New women’s shelter receives $1.93-million

Ontario Minister of Community and Social Services Helena Jaczek received a round of applause from the over 100 attendees at a funding announcement for Violence Against Women Services Elgin County held at Princess Avenue Playhouse in St. Thomas on Thursday, May 21. Minister Jaczek told the crowd the provincial government was providing $1.93-million towards the project to build a new women’s shelter for Elgin-St. Thomas to be located across the street from the community theatre building. VAWSEC Executive Director Liz Brown said the total project cost would be an estimated $3.2-million that included $1.125-million raised by volunteers in the community. Construction, after the awarding the project to a contractor through a tendering process that would start immediately, was set to begin in the summer 0f 2015 with the facility opening in the summer of 2016.