DAWSON CREEK (CP) -- Life is tougher than ever for single parents here.

The oil sector is offering great wages and benefits but the work is next to impossible for those looking after young ones, said Jane Harper, executive director of the South Peace Community Resources Society.

"A lot of the jobs that are higher paying jobs, you need to be able to go out and camp -- they're in the oil and gas sector," said Harper.

"So if you're a single parent with children, whether you're a woman or a man, you need to have some child care that meets the needs of people who are working two weeks at a time and coming in for two weeks at a time."

Harper said, since no child care covers those kinds of time stretches the prosperity in the community is left for people who are single or have two adults to look after the children.

Affordable accommodation is scarce in Dawson Creek and for the first time she's seen an increase in women needing accommodations in the transition house's 25-year history.

The transition house gives shelter to women who are leaving abusive relationships, but will also take women who just need accommodation if there is room available.

"There is a real need in this town for shelter for women, who are passing through, or are here to attend court, or are looking for work," said Harper.

"We've turned away more women this year than we have in the past 25 years."

In 2006-07, 374 women with 155 children were referred to the transition house. In 2005-2006, only 155 women with 42 children were referred.

Sheila Hanshaw, an administrative assistant at Dawson Creek Native Housing, said the group is giving out three applications a day for housing needs but doesn't have anything available.

"It's a desperate situation in Dawson Creek most definitely," she said. "We have 60 people on the waiting list and probably have 240 applications for people that we can't house."

Hanshaw said the majority of the people who seek assistance are single parents.

"Low-income people can't even afford to rent, they just don't have the money," said Hanshaw.