As a result of their deliberations committees may make recommendations which they include in their reports for the consideration of the House of Commons or the Government. Recommendations related to this study are listed below.

Recommendation 1

That the Government of Canada increase funding for construction, repairs, renovations, and expansion of shelters and transition houses serving women and children affected by violence, with a focus on improving the capacity and accessibility of shelters and transition houses.

Recommendation 2

That the Government of Canada consider adding an urban Indigenous housing stream, developed in collaboration with Indigenous peoples and communities, to the National Housing Strategy.

Recommendation 3

That the Government of Canada, through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, explore the possibility of providing front-end funding to organizations that they contract with to build affordable housing units.

Recommendation 4

That the Government of Canada consider changing the funding model of the Homelessness Partnering Strategy (HPS) and Reaching Home: Canada's Homelessness Strategy to provide multi-year funding for successful programming, rather than requiring providers to submit an ongoing annual application.

Recommendation 5

That the Government of Canada, in collaboration with the provinces and territories, develop a national framework on shelter and transition house services for women and children affected by all types of gender-based violence and who are experiencing homelessness to ensure that women and children across the country have access to comparable levels of services, and that this framework:

• ensure that women and children, particularly Indigenous women and children living in urban, rural and remote communities, have access to comprehensive, culturally appropriate, intersectional, and trauma-informed services and continuing support to help them heal from trauma;
• ensure that women and children from diverse backgrounds have access to services and support that meet their specific needs;
• address barriers to accessing beds and services in shelters and transition houses for women’s particular needs, including but not limited to, women living with all types of disabilities; women with mental health and substance use struggles; transgender women and non-binary individuals; immigrant and refugee women; and women who are victims of human trafficking; and
• create funding agreements between the federal, provincial and territorial governments to provide shelters and transition houses serving women and children affected by violence with increased and ongoing operational funding.

Recommendation 6

That the Government of Canada ensure that information on receiving benefit payments through the Canada Revenue Agency, such as the Canada child benefit, is readily accessible to women who are in, or have left, an abusive relationship, or women staying in a shelter.

Recommendation 7

That the Government of Canada, in partnership with Indigenous peoples and communities, work with provinces and territories to:

• develop strategies to deal with gender-based violence and to ensure police and prosecutors use a common set of practices in dealing with female survivors of gender-based violence; and
• lead national coordination of a review of the justice system to ensure equal access to protection and justice across the country for survivors of violence against women and girls.

Recommendation 8

That the Government of Canada increase funding for on-reserve shelters serving women and children affected by violence to ensure that First Nations women and girls living on-reserve who are experiencing violence have access to comparable shelter services and support as women and children living off-reserve.

Recommendation 9

That the Government of Canada work with Inuit governments and communities to explore options, such as expanding the eligibility criteria for funding under the Family Violence and Prevention Program, with a view to providing adequate and long-term funding for shelters and transition houses serving women and children affected by violence in Inuit communities.

Recommendation 10

That the Government of Canada continue to work with Indigenous governments and communities to ensure that safe housing options and culturally appropriate support and services are available for Indigenous women and children victims of violence who live in communities where no shelters are available.

Recommendation 11

That the Government of Canada facilitate the collaboration among women’s organizations and Indigenous organizations to develop and implement, in partnership with Indigenous women who have lived experience of homelessness or violence, a culturally appropriate and competency-based staff training curriculum specific to the needs of First Nations, Inuit and Métis women.

Recommendation 12

That the Government of Canada facilitate research to identify best practices regarding protocols or screening questions to recognize possible traumatic brain injuries, acquired brain injuries, post‑traumatic stress disorder or other mental illnesses or disabilities resulting from violence among women entering shelters and transition houses and provide funding for this research where necessary.

Recommendation 13

That the Government of Canada in collaboration with the provinces, territories and Indigenous governments, fund transportation for women living in urban, rural, remote, and northern communities, including in Indigenous communities, who are fleeing violence and do not have access to safe shelter services in their home community.

Recommendation 14

That the Government of Canada provide funding, through the National Housing Strategy, for the creation of housing support specifically designed for survivors of human trafficking.

Recommendation 15

That the Government of Canada, in collaboration with the provinces and territories, examine measures that could increase access to affordable housing and transitional support, such as flexible rental supplements or benefits.

Recommendation 16

That the Government of Canada provide support to organizations working in the affordable housing field to operate as social enterprises to sustain their operational needs.

Recommendation 17

That the Government of Canada, with the goal to continue to address the housing affordability crisis, work with provinces and territories to ensure the efficient release of funds allocated to affordable housing under the National Housing Strategy.

Recommendation 18

That the Government of Canada, in collaboration with provinces and territories, continue its efforts to create a national action plan on gender-based violence and consider including access to shelters and transitional houses and to safe and affordable housing in this action plan.

Recommendation 19

That the Government of Canada encourage the provinces and territories to consider incorporating gender-based violence prevention into school curricula at all levels of schooling to teach children about gender-based violence, human rights and healthy relationships, with an emphasis on engaging boys in the issue.

Recommendation 20

That the Government of Canada work with community organizations to take substantive action on the recommendations made in the House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women’s report entitled Taking Action to End Violence Against Young Women and Girls in Canada regarding the implementation of culturally sensitive, locally informed and community-oriented awareness campaigns and education programs for various groups, including young people, men and boys, and those living in Indigenous and northern communities.