Funding Helps Renovate Yorktown Women’s Shelter
Posted by: Toronto Real Estate Admin / Category: News BulletinTORONTO, April 27, 2007 — More than 250 women and their children will benefit annually from the extensive renovations unveiled today at Yorktown Shelter for Women. The 30-bed emergency shelter provides crisis counselling and referral services within a supportive environment for women with or without children.
The federal government provided $515,851 through Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC) Shelter Enhancement Program to renovate and upgrade the shelter.
“Canada’s New Government is proud to help provide safe and supportive housing to women and their children who are experiencing family violence,” said the Honourable Bev Oda, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women on behalf of the Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development. “This funding is helping Yorktown Shelter give women living in Toronto hope, dignity and a path to a safer, better and stronger future.”
“The renovation has created an environment that is so much more inviting for our clients,” said Karen Engel, Executive Director of Yorktown Family Services. “Women and their children are now able to reside in separate sleeping quarters with connecting private washrooms. This is a real improvement over the dormitory accommodations we had before the renovation.”
The emergency shelter contains 30 beds in nine separate living spaces. Services provided include counselling, referrals, court and immigration escort, advocacy and assistance with housing, welfare, immigration, medical and legal services, children’s programs and community outreach.
The renovation provides the shelter with flexibility. Smaller families can reside together in separate sleeping quarters with connecting private washrooms, while larger families will have interconnecting doorways between the family suites. Other shelter repairs and upgrades were performed on the plumbing, heating and electrical connections, flooring, roof, windows and countertops.
CMHC’s Shelter Enhancement Program offers financial assistance for the repair, rehabilitation and improvement of existing shelters for women and their children, youth or men who are victims of family violence, as well as for the acquisition or construction of new shelters and second-stage housing where needed.
Operational funding for Yorktown Shelter for Women was provided by The Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services, Metropolitan Toronto Community Services — Hostel Services Division, and United Way of Greater Toronto.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has been Canada’s national housing agency for over 60 years. CMHC is committed to helping Canadians access a wide choice of quality, affordable homes, while making vibrant, healthy communities and cities a reality across the country. For more information call 1-800-668-2642.
Media Inquiries:
See Related Speech
Article source: http://www.cmhc.ca/en/corp/nero/nere/2007/2007-04-27-1400.cfm
Tags: Toronto House, Toronto Housing, Toronto Realtor