Lethbridge YWCA ‘thrilled’ with National Housing Strategy

The federal government unveiled its National Housing Strategy Wednesday afternoon, which is being welcomed with open arms by the Lethbridge YWCA.

Jennifer Lepko, the CEO of the local YWCA, says Lethbridge can use some of the billions of dollars being spent on repairing and building new affordable housing units.

“We’re seeing a huge need in our community,” Lepko said. “Looking at a gendered lens, it’s really hard to house a woman and children.”

Lepko says YWCA Canada got what it asked for when it asked Ottawa to allocate 25 per cent of the funding to go towards women and girls.

“They need to recognize that women and children need to be looked after in a specific way and they heard us and we are absolutely thrilled,” she said.

The federal money won’t start to roll out until 2019, but Lepko says it’ll give the YWCA time to plan for it.

Lepko says the Lethbridge YWCA is the largest provider of services to women and girls in the city.