For over a century, YWCA Canada has provided girls and women with a safe space to escape violence, network, engage in community programming and find housing.

In February, the YWCA Ontario Coalition met with Ontario's Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Rob Flack, to share ideas on how our government can best support YWCA’s in Ontario and the 40,000 + people we collectively serve each year.

We will keep working together to ensure that women and families in every corner of the province have safe and affordable places to call home.

We were so pleased to attend this year’s International Women’s Day march, organized by Equal Voice Niagara!

Our incredible Board of Directors member, Lori Littleton also sits on the Equal Voice Board and organized this march as a way to celebrate the day and hold space for how far we still need to go to achieve gender equity in Niagara.

Lori said “I wanted to do something that was barrier free, didn’t require membership or a ticket, something where women and allies could come together and say we will continue to do the work until we live in a world where equality and equity are not dreams.” When we have accessible events such as this one, we can allow more voices at the table, making us stronger as a unit! We were happy to have our Volunteer Advocacy Coordinator- Ruth Unrau speaking at the event, and to see so many women and allies coming out to support!

Ontario’s non-profit sector, of which YWCA Ontario is a key part, contributes as much to the province’s GDP as the auto and construction industries, totalling $65 billion, and employs 844,000 Ontarians, the majority of whom are women. Investing in non-profit organizations like our YWCA member associations is not only a social investment; it is an economic strategy that builds a more resilient, inclusive, and productive Ontario. For every $1.00 of investment, nonprofit organizations generate up to $2.18 in GDP impact.

We, alongside all 10 YWCA’s in the Coalition, urge the Government of Ontario to partner with the non-profit sector through stable, multi-year operational funding and capital investment in community infrastructure that delivers housing, child care, and economic opportunities to women and families across the province.

In 2022, the YWCA partnered with Drs Rebecca Raby and Christine Tardif-Williams to embark on a research project into the lives and experiences of children who are homeless with their families. This is an underexplored area of research, despite its importance at a time of high levels of homelessness in the Niagara Region and across Canada.

Research was conducted through observation of the YWCA’s after school youth programming (FACES) over the course of two years. Experiencing homelessness has a much more unique impact on our youngest guests staying in shelter. This report outlines the data collection process, shares key themes, and presents recommendations to help better understand children’s experiences of homelessness in shelter living.

This policy report serves as an advocacy tool by highlighting the challenges and difficulties faced by women in accessing safe and affordable housing in Niagara. By describing the methodology and presenting research results, it provides evidence-based insights into the housing issues prevalent among women in the region. By emphasizing critical themes derived from the research findings, the report aims to raise awareness about the specific barriers women encounter in securing housing. Additionally, by offering insights and lessons drawn from the lived experiences of research participants, the report seeks to inform and educate the public, policymakers, and stakeholders about the urgent need for action to address affordable housing inequities in Niagara.

There is an alarming growth in the number of residents in Niagara who are relying on food banks and food programs and this trend does not show any signs of slowing down. In Niagara, charities (the YWCA Niagara Region included) face unprecedented challenges as they cope with a growing number of food-insecure residents. This policy brief addresses the alarming increase in reliance on food banks in Niagara and outlines initiatives to combat food insecurity. It calls for further action at all levels of government to address this pressing issue.