In June 2017, the Housing Community of Practice (COP) brought together 11 participants from 7 provinces and 1 territory to share their knowledge of housing context, exchange promising practices, and draft a vision for strategic housing priorities for Women’s Shelters Canada.

Women who are recovering from abusive situations face challenges in accessing safe and affordable housing Canada. Women’s VAW shelters and transition houses have been developing practices to respond to women’s housing needs. The practices have emerged in four themes: helping women to navigate the challenges in accessing longer-term housing, lowering barriers to accessing shelter, offering more supportive second stage housing units, and advocating for women’s housing needs.

Promising Responses to Women’s Housing Needs

Read the full report on the Housing COP here

Hear the thoughts of the participants of the COP after their two day discussion on the National Housing Strategy, and what they wanted participants at the Roundtable on Housing, Homelessness, and Violence Against Women to know: