A Mother's Village
Where to look, what makes a group worth joining, and what to do if your neighbourhood does not have one yet.
Start with three places that almost every Canadian community has: your local public-health unit, your public library, and your municipal recreation centre. All three run or list parent programmes, and all three are free.
Then look for a local community app that verifies its members. Haven organizes mothers into small villages by neighbourhood — first in Ontario in fall 2026, then across Canada.
Most mothers start on social media, which is the hardest place to find something local. These are the routes that work more reliably in Canada:
Every province runs postpartum and early-years programmes through public health — drop-ins, feeding support, and new-parent groups. They are free, staffed by nurses, and organized by catchment area, which means everyone there lives near you.
Baby storytime and parent-and-tot programmes are the most under-used parent networks in the country. They run weekly, they are free or nearly free, and the same faces come back.
Apps reach further than a noticeboard, but only help if the people are genuinely nearby and genuinely who they say they are. Look for verification, neighbourhood-level grouping, and moderation.
Start one. In Haven, any verified member can create a village for their neighbourhood, name it, set the guidelines and invite the mothers already close by. Most villages begin with three or four people who already half-know each other.
Search for local parent groups through your public-health unit, library or recreation centre, and check community apps that verify members. Haven organizes mothers into small local villages by neighbourhood, opening first in Ontario in fall 2026.
Most community-run groups are free, as are Haven's villages. Some studio-led classes and professional services charge a fee. Haven's community side is free and will stay free.
You can start one. In Haven any verified member can create a village for their neighbourhood, set its guidelines and invite the mothers already nearby.
Look for verified membership, published guidelines, active moderation and a clear way to report a problem. Every Haven member provides verified contact information before being accepted.
Real screens from Haven, opening in Ontario in fall 2026.
A village is more than mothers — it is everyone nearby with an hour to spare.
Behind the scenes of building Haven — the community, the mothers, and the road to launch in Ontario.
Add your email and we'll write once — the day your village opens. Tell us where you are and it helps us choose the next community.
Thank you — you're on the list. We'll be in touch.
