Janice Abbott

Janice Abbott has been the CEO of Atira Women's Resource Society since 1992. She has lead the Society through its incredible growth from a single transition house located in South Surrey with a staff of seven to a large multi-service agency with two, for-profit subsidiaries, a development arm and more than 1400 staff.

She has headed up numerous innovative capital projects including Canada’s first multi-unit recycled shipping container housing development, which was completed in August 2013. Throughout Atira’s herstory, Janice has championed barrier-free and low-barrier access to programs and services for women, ensuring Atira’s programs are accessible to all women affected by violence including women who have traditionally been marginalized by mainstream society. She developed and works to honour in her daily practice and in her life Atira’s anti-oppression framework.

Janice is a Governor in Council appointee to the Board of Directors of Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, where she chairs the Housing & Capital Projects Committee and is a member of the Human Resources and Governance & Nominations Committees. Janice holds an ICD.D Designation through the Institute of Corporate Directors. She received her Canadian Housing Professional designation through the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) Western Founders Program. Janice is active in Housing Partnership Canada, and she has co-authored six publications.

Janice won an Influential Women in Business Award from Business in Vancouver for 2019. In 2018, Janice was named Diversity & Inclusion Champion by the Open Door Group, she was honoured with a Civic Merit Award by a unanimous Vancouver City Council, and was named to the Power 50 list by Vancouver Magazine in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

She is also the recipient of numerous other awards including the 2013 BC Non-Profit Housing Association’s Denise LaBlond Award, recognizing her dedication and vision in affordable housing in BC; and the Ernst & Young 2010 Social Entrepreneur of the Year award.