Family Violence Emergency Shelters
Family Violence Emergency Shelters offer a safe and supportive place for people to stay when they are fleeing a domestic violence situation. Services such as safety planning, outreach, advocacy, children’s programming and community referrals are also available.
The government is investing almost $26 million in women’s shelters in 2010-11 to provide basic emergency services in 29 emergency shelters, three on-reserve women's shelters, and programming in two second-stage shelters. Included in this funding is support for women’s shelters, family violence outreach services to the community, and a treatment program for male victims of family violence.
The Alberta government invested $1.76 million in June 2008 to fund 79 more beds in women’s emergency shelters across the province. More
In this section:
To locate the shelter nearest you, call toll-free 1-866-331-3933 or this list of shelters in Alberta. Click on your community in the table of contents and you will be directed to the shelters in that area.
The Wheatland Shelter in Strathmore provides assistance to men with or without children. Call toll-free at 1-877-934-6634.
For information about agencies that offer services and support to people impacted by family violence, please phone the 24 hour Family Violence Info Line at 310-1818, toll-free in Alberta.
For additional information about women’s shelters, visit the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters.
Child Care in Women's Shelters
For Albertans fleeing a family violence situation, their first priority is safety – for their children and themselves.
On June 18, the Honourable Minister, Janis Tarchuk, announced funding for the new Women’s Shelter Child Care Program - read news release.
Copies of the program standards are available by contacting Pat Hagemann: Pat.Hagemann@gov.ab.ca or 780-644-2983.
Abused men often have separate and distinct service needs from those of women. Male victims may prefer accessing information and services through non-traditional outreach approaches to support their needs than through traditional residential based shelter services. All women’s shelters, or other service providers, can help men with children who identify risk of violence, with access to short-term emergency hotel accommodation province-wide through Crisis Units in Edmonton and Calgary. In addition, there is a treatment program available for male victims of family violence through the Calgary Counselling Centre.
Women's Emergency Shelter Program Review
In January 2006, Alberta Children and Youth Services initiated a review of the Women's Emergency Shelter Program. The review made recommendations to strengthen shelters, their partnerships and the program as a whole.
The Alberta Government took action on recommendations from a women’s emergency shelter review, including increases totaling 21.5% for shelter staff salaries and benefits since 2006-07. The Women’s Shelter Leadership Bursary was also established in 2007 to support the professional development of senior staff and training for front line workers. In 2008-09, $1.7 million was allocated to fund 79 new beds in shelters across the province.
Read the executive summary
Read the report
Read the government's response
Read the news release
- Healthy Relationships - Information Sheet
- Know Your Rights: Alberta's Protection Against Family Violence Act (PAFVA) - Information Sheet
- Child Abuse/Children Exposed to Family Violence - Information Sheet
- Child Abuse/Children Exposed to Family Violence - Booklet
- Women Abused in Intimate Relationships - Information Sheet
- Women Abused in Intimate Relationships - Booklet
- Men Abused by Women - Information Sheet
- Men Abused by Women - Booklet
- Abuse in Same Sex and LGBTQ* Relationships - Information Sheet
- Abuse in Same Sex and LGBTQ* Relationships - Booklet
- English Express Family Violence Insert
- Aboriginal Journey to Healing - Information Sheet
- Translated Resources
- Supports for Albertans Fleeing Abuse
Please see the Materials and Resources webpage for additional publications to order free of charge.
*LGBTQ: A commonly used acronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, trans-identified, two-spirited and queer identities.
The Family Violence Info Line 310-1818 helps Albertans reach out to individuals and families affected by family violence. Help is available anytime, toll-free provincewide, in more than 170 languages.
