Status of Women committee  Absolutely. A common response to experiencing gender-based violence is increased substance use. Women cope with trauma in different ways. We also know it leads to complex mental health challenges in many people who have experienced prolonged trauma. We know that's a result of gender-based violence, yet our systems are not yet set up to support women with those complex needs.

Status of Women committee  When women exit a shelter, if they don't exit with a plan for housing beyond that, they are likely to return to the violent situation they recently left. One of the critical pieces when considering a funding model and a sustainable pathway forward is to look at housing options connected to folks who have experienced violence.

Status of Women committee  We received funding through the Reaching Home agreements for our housing program. Part of the intention of that funding was to house folks in a hotel who either couldn't be served by gender-based violence shelters because they had reached their capacity, particularly with reductions in capacity due to COVID-19, or weren't a good fit for shelter service.

Status of Women committee  What we have seen is that typically the shelter model has been set up pretty traditionally, and not a lot has shifted, at least not in the shelter model here in Manitoba. We often find that it underserves folks who have perhaps more complex needs. That's due in part to the fact that our shelter system is underfunded.

Status of Women committee  As was mentioned, we did not see a match from the provincial government here in Manitoba, so the funds that we accessed didn't come through Women's Shelters Canada. We aren't a shelter; we're a resource centre. However, we did receive funding through the Canadian Women's Foundation, specifically to respond to gender-based violence.

Status of Women committee  Thank you and good afternoon, honourable members of Parliament and distinguished colleagues. Thank you for the invitation to present to this committee today. My name is Lorie English, and I am the executive director at the West Central Women's Resource Centre. Our centre is located in downtown Winnipeg, and we've been providing supports to women and gender-diverse people throughout the city for more than 20 years.