EFry Releases Region's First Study on Women's Homelessness & Housing Needs Thanks to $100,000 OTF Grant
"No Place of Their Own" Report: Women & Children Form More than Half the Homeless Population
BRAMPTON, ON, June 25, 2025 /CNW/ - EFry Hope and Help for Women today released its report on the Peel Region's first-ever study of housing insecurity faced by women and single-caregiver led families: No Place of Their Own: Report on Women's Growing Homelessness and Housing Needs in the Peel Region.
"As the Minister of Women's Social and Economic Opportunities, I am proud that our government invested in the Elizabeth Fry Hope and Housing study. These findings mark an important step forward in addressing the urgent and complex issue of housing insecurity for women and single-caregiver families in Peel. This report, supported by the Ontario Trillium Foundation, will help drive meaningful, targeted solutions that ensure women and children receive the care, safety, and support they deserve. I commend EFry for their vital work and remain committed to working together to build a system that truly meets the needs of our communities," said Charmaine Williams, MPP for Brampton Centre.
EFry's study was made possible thanks to a $100,000 Resilient Communities Fund grant from the provincial government's Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF). The grant funded the hiring of expertise, as well as the administrative and program costs associated with a scoping study establishing the need for shelter and housing for low-income women and children. The study brought together both qualitative and quantitative methodology, including regional, provincial and federal data relating to risk factors associated with homelessness and housing insecurity.
"As a charity supporting vulnerable women and children, we have seen a dramatic increase in the number of homeless women and families," said Deborah Riddle, EFry Hope and Help's executive director. "While the housing crisis is well-known, there was no research into the depth of impact for women and their families. That information is vital in creating effective solutions.
"The through-line in our findings is that supports for people experiencing homelessness are set-up for men, and what women need differs. With women and children now making up some 52 percent of the homeless population, we need to see changes in what's provided if we don't want the challenges to keep getting worse."
Key Findings:
Women & children form more than half the region's homeless population – 52 per cent of the Peel-Halton's homeless population is either a woman (40 per cent, up five per cent in the first few months of 2025) or a child (12 per cent). These may be lower than the true numbers, as homeless women are often hidden, living in tents, cars or couch-surfing.
Only 2% of Peel's shelter beds are designated for women – Women will often avoid co-ed shelters due to personal security risks. All family shelters in the area are co-ed, putting children in potentially risky situations.
More than 1/3 of Metro Toronto women live below the poverty line – Low-income thresholds for the region's municipalities are $29,380 for a single adult and $36,576 for two people, such as a mother and child. 29 per cent of women in Metro Toronto have incomes under $20,000, 37 per cent under $30,000, and nearly half earn less than $35,000.
Average market rent would consume the vast majority of women's incomes – For women earning less than $30,000, the average market rent for a one-bedroom apartment consumes 68% of their income. A two-bedroom apartment for mother and child requires 81%.
Even below-market rents are increasingly unaffordable and increasingly rare – The Canada Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB), intended to bridge the gap between low-income earners and average market rents, is not enough to fund housing in Peel, which averages nearly $1,000 month more than the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) figure used to make the calculation. Wait times for subsidized housing in the region are commonly 13-15 years.
There are no housing projects in development that will benefit the deeply poor – Current projects are targeted to those with annual incomes of $61,000 -$110,000.
Best-practice supports for women differ from men – Housing stability increases when vulnerable people are provided with the right mix of supports. For men, these commonly address substance use, social isolation and employment skills. For women, they address safety and security, trauma and abuse, family-centred needs, education and job skills.
The report's recommendations include:
Develop an Enhanced COHB benefit of 150% for women and children exiting shelters to help them get and keep housing.
Take a regional rather than municipal approach to housing, so people do not lose their place on affordable housing waitlists when they must move within the region.
Open a dedicated shelter with beds for 40 women and children.
Provide housing placement workers for shelters with women and children.
Use federal Reaching Home funding to hire Family Homelessness Prevention Workers.
Provide Community Integration Housing Workers exiting institutional care (prison, substance use treatment, hospital) to secure stable housing.
Include family shelters in visiting teacher programs so homeless children stay attached to school.
Conduct an annual regional count of homeless women and children in shelters. This information will support strategic support development and evaluation.
No Place of Their Own: Report on Women's Growing Homelessness and Housing Needs in the Peel Region is available for download at efryhopehelp.com
EFry Hope and Help for Women is a Southern Ontario charity supporting women and children at risk or impacted by legal system involvement. For more than 50 years, its programs and services have helped clients build stable futures.
About the Ontario Trillium Foundation
The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the Ontario government with a mission to build healthy and vibrant communities across the province. Last year, OTF invested nearly $105M into 732 community projects and multi-sector partnerships. Projects aim to enhance economic well-being, foster more active lifestyles, support child and youth development, provide spaces for people to come together and connect, and create a more sustainable environment. Visit otf.ca to learn more.
