By Canadian Press

Alberta women’s shelters turn away thousands due to lack of space and staff: report

Dec 8, 2022 | 9:48 AM

EDMONTON – A new report shows emergency shelters in Alberta haven’t been able to provide refuge to thousands of women who were fleeing domestic violence due to a lack of space.

The data, which runs from April 1, 2021 to March 30, 2022, was compiled by the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters from more than 50 member shelters across the province.

It shows the shelters received more than 65,000 calls for help, and about 25,000 of those callers requested admission to a shelter.

The report says only 16.6 per cent of those calls led to a woman being admitted.

It says shelters in Alberta are underresourced, so not everyone is getting the help they need.

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Shelters had to turn away more than 11,000 requests for admission by women and seniors, along with about 6,200 children, because they were full.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 7, 2022.

The Canadian Press