The provincial government is providing $1 million in capital funding to YWCA Saskatoon for second stage housing units for women and their children fleeing interpersonal violence and abuse.

CEO Cara Bahr explains that second stage housing provides safe, affordable, longer-term support for women and their children to break the cycle of violence and help them rebuild their lives. While there, clients receive counselling, connections to education and employment, and there are programs for the children.

Bahr says the need has increased dramatically since the pandemic. In 2021, the YW had to turn away over 4,000 women and their children and last year, that increased to over 5,000, which Bahr says is heart wrenching. They have to turn people away every day and they don’t know where they go because other organizations are also at capacity. Right now, YWCA Saskatoon has 20 units for second stage housing and their goal is to increase that. It provides housing usually for between 18 and 24 months.

Justice Minister Bronwyn Eyre says YWCA Saskatoon is one of the largest women’s shelters in the province, and it has played an important role in protecting women and children from the impacts of domestic violence and interpersonal abuse.