SOURCE EFry Hope and Help for Women
View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/June2025/25/c4771.html
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Medscape
3 hours ago
- Medscape
Guselkumab Benefits Patients With Skin of Color, Psoriasis
TOPLINE: Guselkumab significantly improved skin clearance and quality of life in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis who self-identify as belonging to a racial or ethnic category other than White in a phase 3 trial. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a phase 3b randomized study of a cohort in the VISIBLE trial, which included 103 adults with skin of color and moderate-to-severe psoriasis (mean age, 44.1 years; 28.2% women; Fitzpatrick skin types IV-VI, 68.9%) at 39 sites in the United States and Canada from August 2022 to June 2024. More than 50% were non-White Hispanic, 23.3% were Asian, 10.7% were Black, and 7.8% were Middle Eastern individuals. Participants were randomly assigned 3:1 to receive guselkumab or placebo with crossover to guselkumab at week 16. Coprimary endpoints were Investigator's Global Assessment [IGA] score of 0 or 1 and Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) improvement of ≥ 90% at week 16. Secondary outcomes included complete clearance (IGA 0, PASI 100), percentage changes in PASI and body surface area, and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) scores. TAKEAWAY: At week 16, a significantly higher proportion of patients treated with guselkumab than those on placebo achieved IGA 0/1 (74.0% vs 0; P < .001) and PASI 90 (57.1% vs 3.8%; P < .001). No serious adverse events were reported at that time. Complete clearance was higher in the guselkumab group: IGA 0 (32.5% vs 0%; P < .001) and PASI 100 (29.9% vs 0%; P = .002). At week 16, guselkumab led to greater improvements in PASI (least-squares mean [LSM] change, 84.5% vs 8.3%; P < .001), body surface area (LSM change, 78.0% vs -0.4%; P < .001), and DLQI (LSM change, -12.1 vs -2.5; P < .001). By week 48, two patients experienced serious adverse events and more than 70% of participants had IGA 0/1 and PASI 90 in both treatment groups, with nearly 50% achieving complete clearance. IN PRACTICE: The findings showed that 'guselkumab is highly effective for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in individuals with skin of color, inclusive of all objectively measured skin tones,' the authors wrote. The trial also demonstrated, they added, 'that achievement of diversity in randomized clinical trials is attainable, including in diseases like psoriasis, where prevalence is lower in those with skin of color.' SOURCE: The study was led by Andrew Alexis, MD, MPH, Department of Dermatology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York City, and was published online on June 25 in JAMA Dermatology. LIMITATIONS: Use of handheld colorimeters introduced new measurement tools that lacked established reference data. DISCLOSURES: This study was supported by Johnson & Johnson. Alexis reported receiving personal fees and grants from multiple pharmaceutical companies, including Johnson & Johnson. Several other authors reported receiving personal fees, grants, advisory fees, research funding, and having stock options in multiple companies, including Johnson & Johnson. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
EFry Releases Region's First Study on Women's Homelessness & Housing Needs Thanks to $100,000 OTF Grant
"No Place of Their Own" Report: Women & Children Form More than Half the Homeless Population BRAMPTON, ON, June 25, 2025 /CNW/ - EFry Hope and Help for Women today released its report on the Peel Region's first-ever study of housing insecurity faced by women and single-caregiver led families: No Place of Their Own: Report on Women's Growing Homelessness and Housing Needs in the Peel Region. "As the Minister of Women's Social and Economic Opportunities, I am proud that our government invested in the Elizabeth Fry Hope and Housing study. These findings mark an important step forward in addressing the urgent and complex issue of housing insecurity for women and single-caregiver families in Peel. This report, supported by the Ontario Trillium Foundation, will help drive meaningful, targeted solutions that ensure women and children receive the care, safety, and support they deserve. I commend EFry for their vital work and remain committed to working together to build a system that truly meets the needs of our communities," said Charmaine Williams, MPP for Brampton Centre. EFry's study was made possible thanks to a $100,000 Resilient Communities Fund grant from the provincial government's Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF). The grant funded the hiring of expertise, as well as the administrative and program costs associated with a scoping study establishing the need for shelter and housing for low-income women and children. The study brought together both qualitative and quantitative methodology, including regional, provincial and federal data relating to risk factors associated with homelessness and housing insecurity. "As a charity supporting vulnerable women and children, we have seen a dramatic increase in the number of homeless women and families," said Deborah Riddle, EFry Hope and Help's executive director. "While the housing crisis is well-known, there was no research into the depth of impact for women and their families. That information is vital in creating effective solutions. "The through-line in our findings is that supports for people experiencing homelessness are set-up for men, and what women need differs. With women and children now making up some 52 percent of the homeless population, we need to see changes in what's provided if we don't want the challenges to keep getting worse." Key Findings: Women & children form more than half the region's homeless population – 52 per cent of the Peel-Halton's homeless population is either a woman (40 per cent, up five per cent in the first few months of 2025) or a child (12 per cent). These may be lower than the true numbers, as homeless women are often hidden, living in tents, cars or couch-surfing. Only 2% of Peel's shelter beds are designated for women – Women will often avoid co-ed shelters due to personal security risks. All family shelters in the area are co-ed, putting children in potentially risky situations. More than 1/3 of Metro Toronto women live below the poverty line – Low-income thresholds for the region's municipalities are $29,380 for a single adult and $36,576 for two people, such as a mother and child. 