Canada and Nova Scotia to provide rent support for survivors of gender-based violence

Halifax, Nova Scotia, July 19, 2024

Today, the federal and Nova Scotia governments announced an enhancement to the Canada Housing Benefit (CHB) to provide rental assistance for survivors of gender-based violence. The federal government is investing $11.3 million over the next four years and this will be matched by Nova Scotia.

The announcement was made by Darren Fisher, Member of Parliament for Dartmouth-Cole Harbour, and Lena Metlege Diab, Member of Parliament for Halifax West, alongside the Honourable Jill Balser, provincial Minister of Labour, Skills and Immigration and the Minister responsible for the Advisory Council on the Status of Women.

This enhancement to the CHB will help survivors of gender-based violence, including women, children and 2SLGBTQI+ people find a safe and affordable place to call home. It is expected to support nearly 400 households.

Nova Scotia is the third province in Canada to co-design a program under the Canada Housing Benefit meant for survivors of gender-based violence, which provides a flat rate based on family composition in the first year of the benefit. This recognizes that individuals exiting violence may be experiencing financial abuse or face barriers to accessing other types of benefits because of complex family situations.

The CHB for survivors of gender-based violence will follow the same terms and conditions as the existing CHB. While this funding is specifically for survivors of gender-based violence, provinces and territories will have the flexibility to use their cost-matching to support ending gender-based violence or other priorities and programs to assist this vulnerable population with direct-to-household affordability assistance.

The benefit amount is determined based on family size and average regional rental rates. Funding will be provided to eligible applicants on a referral basis.

Quotes:

“The federal government has invested more than $4 billion in the Canada Housing Benefit to provide direct assistance to households in need. However, housing affordability can still be a barrier for many people experiencing violence from seeking a safe place to live, which is why we are partnering with Provinces and Territories to enhance the Housing Benefit. With this additional funding we are partnering with Nova Scotia to lend a hand to those who have experienced gender-based violence, including women, children and 2SLGBTQI+ people, find a safe and affordable place to call home.”
— Darren Fisher, Member of Parliament for Dartmouth-Cole Harbour

“All levels of government have a responsibility to uplift and support the most vulnerable residents in our communities. With this enhancement to the Canada Housing Benefit, we will help an estimated 2,600 households afford safe, secure places to call home through direct financial support. For families and individuals that have experienced gender-based violence, this benefit will be a lifeline that supports their autonomy and helps them put the difficult moments they have lived behind them.”
— Lena Metlege Diab, Member of Parliament for Halifax West

“No one should live in fear. We want survivors of gender-based violence to know supports are available and they have options. We hope this benefit will help survivors find a place to call home where they can build their lives in safety.”
— Jill Balser, Minister responsible for the Status of Women on behalf of John Lohr, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing

“The lack of affordable and safe housing options remains a major barrier preventing women from escaping abusive relationships. In Nova Scotia, where women report higher rates of intimate partner violence than in other provinces, this new benefit is a crucial first step towards providing victims and survivors with the resources they need to find safe and stable housing during one of the most challenging times in their lives.”
— Ann de Ste Croix, Transition House Association of Nova Scotia

“Bryony House applauds the newly announced targeted housing benefit for survivors of gender-based violence. This benefit represents a crucial step in addressing the broader challenges faced by survivors at a critical time. This initiative will significantly aid those we assist in their transition out of the shelter and into housing. We look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on our community.”
— Monika Hintz, Executive Director, Halifax Transition House Association, Bryony House Shelter

Quick facts:

The federal government announced in November 2017 that it would invest $2 billion in a new Canada Housing Benefit (CHB) as part of the National Housing Strategy (NHS). Provinces and territories (PTs) are cost-matching this funding for a total $4 billion investment over eight years, starting in 2020-21.
The CHB aims to reduce housing need for some of Canada’s most vulnerable by providing funding directly to households in need to help them afford their housing costs.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) worked with PTs to create 13 CHB initiatives, one for each jurisdiction. These initiatives were co-developed based on a series of federal themes and are tailored to prioritize populations that are in housing need in each jurisdiction. PTs are delivering the CHB in their jurisdictions.
The CHB for survivors of gender-based violence (SGBV) is an enhancement to the already existing CHB.
Budget 2021 included an additional $315.4 million over seven years for the CHB to provide financial assistance for low-income women and children fleeing violence. However, the landscape of violence prevention has shifted since then with the introduction and subsequent endorsement and support of the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence (Action Plan) in November 2022.
The National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence defines gender-based violence as that which is “based on gender norms and unequal power dynamics, perpetrated against someone based on their gender, gender expression, gender identity, or perceived gender. It may take many forms, including physical, economic, sexual, as well as emotional (psychological) abuse.” This may include intimate partner violence and human trafficking.
The NHS is built on strong partnerships between the federal, provincial, and territorial governments, and continuous engagement with others, including municipalities, Indigenous governments and organizations, and the social and private housing sectors. This includes consultations with Canadians from all walks of life, and people with lived experience of housing need.

Additional Information:

Visit Canada.ca/housing for the most requested Government of Canada housing information.

CMHC contributes to the stability of the housing market and financial system, provides support for Canadians in housing need, and offers unbiased housing research and advice to all levels of Canadian government, consumers and the housing industry. CMHC’s aim is that everyone in Canada has a home they can afford and that meets their needs. For more information, visit www.placetocallhome.ca.

Visit National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence to learn more about the plan.