Transitional housing project in RM of St. Andrews to be a ‘community of care’ for Métis women fleeing violence

Construction on a multimillion-dollar transitional housing project in St. Andrews, Manitoba, is underway. The facility, which will house 10 furnished apartments and wraparound supports, will include a child-care centre, trauma-informed counselling, education and employment services, recreational spaces, and a community garden. The facility is expected to open next spring. The Infinity Women Secretariat, a Métis gender equity non-profit organization, said survivors will be able to stay in the facility for up to two years. The federal and provincial governments and the MMF all provided funding for the $8.5-million project. About $4.3 million came from Canada’s National Housing Strategy, $3.4 million from the MMF, and $880,000 from the province.

Manitoba Housing Minister Bernadette Smith, who is Métis, said she was “no hesitation” to spend $630,000 on the project. About two in three Métis women have experienced violent victimization in their lifetime. Gender Equity and Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine said her department is spending $250,000 to help furnish the apartments during the first phase of the project. Federal Northern and Arctic Affairs Minister Rebecca Chartrand said the upcoming facility is a “step toward something better — a safer, more supportive future for Red River Métis women and families.”