Women's shelters facing sudden provincial funding cuts

More than a dozen women's shelters across Alberta, including several in rural southern communities, will see their provincial funding cut by almost $1 million starting July 1, the Alberta Council of Women's Shelters announced Friday.

The shelters learned of the cuts only on May 19, leaving them scrambling to absorb the losses without harming clients. Affected shelters include Rowan House in High River and Pincher Creek Women's Emergency Shelter.

"Everyone was really shocked," said Cat Champagne, executive director of the Alberta Council of Women's Shelters. "We're seeing cuts anywhere from $30,000 to $160,000."

Champagne called on Children and Family Services to delay implementation. "July is not feasible. People could lose their jobs," she said. The shelters, already halfway through their annual budgets, lack time to secure alternative funding sources through grants or other means.

Lori Van Ee, executive director of Pincher Creek Women's Emergency Shelter, said the organization is still assessing how to absorb the cut. Potential consequences include job losses, women and families being turned away, and clients fleeing abuse losing access to support services.

The council emphasized that rural shelters will be disproportionately harmed. Research shows regions with smaller populations face the highest rates of gender-based violence. "Women in rural communities are at higher risk of domestic violence because they're in isolation," Champagne said. "You've got people living on farms, acreages outside of communities, so they're already at a disproportionate ability to get to those services."

The province said its 2026 budget includes $62 million in shelter funding overall and that 23 shelters province-wide are receiving more money or seeing no changes. A spokesperson said the new Emergency Family Violence Services program is "needs-based" and considers geography, community needs and operating costs.