A coalition of regional advocates is urgently calling for dedicated shelter spaces for women and gender-diverse individuals in the Region of Waterloo, highlighting a significant gap in available services. The Sanguen Health Centre’s open letter stresses the dangerous situations faced by women due to the lack of gender-specific shelters, particularly in Cambridge, which exacerbates their vulnerability.
The coalition requests immediate approval for gender-specific shelters and access to unoccupied land and buildings for non-profits to provide necessary services. This call to action, supported by over 24 partners including academics and organizations like the Cambridge Food Bank and Coalition of Muslim Women KW, arises from growing distress over the inadequate response to women’s homelessness.
As of September 2021, the Region of Waterloo reported 1,085 homeless individuals with only 519 available beds, none designated specifically for women or gender-diverse individuals. The closure of the YW Kitchener-Waterloo shelter earlier this summer, which provided 66 beds, has left a critical gap in services. The absence of dedicated shelter beds for women complicates accurate assessment of women’s homelessness and underscores the need for a data strategy to reflect hidden homelessness.
In response, regional spokesperson Lynsey Slupeiks mentioned ongoing efforts to address homelessness, including the potential use of 84 Frederick Street in Kitchener for women and gender-diverse individuals. The YWCA Cambridge is also actively seeking a location for an emergency women’s shelter.
Read the full story with accompanying video on CBC: