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The Canadian Network of Women's Shelters & Transition Houses / Réseau canadien des maisons d'hébergement pour femmes is an emerging national network united to end violence against women. The founding members of the Network are Canada’s 14 provincial/territorial, regional and aboriginal sheltering organizations, who have a collective membership of over 350 emergency and second stage shelters for abused women and their children in Canada. Each member has appointed a representative to participate in the Network Steering Committee and signed a Memorandum of Understanding outlining responsibilities and an approach for working together.
With offices located in Edmonton, Alberta, and representing 43 member shelter organizations, the Alberta Council of Women's Shelters is a province-wide, voluntary organization supporting women's shelters and partner organizations through education, research and services for the benefit of abused women and their children. It assists shelters by initiating violence prevention projects to improve shelter services.
With offices located in Vancouver, British Columbia, the BC Society of Transition Houses is a non-profit association of 63 transition houses, 13 second stage houses, 26 safe homes, 100 Children Who Witness Abuse programs and other groups which serve the needs of women and their children fleeing violence. Through numerous initiatives, it enhances the continuum of services and strategies necessary to end violence against women, youth and children.
Located in Montreal, Quebec, and representing 41 women’s shelters across the province, the Fédération de ressources d’hébergement pour femmes violentées et en difficulté du Québec supports shelters in providing quality services that meet the security and protection needs of women and children victims of violence. It promotes and defends the interests of its member shelters and provides them the necessary support to carry out their mandates.
Located in Charlotte County, New Brunswick, and founded in 1982, the Fundy Region Transition House is a 15 bed refuge providing all basic needs for women and women with children who experience any form of abuse. The house also offers support to women and children with links to existing social, recreational, educational and health services. It is dedicated to enabling women to become self-reliant and self-confident again and offers many activities to help in all areas of self-development. Fundy House is designated the regional Network member for New Brunswick, which includes 13 sheltering organizations.
Located in Whitehorse, Yukon, and founded in 1980, the Yukon Women’s Transition Home is a non-profit organization providing safe and confidential support to women and their children who are living with the impact of violent situations. The transition home provides non-judgemental shelter and support to women and children for up to 30 days as well as second stage housing for women who still need the security of accommodation after they completed their stay. Kaushee’s Place is designated the regional Network member for the Yukon Territory, which includes 4 other sheltering organizations.
Representing 9 provincially funded women’s shelters and several affiliate members working in the field of family violence, the Manitoba Association of Women’s Shelters was created to provide: support to member shelters, increased negotiating abilities with funders, shared information and resources, increased public awareness, training of staff and improved services for clients.
Founded in 2002 to reduce family violence in aboriginal communities, the National Aboriginal Circle Against Family Violence serves as a national clearinghouse for on-the-ground information, an advocate for developing standards and training programs, and a source of support for isolated service providers in aboriginal communities.
The Ontario Association of Interval & Transition Houses is a provincial coalition founded by women’s shelter advocates in 1977. The Association works with 61 member agencies to educate and promote change in all areas that abused women and their children identify as important to their freedom from violence. It operates from an integrated, feminist, anti-racist / anti-oppression perspective on violence against women.
Formed in 1984, the Provincial Association of Transition Houses and Services of Saskatchewan is a non-profit organization whose membership is comprised of 19 transition houses, second stage houses and organizations providing services to women who have experienced violence. PATHS’s mission is to provide integrated, collaborative support for its members and research, program development, public awareness and education on personal and family violence in Saskatchewan.
PEI Family Violence Prevention Services Inc. is a community volunteer organization, based on the principles of justice, equality and peace. It is dedicated to the eradication of physical, sexual and emotional violence in families through advocacy, prevention programs and the provision of quality services designed to empower and support those affected by family violence. PEI Family Violence Prevention Services Inc. is designated the regional Network member for PEI, which includes 1 provincial shelter for abused women, 4 outreach offices across the province and 3 second stage facilities.
With some 50 member shelters across Quebec, the Regroupement des maisons pour femmes victimes de violence conjugale helps to modify laws and policies to make them more adequate measures of protection for women and children victims of domestic violence. It also provides its members with a forum for reflection, training and mobilization.
Since 1987, the Transition House Association of Newfoundland and Labrador has provided its now 8 member organizations with guidance, training, research and community awareness initiatives. As a strong collective voice in equality-seeking work in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, it lobbies for the financial support needed to operate and establish new transition houses, participates in anti-violence activities in the province and offers regular networking opportunities to staff and management.
Founded in 1989, the Transition House Association of Nova Scotia represents 11 member organizations that provide crisis and transitional services to women and their children who are experiencing violence and abuse. It advocates for sufficient programs, services and funding for transition houses in Nova Scotia; provides training and networking opportunities for boards and staff of its member organizations, and works collaboratively with other equality seeking organizations to increase public awareness of violence and abuse in our society.
Since 1966, the YWCA Yellowknife has been a leading provider of housing and services for the most vulnerable people in its community. As a non-profit agency that exists to increase the well-being and independence of people, particularly women, the YWCA Yellowknife provides shelter for women fleeing family violence, transitional and emergency housing programs, community support services and after-school programs. YWCA Yellowknife is designated the regional Network member for NWT, which includes 4 other sheltering organizations.
The Network has an office in the national capital of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and employs an Executive Director, two project coordinators and the services of two research and evaluation consultants. The Alberta Council of Women's Shelters (ACWS) is the fiscal agent for the Network while the Network co-creates its structure and works to incorporate. ACWS provides financial management and auditing services from the ACWS central office in Edmonton, Alberta.