Stories that inspire

Founded in 1983, Auberge Madeleine, located in the Plateau Mont-Royal district, has a mission to take in, house and support women 18 years of age and over who are on their own and homeless. Truly a place of refuge for women in difficulty, the Auberge has adopted a “low-barrier services” approach, welcoming all women who are experiencing homelessness, without the hurdle of admission criteria. The Auberge thus comes to the aid of the most vulnerable and marginalized communities, the ones that face more discrimination than others, such as transgender or Indigenous women.

The Auberge is open 24/7 and provides short term stays of between four and eight weeks, utilizing 26 individual rooms and daily meals to meet the women’s needs. Community-wide, those needs are immense: each year, the 25 staff must turn down nearly 7,000 requests, because the shelter is full. Overall, there are about 300 stays per year, with an occupancy rate of 100%.

Auberge Madeleine’s residents get there via many different paths. Among them, 75% report that they have significant mental health problems; 80% have been victims of violence; 17% are over 61 years of age; and 8% are Indigenous women. One woman in two comes back after an initial stay; there is a maximum of three stays a year. As well, each year, 70 women who are living in their own accommodations are supported through the Auberge’s external services, so as to keep them from falling back into homelessness. Auberge intervenors utilize a steadfastly feminist approach, focusing on each woman’s individual needs: themed workshops, arts activities, and support with administrative issues are just a few examples of what Auberge Madeleine offers.

Even though fewer women called on the Auberge during the pandemic-imposed lockdown, the needs in this area have remained enormous. That is why Auberge Madeleine is active in the Partenariat pour la prévention et la lutte à l’itinérance des femmes, which includes four other women’s shelters: la Rue des Femmes, Maison Marguerite, Passages and Les Maisons de l’Ancre. Every year, the five organizations are unfortunately obliged to turn down more than 35,000 requests for emergency shelter, due to a lack of space.