City council to consider long-term funding for safe spaces in Winnipeg's core neighbourhoods

They've only been open for a year, but staff at Velma's House say they've already seen a difference in the women they help.

"People walk in, and they just are able to finally relax, eat and smudge — sort of shake off some of the stresses," said Amy Graham, program co-ordinator at the women's safe space in West Broadway.

"We've also seen a number of women find long-term housing and move from being unsheltered to having a safe and stable environment."

Since opening in March 2021, Velma's House has helped women with resources all the way from smudging and meals to help with taxes and housing.

That's why, Graham says, it's crucial the City of Winnipeg's funding continues. She says their various funding sources all run out by 2024, so without long-term city money, things would have to change.

"We would be reducing staff, reducing hours of operation and limiting our services to at-the-door only," Graham said.

Since 2020, the city has given $150,000 annually to Velma's House. It has also given $100,000 annually to West End 24/7, a safe space for young people run by the Spence Neighbourhood Association (SNA) during the same time frame.

However, those agreements run out at the end of 2023, according to a report to the city's executive policy committee.

Now, the city wants to give both programs $62,500 in total for 2024, along with long-term funding from 2024 through 2027, totalling $937,500.

"It is clear that there is an ongoing need for 24/7 safe spaces in Winnipeg. This is particularly true when reviewing the significant challenges related to poverty and homelessness in the city," the report reads.

Data from the 2021 Winnipeg Street Census and the 2016 census "reaffirm the continued need for the critical and often life-saving services provided by Ka Ni Kanichihk and SNA, as outlined in this report."

Long-term funding would help fulfil 24/7 goal

Graham says the long-term funding would help pay for more staff at Velma's House so it can truly become a 24-hour safe space. It could also pay for training to help staff create more programs and eventually move the group to a larger home to perhaps offer short-term shelter for women who are waiting for permanent housing, Graham says.

"As soon as people found out that we were there and and what we had to offer, people were waiting on the front porch every day throughout the summer," she said.

"We always knew that this resource was desperately needed, and the amount of people that we see on a day-to-day basis just highlights that and strengthens that."

West End 24/7 is the city's only overnight, 24-hour space for young people, according to the city's report. In addition to being a welcoming place and providing meals, the group works with End Homelessness Winnipeg, Resource Assistance for Youth, Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre, and the West Central Women's Resource Centre to provide emergency housing for people who needed to isolate for COVID-19 reasons.

The executive policy committee voted unanimously to pass this along to council, which will meet March 24 to give the final figure.

City hall briefs

The executive policy committee also moved the following issues forward to council for a final vote:

• Keeping the city's police funding model as is
• A new affordable housing program
• A decision to waive part of the rent for downtown tenants
• Putting naloxone nasal spray on transit buses

Police funding model moves through city hall

3 years ago

Duration 2:19

Sam Samson reports on Wednesday's meeting of the city's executive policy committee, which supported retaining the current police funding model and endorsed a housing program.