When homelessness remains hidden, it cannot be addressed. We’re bringing light to hidden homelessness in Calgary through a gender-equity lens.
In this episode of
Let’s Talk Poverty, Michelle James, Director, Policy at Vibrant Communities Calgary sits down with Lana Bentley, CEO of the Women’s Centre of Calgary and Heather Morley, CEO of Inn from the Cold.
Many women and gender-diverse people experiencing homelessness are never counted in official data.
To stay safe, many rely on survival strategies like couch surfing, staying in abusive relationships, sleeping in vehicles, or trading sex for shelter.
Hidden homelessness puts women, children, and gender diverse people at risk of illness, violence, and isolation. When their experiences go unrecognized and unsupported, these hardships often repeat across generations, deepening cycles of poverty and trauma. In order to break these cycles, Calgary needs local solutions that build inclusive housing and lasting stability for everyone.
Three key takeaways
- Gender-responsive services that account for women's health, safety, and child care responsibilities are essential to addressing homelessness.
- Discrimination based on income source, family status, race, Indigenous identity, and other factors can create additional barriers to housing.
- Better data, stronger advocacy, and collaboration across sectors are essential to creating more effective solutions to homelessness.
About Unaddressed
Unaddressed represents the first comprehensive, community-based study of its kind in the City of Calgary to examine the lived realities of homelessness and housing insecurity among women and gender-diverse people. Built on the recognition that their experiences are distinct in both their pathways and outcomes, particularly amidst Alberta’s rapidly evolving housing policy landscape, the report presents critical opportunities to better reflect and respond to these realities.
About Heather Morley
Heather Morley is the Chief Executive Officer of Inn from the Cold, leading Alberta’s only shelter and housing organization dedicated exclusively to serving families experiencing homelessness. Since joining The INN in 2019, Heather has welcomed opportunities and championed change, expanding innovative services and programs for families, and advancing trauma-informed care.
With a career spanning more than 30 years across Canada and the United States, Heather has always worked at the intersection of homelessness, housing, abuse, and poverty. She is known for transforming organizations, strengthening community connections, and fostering spaces where collaboration thrives; she believes the most complex challenges require collective solutions.
About Lana Bentley
Lana Bentley is Executive Director of the Women’s Centre of Calgary. She has spent her career championing women and girls. A family therapist by training, Lana is also an award-wining instructor at Mount Royal University. A strong believer in investing in your community and celebrating diversity, Lana sits on several boards including Youth Central Calgary, the Alberta College of Opticians, and the Black Heritage Committee at Heritage Park. When she’s not working or volunteering, you can find Lana on the ski hill, cheering on the Toronto Raptors, or adding to her ever growing sneaker collection.
