Through a Provincial Government investment of $247,000, final renovations and repairs will be completed at O'Shaughnessy House, a transition house in Carbonear. This complements the $1.2 million previously invested this year for repairs and renovations, staffing, household and operating costs. O'Shaughnessy House officially opened in September of this year.

"O'Shaughnessy House provides 24-hour emergency shelter, crisis intervention and prevention for women and children escaping violence," said the Honourable Jerome Kennedy, Minister of Health and Community Services and MHA for Carbonear-Harbour Grace. "This transition house plays a pivotal role in providing support and protection for women and children and has been constructed to meet the needs of these individuals."

The Provincial Government investment of $247,000 includes funding for electrical upgrades; roof replacement; exterior renovations such as a privacy fence, patio and landscaping; interior renovations, including baseboards, mouldings and painting; equipment and supplies; and, project management.

"Transition houses play a vital role in helping women and children respond to violence in their lives," said the Honourable Kathy Dunderdale, Minister Responsible for the Status of Women. "Our government's continued support of shelters like O'Shaughnessy House, coupled with the work of the Violence Prevention Initiative and campaigns like Respect Women help the community as we continue to try to educate people about the realities of violence in our province."

"There are currently nine transition houses in Newfoundland and Labrador that offer safety and support for women and children living in abusive environments," said Minister Kennedy. "Our government will continue to invest in these facilities to ensure that programs and services remain in place for victims of domestic violence."

Budget 2010: The Right Investments — For Our Children and Our Future includes approximately $4.5 million in operational funding for nine transition houses in Newfoundland and Labrador: St. John's, Marystown, Gander, Corner Brook, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador City, Nain, Hopedale, and Rigolet. An additional $200,000 will be invested to support a pilot project to review safety and security issues within transition houses throughout the province.

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