Fisher River Cree Nation and the Transitional Housing Shelter
Fisher River Cree Nation announced the new construction of a new Transitional Housing Shelter in May 2023. The new shelter will provide families with physical, mental, social, spiritual, and emotional resources. "Kah Pa Pak", the Cree word for butterfly, symbolizes the journey when a woman leaves the abuse/violence behind and transitions into a safe, beautiful life for her and her children.
This construction was possible because Fisher River Cree Nation submitted a proposal to the Indigenous Shelters and Transitional Housing Initiative, the CMHC (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation), and the ISC (Indigenous Services Canada). It was approved for $3.4 million to build a five-complex apartment. The Projects funding will include start-up costs and ongoing operational costs.
Background:
For the past 32 years, the First Nation Healing Centre in Fisher River Cree Nation has been an Emergency Shelter for women and children fleeing domestic violence. This shelter also has the name ‘Kah Pa Pak,’ meaning ‘Butterfly’ in Cree. The First Nation Healing Centre is a temporary housing shelter that offers services for up to 50 days. This is not nearly enough time for families to heal from family, domestic violence, and the trauma of these situations. The limited time frame of the temporary shelter has been a factor for women and their children leaving their homes. This was part of the reason for seeking the new transitional shelter.
Some of the services that the Healing Centre services offers are:
- A 24-hour toll-free Crisis line 1-800-692-6270
- Anger Management programs for men and women
- A 4-week ‘Healing Our Spirits’ program.
- One-on-one counseling
- Art therapy
- Emergency Shelter for women and children
- Networking and referrals to local resources
All these programs strive to be culturally appropriate and respectful.
Funding: Canada announced 178 new shelters and transitional housing for Indigenous Partners.
In Ottawa, on May 08, 2023, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity, Honorable Patty Hadju, Minister of Indigenous Services, the Honorable Marc Miller of Crown-Indigenous Relations, Jaime Battiste, Member of Parliament for Sydney-Victoria and cooperating with Indigenous partners announced the combined investment of $103 million to construct the ongoing operational support for 178 new shelters and transitional housing in 21 communities across Canada. One of these locations will be in Fisher River Cree Nation, Manitoba.
The shelters and transitional housing for First Nations, Inuit, and Metis people experiencing family and gender-based violence will have the necessary accommodations. These new shelters and transitional homes will be in reserves, the North, and urban communities. These Indigenous-led programs provide survivors with a stable environment. They will offer support programming to help the families and gender-based violence recover from the trauma with culturally appropriate services.
The committees were formed to develop a process to evaluate the applications and select projects by Indigenous Organizations and subject matter experts. The committee concludes of representatives from First Nations, Inuit, and Metis Organizations, indigenous 2SLGBTQI+, Indigenous Urban communities and people who have lived experience of shelters and/or transitional housing needs, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) and Indigenous Services Canada (ISC).
The funding has been divided into three categories:
- $81 million from CMHC for constructing 178 new shelter/transitional units.
- $15 million from ISC for the ongoing operational support of the 178 new shelter and transitional units.
- $7.8 million from the ISC will be available to support startup costs for operations.
Along with Fisher River Cree Nation, other shelters/transitional units will be developed in the following communities:
Committees were formed to develop a process to evaluate the applications and select projects by indigenous organizations and subject matter experts. The committee includes of representatives from First Nations, Inuit, and Metis organizations, Indigenous 2SLGBTQI+, Indigenous urban communities and people who have lived experience of shelters and/or transitional housing needs, the CMHC, and ISC.
These new shelters and transitional housing units are only one of the many action plans to end the national crisis of our Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, 2SLGBTQI+, and to support the families, survivors, and their communities.
The Government of Canada is working in partnership with Indigenous leaders of communities to implement strategies:
- The Comprehensive Violence Prevention Strategy
- The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ People National Action Plan
- The National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence
The committees that have been selected will ensure the projects are culturally appropriate and will meet the needs of the clients.
“We worked very hard on the proposal, compiled a team of people here in our community to do this important work. We are proud that our community has many professionals with designations to help us complete assessment requirements in the application process as well as our own consultants that care for the cause and the greater good of our community” – Chief David Crate, Fisher River Cree Nation
“It’s so exciting for our woman to have this extra support, time to heal, become stronger and beginning of a healthier lifestyle. We have the resources & capacity here within our own community to help with everyone’s healing process. I am proud we are to be opening this stepping stone on-reserve and that such an initiative takes steps to addressing the issues identified in the National Inquiry for MMIWG2S+” – Councillor Hillary Murdock, Fisher River Cree Nation
“In 2021, 70% of women we worked with had no choice but to return to unsafe living situations, due to lack of safe housing opportunities. This statistic is a hard reality and only shines light on a small portion of the problem Indigenous people face with healing from years of trauma. A lot of the issues women face when escaping violence, overlap and are layered from generational and systemic issues. Ka Pah Pak will really help change lives and address the cycle of domestic abuse.” – Katina Cochrane, Executive Director, FNHC
The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Crisis Line is toll-free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at 1-844-413-6649. This line is to provide emotional support and Crisis referral services for individuals. The furnished apartments at the Ka Pah Pak Centre will allow its occupants to live there for one year. The units will have kitchens and laundry facilities. Other services include childcare, program space for programs, offices, and security systems.
The Fisher River Chief and Council and the staff at the FNHC (First Nation Healing Centre) had a ground blessing ceremony on May 29th, 2023, at the construction site. For any further information or questions, contact Katina Cochrane at 204-645-2750.
By: Tricia Cook, Content Navigator