The Emily Murphy Centre is a Second Stage Housing program located in Stratford, Ontario, serving women and children across Perth County and surrounding areas who have experienced violence. Since opening its doors in 1989, the Centre has provided a safe, stable environment where families can move beyond immediate crisis and begin rebuilding their lives with dignity and support.

Unlike emergency shelters, which focus on short-term safety and crisis response, the Emily Murphy Centre offers longer-term transitional housing. Women and their children can stay for up to one year or longer, giving them the time and space needed to heal, regain independence, and prepare for permanent housing. This extended support is critical. Leaving violence is not a single event; it is a process that requires stability, guidance, and practical resources.

The Centre operates a 20-unit apartment complex designed to provide privacy and security while fostering a sense of community. Each family has its own self-contained apartment, allowing them to re-establish daily routines in a safe setting. Children can attend school consistently. Mothers can pursue employment, education, and training. Families can begin to experience normalcy again.

Housing is only one part of the support provided. The Emily Murphy Centre offers counselling, safety planning, life-skills development, goal setting, and referrals to community resources. Staff work alongside residents to help them navigate legal systems, financial challenges, employment barriers, and the emotional impacts of trauma. The focus is on empowerment. Women are supported as they rebuild confidence, strengthen parenting skills, and move toward long-term stability.

In addition to its residential program, the Centre provides outreach services to families who are not living on site. Many women choose not to enter a shelter or may be waiting for housing. Outreach ensures they are not alone during that time. Families receive counselling, practical guidance, and connection to community supports, extending the Centre’s impact beyond its physical building.

Over the past three decades, the Emily Murphy Centre has helped thousands of families move from crisis to independence. It has earned the trust of survivors, community partners, donors, and local agencies through steady leadership and consistent results. The Centre plays a vital role in Stratford and Perth County’s continuum of care for women leaving violence, working closely with emergency shelters, police services, social agencies, and community organizations.

Yet the need continues to grow. Demand for second-stage housing exceeds available units, leaving families waiting for a safe place to rebuild. To address this gap, the Centre has launched the Tiny Homes Project. This initiative will add five purpose-built, self-contained homes on the Centre’s existing property, creating additional safe, private spaces for women and children. These homes will expand capacity, reduce wait times, and provide more families with the stability required to move forward.

The Tiny Homes Project reflects the Centre’s ongoing commitment to practical solutions, community partnership, and long-term recovery. It is the next step in strengthening safety, independence, and hope for women and children in Perth County.