Mountain Rose Centre receives $75K grant to support survivors through justice system

The Mountain Rose Centre has received a $75,000 provincial grant for a pilot project designed to help survivors of gender-based violence navigate the justice system.

The Pathways to Justice project will support those fleeing violence with services including emergency protection orders, legal aid, transportation and general assistance during court appearances.

The centre is one of 18 community-based organizations across Alberta to receive a share of $1.36 million through the provincial government’s Community Pathways to Justice Grant.

Executive director Cindy Easton said the funding will support the project for one year.

“We’ve been able to hire an evaluator who will work with myself and our project coordinator so we can pause and pivot when needed to meet the needs of survivors of gender-based violence,” Easton said.

While the grant is welcome news, Easton said the centre continues to struggle with rising demand in the region.

“Our shelter is full most of the time,” she said. “We have our 21 beds, and we’re supporting people through our community services programs — we’re filling the gaps in our community as best we can.”

Earlier in 2025 the shelter announced that, because $1.4 million in provincial funding was not renewed, its bed count was reduced from 28 to 21.

Easton said there’s still no indication the funding for the seven additional beds will be restored.

Cindy Easton speaking to how they’ve been coping at the shelter in 2025

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Provincial perspective

Tanya Fir, Minister of Arts, Culture and Status of Women, says the grants build on their 10-year Strategy to End Gender-Based Violence.

“The Community Pathways to Justice grant program will help survivors receive the critical, life-saving support they need, while ensuring that abusers are held accountable for their actions. These grants support Alberta’s 10-Year Strategy by amplifying survivors’ voices and supporting families on their healing journeys,” says Fir.

Other Alberta recipients

In southern Alberta, the Taber Safe Haven Women’s Shelter Society was also announced as a grant recipient. They are set to receive $34,044 over two years, or a little over $17,000 annually.

Executive Director Michelle Higginson says the Alberta Government has made significant cuts in funding to women’s shelters in recent years.

“This means $17K for two years, while appreciated, falls short of funding the basics in our current situation,” says Higginson.

She adds, “While we are doing our best to fundraise, the reality is with a significant shortfall of 44 per cent, we are unable to fully staff the shelter at a fair wage, afford client supplies, and take care of eroding infrastructures for bricks and mortar as well as security. Please keep in mind fundraising for rural shelters is significantly less accessible than for that of urban shelters.”

All of the 18 grants range between $37,000 and $145,000.

The full list of groups receiving funding under the Community Pathways to Justice Grant is as follows:

Edmonton-based organizations