Towards Access for All: Best and Promising Practices from Low-Barrier, Harm Reduction Shelters in Canada

On September 21, 2023, the HIV Legal Network hosted the “Violence Against Women (VAW) Shelter Harm Reduction Roundtable” in Toronto, Ontario. The Legal Network invited front-line staff, directors, and peers from VAW shelters, emergency shelters, and transition houses across Canada. Our goal was to learn from these shelters and transition houses, which are engaged in low-barrier, harm reduction practices. We wanted to understand how these organizations remain accessible to all women and gender-diverse individuals fleeing violence, including those who use drugs. In this report, we share those best and promising practices with the aim of promoting shelter accessibility across Canada.