Recommendations to guarantee economic security for Indigenous women in the DTES

Employment security

Recommendation 79: Recognize the role and contribution of volunteers in the DTES, and create accredited volunteer programs to transfer skills and enable access to employment opportunities.

Recommendation 84: Universal public healthcare coverage to include supplements, prescriptions, counselling, dental, optical, mobility devices, adaptive equipment, and alternative treatments like acupuncture.

Recommendations to guarantee economic security for Indigenous women in the DTES

Universal public services

Recommendation 85: Guarantee free and extended transportation:

1. Free transit pass for children ages 0-18 years old, all youth transitioning out of government care till the age of 25 years old, and for all adults on pensions, income assistance, and disability assistance.
2. Expand public transit, including HandyDart and community-based passenger van programs.
3. Access to free transportation to and from medical appointments, especially for those with disabilities and the elderly.

Recommendations to guarantee economic security for Indigenous women in the DTES

Universal public services

Recommendation 88: Adoption of low-income customer rates and rules by BC Hydro and all energy providers including waiver of security deposits, late payment fees, and reconnection fees; more flexible payment arrangements; and suspension of disconnections during cold weather and for people with medical conditions.

Recommendations for safe and affordable housing for Indigenous women in the DTES

Recommendation 89: The Definition of Indigenous homelessness in Canada should form the basis of all policies on Housing and homelessness with appropriate solutions to homelessness that integrates land, culture, belonging, and kinship networks.

Recommendations for safe and affordable housing for Indigenous women in the DTES

Recommendation 90: Comprehensive federal, provincial, and municipal Indigenous Housing policy framework to specifically address Indigenous homelessness.

Recommendations for safe and affordable housing for Indigenous women in the DTES

Recommendation 91: Change government definitions of social housing and affordable housing to mean rates that are affordable to people on social assistance, and rents that are income-geared not market-geared.

Recommendations for safe and affordable housing for Indigenous women in the DTES

Recommendation 92: Funding initiatives to end homelessness must be more inclusive of Indigenous women. Implement the existing recommendations of Homes 4 Women and Women’s Shelters Canada on making homeless initiatives and funding structures more gender-equal.

Recommendations for safe and affordable housing for Indigenous women in the DTES

Recommendation 93: Federal funding for homelessness needs to go beyond Housing First initiatives to better suit the diverse needs of Indigenous women. Housing First funding must also have less eligibility criteria and longer timelines.

Recommendations for safe and affordable housing for Indigenous women in the DTES

Build social housing and transition homes

Recommendation 95: Immediately build 10,000 affordable social housing units per year in B.C., with an additional 1000 units each year. These units must be self-contained units of at least 400 square feet with bathrooms and kitchens.