LAKELAND - Women’s shelters in Alberta will see a $10-million increase in funding over the next four years including a one-time payment of 3.5 per cent of their current operational funding.
Minister of Children and Family Services Searle Turton said the government is providing total funding of nearly $57 million in 2024/25.
“By investing a portion of the funding towards women's shelters, Alberta's government remains steadfast in its commitment to increase funding by $10 million over four years to ensure that survivors are protected and supported,” said Turton.
The funding is part of the 2023 bilateral agreement with the federal government.
Details of Alberta’s new 10-year gender-based violence strategy are still being finalized, but according to Arts, Culture and Status of Women Minister Tanya Fir it will be focused on prevention through women’s economic empowerment and engaging men and boys.
“We know that when women have the financial security and stability to look after themselves and their children, they can flee permanently some of those very difficult situations. And then, as well as engaging men and boys, we've got to engage men and boys in early prevention, early training, early education,” said Fir.
Melissa Francis is the executive director of Stepping Stones Crisis Centre in Cold Lake. She said it was great to see the ministers commit to preventing and responding to gender based violence.
“Despite those funds, there's still a real funding challenge that happens at shelters across the province, especially with the current inflationary pressures that we have,” said Francis.
She noted the challenge is especially felt at shelters like Stepping Stones because they serve such a large region.
“We do everything we can to ensure that we have all the funds that we need in order to operate and provide all of the services that we can for the Lakeland area as one of the only shelters in 100 kilometers radius,” said Francis.
Other emergency shelters in the Lakeland include Capella Centre in St. Paul, and Hope Haven Women’s Shelter in Lac La Biche.
As of 2023, the national rate for reported incidences of intimate partner violence is 354 per 100,000 people, Alberta’s is 385.
According to Statistics Canada, family violence in Alberta increased by 20 per cent in 2023 compared to 2018. The agency’s analysis notes rates of family violence are more than twice as high in the north as compared to rural southern regions and nearly quadruple the rate of family violence in urban southern regions.
