Indigenous women in Winnipeg at risk of violence, homelessness or exploitation will soon have a safe place to go, 24 hours a day.
The province announced Thursday it’s providing Ikwe Widdjiitiwin Inc. with $3.5 million in funding to establish the facility, which will include eight private bedrooms, plus a kitchen and dining area, as well as counselling services and cultural supports.
It’s meant to provide immediate and short-term safety options for at-risk Indigenous women, and will also include a crisis response line, operated by trained Indigenous staff members.
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The centre, known as the Mino’Ayaawag Ikwewag Lodge, will also include a transportation service to ensure patrons are safe when they arrive at the facility.
“The Mino’Ayaawag Ikwewag Lodge is about more than preventing the next missing or murdered Indigenous woman or girl,” Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine said.
“It is about creating a space where our relatives can heal, connect to culture and move forward with strength and support.”
Fontaine said the initiative is a continuation of the work the province began last year in Brandon, with the creation of the 10th Street Safe House, also known as Franny’s Place.
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