29 per cent of women in Metro Toronto have incomes under $20,000, 37 per cent under $30,000, and nearly half earn less than $35,000. Average market rent would consume the vast majority of women's incomes – For women earning less than $30,000, the average market rent for a one-bedroom apartment consumes 68% of their income. A two-bedroom apartment for mother and child requires 81%. Even below-market rents are increasingly unaffordable and increasingly rare – The Canada Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB), intended to bridge the gap between low-income earners and average market rents, is not enough to fund housing in Peel, which averages nearly $1,000 month more than the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) figure used to make the calculation. Wait times for subsidized housing in the region are commonly 13-15 years. There are no housing projects in development that will benefit the deeply poor – Current projects are targeted to those with annual incomes of $61,000 -$110,000. Best-practice supports for women differ from men – Housing stability increases when vulnerable people are provided with the right mix of supports. For men, these commonly address substance use, social isolation and employment skills. For women, they address safety and security, trauma and abuse, family-centred needs, education and job skills. The report's recommendations include: Develop an Enhanced COHB benefit of 150% for women and children exiting shelters to help them get and keep housing. Take a regional rather than municipal approach to housing, so people do not lose their place on affordable housing waitlists when they must move within the region. Open a dedicated shelter with beds for 40 women and children. Provide housing placement workers for shelters with women and children. Use federal Reaching Home funding to hire Family Homelessness Prevention Workers. Provide Community Integration Housing Workers exiting institutional care (prison, substance use treatment, hospital) to secure stable housing. Include family shelters in visiting teacher programs so homeless children stay attached to school. Conduct an annual regional count of homeless women and children in shelters. This information will support strategic support development and evaluation. No Place of Their Own: Report on Women's Growing Homelessness and Housing Needs in the Peel Region is available for download at EFry Hope and Help for Women is a Southern Ontario charity supporting women and children at risk or impacted by legal system involvement. For more than 50 years, its programs and services have helped clients build stable futures. About the Ontario Trillium Foundation The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the Ontario government with a mission to build healthy and vibrant communities across the province. Last year, OTF invested nearly $105M into 732 community projects and multi-sector partnerships. Projects aim to enhance economic well-being, foster more active lifestyles, support child and youth development, provide spaces for people to come together and connect, and create a more sustainable environment. Visit to learn more. SOURCE EFry Hope and Help for Women View original content to download multimedia:
Medscape
5 hours ago
- Medscape
Can the NHS Point the Way to Better Diabetes Care in Canada?
Canada can build successful diabetes prevention and remission programs across the country by learning from England, a Quebec-based team of clinician-scientists and other experts suggested. England's National Health Service (NHS) created publicly funded prevention and remission programs that have reduced diabetes incidence rates from 64.3 to 53.4 per 1000 person-years in patients with prediabetes. These programs are projected to save $121 million over 35 years, according to the team. In an article published online on June 16 in the Canadian Medical Association Journal ( CMAJ ), they described how Quebec could follow England's lead and 'catalyze' similar initiatives throughout Canada. Kaberi Dasgupta, MD 'We have to move from conversations to action,' principal author Kaberi Dasgupta, MD, professor of medicine and director of the Division of General Internal Medicine at McGill University in Montreal, told Medscape Medical News . 'Canada does not have any large-scale prevention programs. Those that exist are research initiatives,' she said. 'In contrast, England has a countrywide program with demonstrated impact at a national level.' Of note, she said, the NHS England programs offer universal access for those at risk for diabetes. They have shown evidence of impact by reducing diabetes rates and are demonstrating cost-effectiveness. Although some adaptations will be necessary, she acknowledged, 'Canadian provinces have an opportunity to emulate this, rather than reinventing the wheel.' England's Template Countries such as Finland and the US also have funded national diabetes prevention programs, but NHS England's program is the only initiative with countrywide coverage. Simply put, the NHS program, which started in 2009, is managed by local health councils that oversee health districts, which are like regional health authorities in Canada. Adults aged 40-74 years present for weight, height, blood pressure, and lipid measurement at primary care practices, pharmacies, or other designated sites. They also complete a diabetes risk-assessment questionnaire and undergo a hemoglobin A1C or fasting glucose