Minister Duclos participates in the EN SANTÉ pour prévenir et réduire l'itinérance forum
News release
January 11, 2019 Montréal, Quebec Employment and Social Development Canada
Today, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, participated in the EN SANTÉ pour prévenir et réduire l'itinérance forum organized by Le Réseau d’aide aux personnes seules et itinérantes de Montréal (RAPSIM) in order to discuss the issues related to accessibility and adaptability of health care for people who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
One of the most important roles of the Government of Canada is to support vulnerable Canadians, including those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The Government of Canada has committed $2.2 billion over 10 years to tackle homelessness through Reaching Home, a redesigned and expanded federal homelessness program. Reaching Home will maintain its community-based approach to support its efforts to address local needs and develop local solutions to homelessness. Reaching Home supports the goals of the National Housing Strategy, including the reduction of chronic homelessness by 50 percent by 2027–28.
Through these significant investments, Reaching Home aims to support communities in achieving significant reductions in homelessness across the country. Over the next nine years, the Government of Canada aims to place close to 160,000 people in more stable housing.
Quotes
“Issues related to homelessness occur across Canada, and by working together we can reduce poverty. Organizations like RAPSIM get us closer to our common goal and allow people that may experience homelessness to have access to health care and a variety of social services.”
– The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development
Quick facts
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As part of the National Housing Strategy, the Government of Canada announced a total investment of $2.2 billion for homelessness over 10 years, building on Budget 2016 funding of $111.8 million over two years. By 2021–22, this will double annual investments compared to 2015–16.
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Over the past year, the Government of Canada consulted with municipalities, stakeholders, provinces, territories and Indigenous partners on how to improve the federal homelessness program to better prevent and reduce homelessness across Canada. These consultations were guided by the work of an Advisory Committee, chaired by Parliamentary Secretary (Housing and Urban Affairs) Adam Vaughan.
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Reaching Home will replace the existing Homelessness Partnering Strategy and will officially launch on April 1, 2019.
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In Quebec, the Homelessness Partnering Strategy is delivered through a formal Canada-Quebec agreement that respects the jurisdiction and priorities of both governments in addressing homelessness. Since 2001, five agreements for joint implementation of federal homelessness programming have been concluded, including the current agreement for 2014−2019. In order to implement Reaching Home and allocate funds in Quebec beyond April 1, 2019, negotiations will be undertaken with the Quebec government with the objective of concluding a sixth Canada-Quebec agreement.
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Contacts
For media enquiries, please contact:
Valérie Glazer
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Families, Children and Social Development
819-654-5546
Media Relations Office
Employment and Social Development Canada
819-994-5559
media@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca
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