Emergency Shelter for Women
Powell Place has provided safety, stability, and support for women and women-led families in crisis since 1977. As Vancouver’s first women-only shelter, we continue to be a place of refuge for those facing the intersecting challenges of violence, abuse, poverty, mental illness, and addiction.
Here, women find more than just a bed. They also find understanding, respect, and a chance to rebuild.
Our all-women staff provide 24/7, low-barrier and trauma-informed care in a home-like setting. It empowers residents to retain their autonomy and begin to heal and move forward in life.
Residents can stay for up to 100 days. We provide meals, laundry and personal care items.
Our innovative, strengths-based approach encourages residents to make their own choices and goals. They receive individual support and we act as determined advocates to help them find permanent housing.
| What we offer | Emergency shelter |
| Beds | 52 |
| Support services |
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| Facilities |
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| Accessibility | We’re not able to accommodate wheelchairs, commode walkers or hospital beds. |
| Pets | No Pets |
| Smoking | – |
| Length of Stay | 60 days for newly homeless, 100 days for chronically homeless. |
| Parking | Parking is not available. We recommend using HandyDART for convenient transportation. |
| Funding Partner(s) | BC Housing |
How to Request a Bed
- Beds are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. You don’t need a referral to stay with us. Availability is limited.
- Once you’ve been assigned a bed, you’ll need to arrive at the shelter within two hours. We’ll give you a welcome letter when you get here, explaining how the facility runs. It explains meal times and the services we offer to support you during your stay.
- We don’t have a curfew.
- If you stay with us and leave, we can hold the bed for up to 72 hours, subject to our missing persons protocol.
- To help keep everyone safe, we may need to ban anyone who endangers staff and other guests.
What to Expect from Powell Place
When life is uncertain, we can help you avoid being overwhelmed. Here are some helpful things to know about staying in our shelter:
Contact Powell Place
604-606-0403Testimonial
Brianna’s story
Brianna is a young woman who stayed with us at Powell Place off and on for years. She was very athletic when growing up and proud to have been a competitive snowboarder. She struggled with her addiction for years and had gone to treatment several times. It proved difficult to maintain her sobriety.
From Powell Place, Brianna went to treatment again. In her recovery she reconnected with friends and family.
It was great providing support to her. We loved her wonderful sense of humour and she challenged us to provide better vegetarian meal choices for her and others.