No new money for on-reserve shelters in federal budget

The March federal budget offered no additional dollars for women’s shelters on reserves but Carolyn Goard, director of member programs and services for the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters, is “cautiously optimistic” that the government hasn’t forgotten women and children who live in violence.

The budget did include an increase of $11.9 million for family prevention programs on First Nations.

Goard is hopeful some of that funding will be allocated to on-reserve shelters for programming.

But even if some of those dollars do go towards shelter programs, it’s a far cry from the money needed.
Eighty-nine per cent of all on-reserve shelters list lack of funding as a major obstacle to overcome. Funding comes directly from Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada and has been frozen for the past five years.

 “As directors, we have had to make some hard decisions. Some of us have had to cut outreach programs. Now there is a possibility of cutting children’s services,” said Nora Lee, executive director of Eagle’s Nest Stoney Family Shelter in Morley.

Christie Lavan, communications and partnership advisor for the ACWS, is passionate about the need for all programs to continue at on-reserve shelters.

“It is critical that we keep on-reserve shelters’ voices up.  Alberta’s on-reserve shelters are amongst the most in need. The (federal government) needs to fund (these shelters) at a level that they can provide support to Aboriginal women and children living on reserves in our province,” she said.

In 2005, Johnston Research Inc. conducted a comparison study for the ACWS between on-reserve and off-reserve shelters. Provincial shelters receive funding from the Alberta government and 2005 figures indicated that on-reserve shelters received $1.05 million less than their provincial counterparts.

Alberta has six on-reserve shelters and all operate in rural areas, leading to much higher operational costs than provincial shelters in urban areas.

The financial challenge in keeping on-reserve shelters open is daunting, said Lee. The Eagle’s Nest Family Shelter has a shortfall of some $200,000 annually. To compensate, more programs are cut or staff let go.

The Johnston Report examined how on-reserve shelters across Canada are funded. Developing a funding formula as the report suggests, can only be as good as the funding that gets channeled through to the shelters. To provide for the physical and psychological safety of women and children in an environment that is physically safe, comfortable, friendly and operates well means an increase in funding, says the Johnston Report.

“The (department) takes the issue of violence against Aboriginal women very seriously and will continue to work in partnership with provincial and territorial governments, First Nation people, and other stakeholders to develop effective and appropriate solutions,” said Michelle Perron, spokesperson for AANDC.

She added that the federal government’s Economic Action Plan 2012 offers current programming at a total budget of $30.4 million.