Health and Community Services
Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs
April 8, 2011

Construction of New Women’s Shelter in Hopedale Moving Forward

Through an investment of approximately $1 million, the Provincial Government is proceeding with plans to construct a shelter in the community of Hopedale to provide a safe haven for women and children. The Hopedale Women’s Shelter will replace the former shelter, which closed in 2010. The investment includes construction and initial operating costs.

“We recognize the impact of family violence on women and children in our province,” said the Honourable Jerome Kennedy, Minister of Health and Community Services. “Our government is dedicated to helping women and children in Newfoundland and Labrador escape violent situations and establish a better environment for themselves. The new Hopedale Women’s Shelter will provide women and children with the safe and secure place they need to successfully deal with difficult family situations.”

The Hopedale Women’s Shelter will be equipped to handle three families at a time. The facility will have three bedrooms, two washrooms, a kitchen, a living room, a child’s playroom, an office and a boardroom. In addition, the new shelter will be designed to serve people with mobility disabilities and will have enhanced safety features such as a security fence and a security camera system. A tender for construction of the shelter is expected to be called by late summer 2011.

“The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador continues its strong stance against violence with this new, modern, state-of the-art shelter to assist women and children,” said the Honourable Patty Pottle, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and MHA for Torngat Mountains. “Through efforts supported by the Violence Prevention Initiative and the Poverty Reduction Strategy, we are working to end violence against women and children and we remain committed to do all we can to support them in times of crisis.”

The Hopedale Women’s Shelter is run by the Hopedale Shelter Board, which also provides safety-planning services and conducts violence prevention education in the community to support the development of the self-esteem and wellness of women and young girls. These programs teach that violence is unacceptable and help women feel more comfortable about using the shelter.

“Labrador-Grenfell Health holds the health and safety of children and families in our region as a high priority,” says Boyd Rowe, Chief Executive Officer of Labrador-Grenfell Health. “Our health authority recognizes the impacts of family violence and we are strongly supportive of the Provincial Government investments such as this one that enhance the supports available for women and children.”

Budget 2010: The Right Investments – For Our Children and Our Future included approximately $4.5 million in operational funding for nine transition houses throughout Newfoundland and Labrador, in St. John’s, Marystown, Gander, Corner Brook, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador City, Nain, Hopedale, and Rigolet. In addition, the Provincial Government invested $1.4 million in 2010-11 to open O’Shaughnessy House in Carbonear.

In addition, $200,000 was allocated to support a pilot project to review safety and security issues within transition houses throughout the province.

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2011 04 08                                                                               12:10 p.m.