The Rice House on 1st Avenue West in Owen Sound. (Matt Hermiz/Bayshore Broadcasting News)
Owen Sound is leasing out a municipally-owned downtown property to the Women’s House Serving Bruce and Grey.
Council passed a recommendation as part of its consent agenda Monday to execute a three-year lease agreement with the Women’s House for use of the Rice House property, beside the Tom Thomson Art Gallery on 1st Avenue West.
The lease is a three-year term, beginning on Jan. 5, 2026. Under the lease terms, the Women’s House will pay the city $1 in annual rent, but assume all operational costs for the Rice House such as utilities, waste management, snow removal and basic maintenance items.
A report to council says the Women’s House will use the Rice House property for its new Bring Integrity Respect Together in Community Housing (BIRTCH) program. It aims to intervene “earlier and more effectively” in the cycle of intimate partner and gender-based violence.
“Recognizing that many women are forced to remain in unsafe environments or face homelessness due to lack of affordable, stable housing options tailored to their circumstances, BIRTCH fills a crucial gap between emergency shelter and fully independent living,” a report to Owen Sound council explains.
The BIRTCH program is open to women leaving abusive relationships, and offers “safe, secure, rent-geared-to-income housing” to help foster healing, dignity and autonomy.
“Securing the Rice House strengthens our ability to launch our new BIRTCH housing program, safe and stable third-stage housing for women, helping them move forward with confidence and dignity,” Women’s House Executive Director Mary Stocking says in a release.
Mayor Ian Boddy: “Owen Sound has embraced a unique opportunity with Women’s House to leverage a city-owned asset, the Rice House, for the BIRTCH program, which we hope will bridge the gap between emergency shelter and independent living.”
The Rice House property has four separate units. It is city-owned, and was most recently used to provide temporary housing for Ukrainian newcomers, an initiative known as the “Ukrainian Village of Owen Sound.”
The city also previously examined using the Rice House property as space for an expansion of the Tom Thomson Art Gallery.