A women’s resource centre in Winnipeg is receiving money from the province to help expand its transitional housing options. The Manitoba government announced Monday it is giving $459,000 to the North End Women’s Centre. The money will double the size of the current drop-in centre for women fleeing gender-based violence. “Today is more than just about bricks and mortar; it’s about creating hope. It’s about creating safety, and it’s about making sure that women, children, Indigenous women, 2SLGBTQ+, and gender-diverse relatives have a place where they can heal, rebuild, and imagine a different place,” said Nahanni Fontaine, Manitoba’s minister of women and gender equality. The plans include eight new transitional housing spaces and on-site programming, including counselling and parenting support. Cynthia Drebot, executive director of the North End Women’s Centre, said the expansion is needed, as the centre is starting to outgrow its space after more than 40 years. “Every day, we witness incredible resilience. We see women overcome barriers that many people cannot imagine, and we see strength, courage, love, and determination,” she said. So far, the centre has received $1.34 million through the province’s Mino’Ayaawag Ikwewag: All Women Doing Well strategy, which funds initiatives aimed at empowering Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people in the province. Construction on the new transitional housing spaces will begin in fall 2027, Fontaine said.
