Nearly 90% of families using emergency shelters in Canada are headed by single women. Many of them are fleeing violence.
Single mothers face unique challenges in accessing and maintaining safe and affordable housing. Intimate partner violence, lack of childcare options, inadequate social supports and discrimination by landlords can make it extremely difficult for mother-led families to escape poverty. The barriers are even greater for racialized and marginalized communities, particularly for Indigenous women and their children — shelter use by Indigenous children is more than nine times higher than non-Indigenous children.
Instability during early years can have long-term consequences. Research shows that the experience of homelessness during childhood and adolescence is linked to chronic and intergenerational homelessness.
