Rural Survivors Face Dangerous Transportation Barriers When Escaping Abuse

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Rural Survivors Face Dangerous Transportation Barriers When Escaping Abuse

Limited and costly transportation in rural Alberta can leave survivors without safe or accessible ways to reach shelter.

March 17, 2026 – Edmonton, AB – The Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters (ACWS) has released a new report showing that rural survivors of gender-based violence may face more barriers when escaping abuse. Limited public transportation in and between rural communities can create dangerous situations for those trying to find safety. Titled A Ride Can Save a Life: Transporting Survivors in Rural Alberta to Safety and Healing, the report discusses transportation hurdles faced by survivors in rural, remote, and northern areas. Survivors in this situation often face impossible choices, such as whether to pay $1,000+ cab fares in exchange for reaching a shelter. “Transportation is not as talked about as other barriers for survivors,” said Cat Champagne, Executive Director at ACWS. “But it is one of the most common reasons that survivors struggle to escape abuse. We hope the report will bring awareness to this often-overlooked issue.” The report outlines how public transportation within and between rural communities can be unreliable, prohibitively expensive, or simply unavailable. Even after reaching safety, survivors still need reliable transportation options to help them get to work, attend appointments, and take their children to school. Too often, these options are extremely limited. “This report confirms what shelter workers have known for a long time,” said Dr. Miranda Pilipchuk, one of the report’s authors. “Survivors can’t access safety without transportation. We need urgent action from all levels of government as well as private businesses to help us give survivors safe and reliable transportation options.” The report also highlights efforts of transportation providers like Driverseat in Calgary and WomenFirst in Grande Prairie, which collaborate with shelters to offer affordable transportation alternatives. “We in the private sector have a responsibility to be part of the solution,” said Matt Bourdot, Owner and Chief Journey Curator at Driverseat, which donated the equivalent of over $10,000 in discounts to shelter clients last year. “Driverseat isn’t a one-size-fits-all service—we’re built around our clients and our needs. That’s why we’re open to supporting communities across all of Alberta, especially in rural areas where the transportation gap is most felt. We’d love to see other providers step up alongside us.” The report also calls for investment in public transportation, flexible funding for shelters to spend on transportation solutions, and gender-based violence training for employees of ride-hailing services.

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For media inquiries:
Jenny Adams
President and Founder, The Adams Agency
jenny@theadamsagency.ca | 780-707-9101

Background: Key Points from the Report

1.Policy Recommendations
a. Invest in affordable public transportation in rural Alberta.
b. Provide long-term, flexible transportation funding for shelters.
c. Introduce subsidized taxi token systems for survivors.
d. Require gender-based violence training for taxi employees.

2.How You Can Help:
a. Advocate for accessible public transportation
b. Volunteer as a shelter driver
c. Participate in gender-based violence awareness training
d. Donate to your local shelter
e. Support businesses that partner with shelters to transport survivors