THUNDER BAY - Proper access to services is one of the ways a community can change, says the executive director of the Ontario Native Women’s Association, which is benefiting from a more than $670,000 provincial investment to make its Thunder Bay facility more accessible.
“I think it’s a really good demonstration, especially in Thunder Bay,” said Coralee McGuire-Cyrette, executive director of ONWA. “You have a community divided over housing for youth right now. So being able to show that housing and infrastructure is really the way we are going to change our community from crisis to leadership. We need to work together to ensure that the people in the community have safe spaces to access programming and services that meet their needs.”
Minister of Children, Community, and Social Services, Todd Smith, was in Thunder Bay on Wednesday to announce the investment of $678,000 for the Ontario Native Women’s Association.
The investment is part of $11.5 million in funding through the Partner Facility Renewal Program to provide upgrades and repairs to 350 agencies across the province, including $1.6 million specifically earmarked for Northern Ontario.
“Other community organizations and developmental services, and women’s shelters, violence against women transitional housing, those types of projects will share in that funding,” Smith said. “It’s important that they have the facilities that are safe for those individuals when they come to get the service there.”
The $678,000 will be used primarily for a small building expansion at ONWA, including the installation of an elevator to make the facility fully accessible.
“This is something they have been working at for 10 years in trying to get this funding from our partnership renewal fund and we are very pleased to be here today to say that funding has been approved,” Smith said.
McGuire-Cyrette said accessibility is a huge concern for ONWA and staff are happy to finally be celebrating a fully accessible space in Thunder Bay so everyone can access services and programming.
“This is something we have been advocating for 10 years now in order to have a safe and accessible space for Indigenous women here in Thunder Bay,” McGuire-Cyrette said. “It is a huge accomplishment.”
Prior to the announcement, Smith, along with Minister of Indigenous Affairs, Greg Rickford, toured the facility on Ray Boulevard with staff.
“There is some great work being done here at the Ontario Native Women’s Association dealing with human trafficking and ensuring Native women with young children are getting the services they need so they can live a healthy life,” Smith said.
The elevator is expected to be operational by March 31, 2020. McGuire-Cyrette said the investment is welcome news, but organizations assisting Indigenous women always need more help from all levels of government.
“It’s encouraging because typically Indigenous women don’t get investments,” she said. “Definitely we could always use more investments. That is something we have been talking here about, looking at surplus infrastructure across the province to build space like we have here across the province. That is the goal.”
