation process and
recommended the selection of projects.
On January 26, 2021, then Minister of Indigenous Services , the Honourable Marc Miller along
with Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development,
committed to fund the construction and operations of shelters for Inuit women and children
across Inuit Nunangat as well as in urban centres. The funding for the new shelters is part of the
funding announced in the 2020 Fall Economic Statement for the comprehensive Violence
Prevention Strategy. In August 2021, the Call for Proposals for the Shelter Initiative for Inuit
Women and Children was launched by Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada, in collaboration with
Indigenous Services Canada and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. In November
2021, the Shelter Initiative for Indigenous Women and Children was launched by the Canada
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Mortgage and Housing Corporation, in collaboration with Indigenous Services Canada.
Applications are currently being reviewed by the Inuit Steering and Selection Committees, which
includes representation from Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada, all regions of Inuit Nunangat,
as well as the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and ISC.
On May 8th, 2023, the Minister Hajdu, Minister Hussen and Minister Miller announced $103
million in investment to build 22 projects in 21 communities across the country, including:
• $81 million from CMHC for the construction of 178 new shelter/transitional units
• $15 million from ISC for ongoing operational support of the 178 new shelter and
transitional units
• $7.8 million from ISC will be available to support start up costs for operations
The selected communities are as follows:
• Heiltsuk First Nation, British Columbia
• Dena Tha' First Nation, Alberta
• Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation, Saskatchewan
• Cross Lake First Nation, Manitoba
• Fisher River Cree Nation, Manitoba
• Sapotaweyak Cree Nation, Manitoba
• Beausoleil First Nation, Ontario
• Pikangikum First Nation, Ontario
• Fort Albany First Nation, Ontario
• Northern Village of Puvirnituq, Quebec (Transitional Home)
• Northern Village of Puvirnituq, Quebec (Shelter)
• Fort Frances Tribal Area, Ontario
• Garden River First Nation, Ontario
• Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation, Ontario
• Municipality of Sanikiluaq, Nunavut
• Montagnais de Pakua Shipi, Quebec
• Tobique First Nation, New Brunswick
• Tataskweyak Cree Nation, Manitoba
• Winnipeg, Manitoba
• Cape Breton, Nova Scotia
• St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
• Stephenville, Newfoundland and Labrador
In addition to funding shelter operations, the Family Violence Prevention Program supports
culturally-appropriate violence prevention and awareness activities, including enhanced wraparound services for shelter clients. ISC regions have the flexibility to adopt regionally-based
approaches to implement violence prevention programming, such as formula-based allocations
to communities or shelters; proposal-based approaches; or, support for aggregate organizations
such as Tribal Councils or Indigenous organizations. The 2022-2023 Call for Proposals for
violence prevention projects closed on January 30, 2023.
Between 2021-22 and 2022-23 Indigenous Services Canada had a total of $53.4 million
available to fund the operations of new shelters and transition homes and to support violence
prevention activities. As of (January 31, 2023), a total of $37,147,356.41 has been provided to support initial start-up costs for selected shelter and transition home projects, and to various
Indigenous organizations. Of the $37.1 million, a total of $3.9 million has been provided to
support initial operational costs and $33.2 million has been spent on programs and services."
Although additional expenditures are anticipated through to March 31, 2023, full operational
funding to support shelters and transition homes only becomes available once facilities are built
and ready to serve clients. If there are construction delays, operational funds will be rolled over
to ensure they do not lapse and remain available. Violence prevention funding is distributed
amongst communities and organizations and is not impacted by such delays.

If pressed on the Comprehensive Violence Prevention Strategy
• $724.1 million was announced to launch a Comprehensive
Violence Prevention Strategy.
• This strategy will support new emergency shelters and
transitional housing across Canada, including in the North and
in urban centres through ISC’s Family Violence Prevention
Program.
• ISC will invest $304.1 million over five years to support the
operational costs of the new shelters and transition homes and
expand funding for culturally relevant violence prevention
projects.
• On May 8th, 2023, the Government announced 178 new shelter
and transitional units for First Nations, Inuit and Métis escaping
family and gender-based violence. ISC invested $15 million in
ongoing operational support. If pressed on shelter shortages in Indigenous communities
• Shelters provide a vital place of refuge for Indigenous women
and children escaping violence across Canada.
• In May 2020, we announced funding to build 10 new shelters in
First Nations communities and two in the territories to help
protect Indigenous women and children escaping domestic
violence. In June 2021, the 12 new shelters were announced.
• In November 2020, further funding was announced via the Fall
Economic Statement to build and support an additional 38
shelters and 50 transition homes. On May 8th, 2023, the
Government of Canada announced an investment of $103M for
22 projects in 21 communities. If pressed on shelter shortages for Inuit women
• In January 2021, our Government committed to fund the
construction and operations of shelters for Inuit women and
children across Inuit Nunangat as well as in urban centres.
• These shelters will be funded via the Comprehensive Violence
Prevention Strategy announced in the 2020 Fall Economic
Statement.
• In August 2021, Pauktuutit, in collaboration with ISC and the
CMHC, anada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, launched the
Call for Proposals for the Shelter Initiative for Inuit Women and
Children.
• In February 2023, Pauktuutit announced the selection of three
projects, two shelters and one transition home in Sanikiluaq,
Nunavut, and in Puvirnituq, Nunavik.