Canada – Yukon partnership will provide rent support for survivors of gender-based violence

Whitehorse, Yukon, June 26, 2024

Today, the federal and Yukon governments announced an enhancement to the Canada Housing Benefit (CHB) to provide housing supports for Survivors of Gender-Based Violence.

The federal government is investing $5.24 million to create housing options that will be cost-matched by the Yukon for a combined total of $10.49 million in funding over the next four years.

The announcement was made today by Brendan Hanley, Member of Parliament for Yukon, on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, federal Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, alongside the Honourable Ranj Pillai, Premier of Yukon and Minister responsible for Yukon Housing Corporation, and the Honourable Jeanie McLean, Deputy Premier of Yukon and Minister responsible for Minister responsible for Women and Gender Equity Directorate.

This enhancement to the CHB will help survivors of gender-based violence, including women, children and 2SLGBTQI+ people find a safe and affordable place to call home. The funding benefit is expected to support over 328 households during the critical time of vulnerability and need experienced by those fleeing violence.

Yukon is the tenth province in Canada to co-design a program under the Canada Housing Benefit meant for Survivors of Gender-Based Violence, and will provide up to $2,000 a month for the first 12 months, followed by a decreasing benefit for an additional six months for qualifying applicants. These supports will give recipients time to stabilize and get back on their feet before they have to carry rental costs on their own.

The CHB for Survivors of Gender-Based Violence will follow the same terms and conditions as the existing CHB Program. While this CHB funding is specifically for survivors of gender-based violence, provinces and territories will have the flexibility to use their cost-matching to support ending gender-based violence or other priorities and programs to assist this vulnerable population with direct-to-household affordability assistance.

Yukon survivors of gender-based violence can access the program by completing an application form available at Yukon.ca or at any Yukon Housing Corporation office. Application to this program will also be available at participating not-for-profit organizations by mid-summer.

For information on how to apply and eligibility requirements, visit Yukon.ca or contact Yukon Housing Corporation.

Quotes:

“The federal government has invested more than $4 billion in the Canada Housing Benefit to provide direct assistance to households in need. With this additional funding we are partnering with the Yukon to assist those who have experienced gender-based violence, including women, children and 2SLGBTQI+ people, find a safe and affordable place to call home.”
— Brendan Hanley, Member of Parliament for Yukon — on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

“Our government is committed to supporting Yukoners facing gender-based violence. No one should have to stay in a violent living situation. We recognize how hard it is to make the decision to leave we want to ensure there are supportive and effective programs in place to help with this transition. Our government is proud to support this initiative and thank the Government of Canada for their partnership. Day in and day out, we will continue to work to improve the lives of Yukoners to help ensure their safety and well-being across the territory.”
— Ranj Pillai, Premier and Minister Responsible for Yukon Housing Corporation

“This is an incredibly important program, and a step towards ending gender-based violence in our territory. Housing insecurity is a well-known contributing factor in the perpetuation of gender-based violence. People may choose to stay in a household where they experience violence and abuse if they are facing homelessness as an alternative. Access to safe, affordable housing is one of the priority action items identified in the Yukon’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-spirit+ People Strategy. The gender-based violence stream of the Canada – Yukon Housing Benefit program will support the survivors in regaining their autonomy and economic independence.”
— The Honourable Jeanie McLean, Minister responsibel for Women and Gender Equity Directorate

Quick facts:

The federal government announced in November 2017 that it would invest $2 billion in a new Canada Housing Benefit (CHB) as part of the National Housing Strategy (NHS). Provinces and territories (PTs) are cost-matching this funding for a total $4 billion investment over eight years, starting in 2020 – 21.
The CHB aims to reduce housing need for some of Canada’s most vulnerable by providing funding directly to households in need to help them afford their housing costs.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) worked with PTs to create 13 CHB initiatives, one for each jurisdiction. These initiatives were co-developed based on a series of federal themes and are tailored to prioritize populations that are in housing need in each jurisdiction. PTs are delivering the CHB in their jurisdictions.
The CHB for Survivors of Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) is an enhancement to the already existing CHB.
Budget 2021 included an additional $315.4 million over seven years for the CHB to provide financial assistance for low-income women and children fleeing violence. However, the landscape of violence prevention has shifted since then with the introduction and subsequent endorsement and support of the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence (Action Plan) in November 2022.
The National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence defines gender-based violence as that which is “based on gender norms and unequal power dynamics, perpetrated against someone based on their gender, gender expression, gender identity, or perceived gender. It may take many forms, including physical, economic, sexual, as well as emotional (psychological) abuse.” This may include intimate partner violence and human trafficking.
The NHS is built on strong partnerships between the federal, provincial, and territorial governments, and continuous engagement with others, including municipalities, Indigenous governments and organizations, and the social and private housing sectors. This includes consultations with Canadians from all walks of life, and people with lived experience of housing need.

Additional information:

Visit Canada.ca/housing for the most requested Government of Canada housing information.

CMHC contributes to the stability of the housing market and financial system, provides support for Canadians in housing need, and offers unbiased housing research and advice to all levels of Canadian government, consumers and the housing industry. CMHC’s aim is that everyone in Canada has a home they can afford and that meets their needs. For more information, visit www.placetocallhome.ca.

Visit National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence to learn more about the plan.

To apply for rent subsidy through the Yukon Government, Yukon Strategic Housing Plan.