Canada supports women’s shelter expansion in Stratford

Stratford, Ontario, September 29, 2022

Tim Louis, Member of Parliament for Kitchener – Conestoga, on behalf of the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, alongside Mayor Dan Mathieson, City of Stratford, Michelle Lester, General Manager, Marklevitz Architects Inc., and Jasmine Clark, Executive Director, Perth County Transition Home for Women announced an investment of over $4 million to support the expansion of an existing emergency shelter.

The Optimism Place Women's Shelter and Support Services project aims to add 15 beds to the existing 13-bed shelter for women and children fleeing domestic violence. Owned and operated by Perth County Transition Home for Women, this shelter serves over 120 women and children annually.

The Government of Canada is contributing a federal investment of nearly $3.4 million through the National Housing Co-Investment Fund (NHCF). Additionally, the City of Stratford is contributing just over $82,000, Marklevitz Architects Inc. is providing an in-kind contribution of over $94,000, and Perth County Transition Home for Women is contributing $500,000 to the project.

Completion of the project is estimated by August 2023.

Quotes:

“Everyone deserves a safe place to call their own. Our government will continue our efforts to give Canadians the stability and safety they need across the country, including here in Stratford. These investments are helping community members heal, which benefits everyone. This is the National Housing Strategy at work.”
— The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion

“Our Government is dedicated to helping those in need, which is why we are proud to have invested in Optimism Place to help expand their capacity to give more women and children in crisis a safe place to land. Access to supportive housing is the foundation for success, leading to better education and health outcomes, and community engagement and cohesion, not to mention economic growth and financial security.”
— Tim Louis Member of Parliament for Kitchener – Conestoga

“Optimism Place is a key partner in our continued work to end homelessness. Responding to domestic violence and homelessness is a shared community responsibility. The City of Stratford fully supports and appreciates Optimism Place’s shelter expansion project and sees this as an opportunity to meet the growing needs that exist in our community.”
— Dan Mathieson, Mayor, City of Stratford

“Our team is proud to be part of this project. We have had a successful working relationship with Optimism Place over the past few years and look forward to seeing construction begin this fall. This expansion will provide much needed suites to support women and their families in their time of need.”
— Michelle Lester, General Manager of Marklevitz Architects Inc.

“We envision a day where every Perth County woman and her children seeking safety will be able to receive the residential and community-based supports they need to heal from their trauma and build a future of hope and optimism. The funding partnership of CMHC in creating 15 additional beds at Optimism Place is a tremendous step towards this vision and signals a great opportunity to end violence against women in Perth County.”
— Jasmine Clark, Executive Director of Perth County Transition Home for Women

Quick facts:

The National Housing Co-Investment Fund (NHCF) is a program under the National Housing Strategy (NHS) that gives priority to projects that help people who need it most, including women and children fleeing family violence, seniors, Indigenous peoples, people living with disabilities, those with mental health or addiction issues, veterans, and young adults.
With a budget of $13.2 billion, the NHCF plans to:
- Create up to 60,000 new homes
- Repair up to 240,000 homes
- Create or repair at least 4,000 shelter spaces for victims of family violence
- Create at least 7,000 new homes for seniors
- Create at least 2,400 new homes for people with developmental disabilities
Budget 2022 proposes to advance $2.9 billion in funding under the NHCF to accelerate the creation of up to 4,300 new units and the repair of up to 17,800 units.
The Government of Canada’s National Housing Strategy (NHS) is an ambitious, 10-year plan that will invest over $72 billion to give more Canadians a place to call home.