New 28-bed shelter will focus on indigenous women and children
Indigenous women and children escaping from domestic violence can soon turn to a 28-bed shelter for safety and security located in Hammonds Plains.
Through the Shelter Enhancement Program (SEP), the federal government is investing $4.1 million to construct the Weliankweyasimk Womens Shelter, while Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) is providing continuous operational support. The shelter will be developed by Acadia First Nation.
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The shelter’s name – Weliankweyasimk – means “well cared for” in Mi’kmaw. It hopes to live up to its name through 24hr staffing and a 24hr crisis phone line, as well as the provision of supportive counselling and children’s programs.
Beyond providing refuge, the shelter will provide culturally appropriate support and service to help survivors recover from trauma and regain an independent life. Indigenous lifestyles will also be preserved through Mi’kmaw cultural, traditional and land-based teachings.
In 2021, the Weliankweyasimk Womens Shelter was selected as one of 12 shelters receiving a total of $85 million to build and support new emergency shelters across Canada for the first five years and an additional $10.2 million for every succeeding year.
The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion was accompanied by Lena Metlege Diab, Member of Parliament for Halifax West and Chief Deborah Robinson of Acadia First Nation for the announcement.
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“This investment from the Government of Canada’s Shelter Enhancement Program is offering the women and children the peace of mind they need, knowing that they have a safe and secure place to turn to,” Diab said. “This is the National Housing Strategy making a difference in the lives of the people right here in Hammonds Plains.”
“Knowing that our women and children have a safe place to go if they need to escape violence, is crucial,” Robinson said. “Weliankweyasimk will be more than just a shelter; it will be a safe place where our cultural ways are understood, respected and taught so that we can holistically support our Mi’kmaw women and children in need.”