test if the questionnaire suggests that they are at elevated risk for diabetes. Diagnoses are recorded in the electronic health record. General practitioners can refer patients with prediabetes to the NHS prevention program, and those who meet certain criteria may be referred to the remission program. Patients younger than 40 years can also be referred to these programs if their physicians diagnose prediabetes or early type 2 diabetes (T2D). The authors explained how Canada could use England's template to accelerate equitable diabetes prevention and remission programs throughout the country. With that in mind, and with funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), a Quebec-based team of clinician-scientists, legal experts, and health economist researchers, several of whom are Diabetes Quebec professional council members, partnered with leaders from the NHS to investigate how a similar program could be introduced in Quebec. 'If one province successfully builds a program, it will catalyze others and attract federal funding,' the authors wrote. Since healthcare and public health program delivery fall under provincial and territorial governments, 'all these governments need to be engaged,' Dasgupta added. 'When one province leads the way and demonstrates impact, others become more enthusiastic, and the federal government then has the opportunity to allocate funding and build agreements with each.' 'Real Potential' Commenting on the article, Rachel Reeve, PhD, executive director of research and science at Diabetes Canada in Toronto, told Medscape Medical News, 'This model is an excellent example of learning from our international colleagues in the diabetes community. Adapting and implementing successful and proven programs like these has real potential to help people in Canada living with, or at risk for developing, T2D. Testing a diabetes prevention program in one province to evaluate its success and economic feasibility is a strong approach to garner support for nationwide implementation. Rachel Reeve, PhD 'There is some concern that, too often, Canada embarks upon pilot projects and research that demonstrate success, yet when it comes to scaling up and sustaining these programs, we don't have the right mechanisms in place,' said Reeve, who was not involved in the initiative. 'We urge leaders to support and implement successful prevention programs that reduce costs to the healthcare system and improve the quality of life for people living with diabetes.' However, she added, 'It's also important to note that Canada's history of colonization has disproportionally increased risk in Indigenous communities for developing T2D. Population-level interventions developed outside Canada need to be adapted for our healthcare system and our diverse and unique population — and critically, in consultation and collaboration with these communities.' Benefiting Indigenous Peoples Céleste Thériault, executive director of the National Indigenous Diabetes Association in Winnipeg, also noted that prevention models developed outside Canada are unlikely to be appropriate for Canada's Indigenous peoples. Céleste Thériault 'While England's NHS diabetes programs may have shown clinical success, their approach reflects a prescribed, Eurocentric model,' she told Medscape Medical News . 'It does not reflect the lived realities, inherent rights, or deep strengths of Indigenous peoples across Turtle Island, now called Canada.' Through colonization, Europeans imposed their law and culture on First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities with little to no regard for their rights. 'That history has led to disconnection and fragmentation within our communities as colonial systems continue to be pushed down upon us,' said Thériault. England's NHS model may work for some Indigenous patients, particularly those who have consistent access to care, stable housing, nutritious food, transportation, and a strong support system, she acknowledged. 'But that level of access is not the reality for all, and we cannot afford to adopt strategies that assume the playing field is even across Canada because it never has been.' Furthermore, she said, 'Any national strategy must align with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action 18 through 21, which call for the full recognition and support of Indigenous-led health systems, traditional healing, and the ability to design our own programs and ultimately our own futures.' For many Indigenous people, diabetes prevention extends beyond clinical questions to questions of wellness, land, food systems, languages, and relationships that were disrupted through colonization, said Thériault. 'The approach must be one of self-determination, food sovereignty, cultural strength, and strengths-based, community-rooted wellness,' she added. 'We are far past the point of pilot projects or patchwork solutions. Indigenous peoples deserve consistent, long-term, and culturally safe investments to support their own pathways to wellness with diabetes. Communities know what they need… Canada should start by investing, meaningfully, respectfully, and with accountability, in Indigenous-led diabetes prevention.' The development of a diabetes prevention and remission program in Quebec is supported by an operating grant from the CIHR to Dasgupta, who is the principal investigator of the grant on knowledge mobilization in diabetes prevention and treatment. The analysis published in CMAJ is part of the research funded by this grant. Dasgupta also declared leading a clinical trial evaluating a diabetes remission intervention funded by the CIHR and UK Medical Research Council, a Lawson Foundation grant addressing diabetes prevention in Cree communities, a Diabetes Canada grant evaluating a couple-based step-count intervention in T2D, and a retrospective cohort study funded by the CIHR examining inequities in diabetes-related hospitalizations during the pandemic. Reeve and Thériault declared having no relevant financial relationships.
