THANS Welcomes Alice House and Weliankweyasimk Women’s Shelter as New Members
May 30, 2025
Halifax, NS — The Transition House Association of Nova Scotia (THANS) is proud to announce the addition of two new member organizations: Alice House and Weliankweyasimk Women’s Shelter. Their inclusion strengthens our collective commitment to providing safety, healing, and support for women and their families across Nova Scotia.
Alice House, based in Dartmouth, has been offering second-stage safe housing, counselling, and support services for women and children fleeing intimate partner violence since 1983. With a focus on longer-term housing solutions, Alice House provides accommodations where women can stay for three months to two years, creating a stable environment for healing and growth. Their trauma-informed programs help women break the cycle of violence and transition to independent living.
Weliankweyasimk Women’s Shelter, located in Hammonds Plains, is an Indigenous-led initiative developed by Wasoqopa’q First Nations (Acadia First Nation). Scheduled to open in Summer 2025, the 28-bed shelter will offer 24-hour staffing, a crisis phone line, supportive counselling, and culturally grounded programs rooted in Mi’kmaw traditions and land-based healing. The name “Weliankweyasimk” means “well cared for” in Mi’kmaw, reflecting the shelter’s commitment to holistic, culturally appropriate support for Indigenous women and their children fleeing domestic violence.
“Our strength as a provincial association comes from the work of our members,” says Ann de Ste Croix, Executive Director of THANS. “We are thrilled to welcome these two incredible organizations and the communities they serve into the THANS network.”
As we welcome Alice House and Weliankweyasimk Women’s Shelter to THANS, we reaffirm our shared vision: a Nova Scotia where everyone can live free from violence and abuse.
To learn more about Alice House: www.alicehouse.ca
To learn more about Wasoqopa’q First Nations (Acadia First Nation): www.acadiafirstnation.ca