Group wanting to establish Summerside women's shelter seeks community input

A group looking to establish a shelter in Summerside for women and children is seeking feedback from the community.

Margie Fowler and the rest of the advisory board for the LifeHouse Transitional Housing and Emergency Shelter have been working on the project for about a year and a half.

Fowler says they are now building their business case and will soon be applying for government funding, but they want to ensure they are tailoring their offering to the needs of the community.

"We've focused on building relationships with other community organizations. We recognize the importance of partnering with all of those people, because one thing we don't want to do with this initiative is to offer services that may already be available," Fowler told CBC Radio: Island Morning host Mitch Cormier.

"Our focuses now are trying to complete the business plan for submission to the provincial government to consider funding us, completion of a submission to ensure federal funds for housing initiatives that are being managed now through [the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation]."

No shelter in Summerside

Currently, there are only three women's shelters in P.E.I.: Chief Mary Bernard Memorial Shelter in Lennox Island, and Blooming House and Anderson House in Charlottetown.

LifeHouse has launched a questionnaire on their website. Fowler said they want to ensure they have the data to back up the need for the shelter within the community when they present their plans to the government.

"They are responsible for taxpayers dollars and they need numbers to show that there are the needs that we're talking about," she said.

"We don't need to know people's names, but the questionnaire is intended for Island women who feel they require support."

The questionnaire touches on topics like addiction services, access to transportation, health and wellness needs and income support.

"Once we are able to receive the funding and support of the initiative, we'll attempt to enhance the LifeHouse advisory committee and establish working groups to carry out the many activities that will be needed to bring the project to completion," Fowler said.

LifeHouse is looking to build a structure for the shelter but have not ruled out buying an existing space as well.

Fowler said if they build, the group would like to start in the spring.

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