Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy launches in Edmonton

News release

May 3, 2019              Edmonton, Alberta              Employment and Social Development Canada

Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. Yet every day, vulnerable Canadians experience homelessness, or are at risk of becoming homeless. The Government of Canada is taking action to help those in need and make a real impact to reduce homelessness across Canada.

Today, the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Natural Resources and Member of Parliament for Edmonton Mill Woods, and Randy Boissonnault, Member of parliament for Edmonton Centre on behalf of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, highlighted the recently launched Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy. First announced on June 11, 2018, Reaching Home replaces the existing Homelessness Partnering Strategy, and will continue to support communities’ efforts to prevent and reduce homelessness in Canada. Reaching Home supports the goals of the National Housing Strategy, including a 50% reduction in chronic homelessness nationally by 2027–28.

Through Reaching Home, the Government of Canada will continue to reinforce the community-based approach to addressing homelessness by delivering funding directly to municipalities and local service providers. Almost $52 million has been allocated to the Designated Community of Edmonton over the next five years under the program.

The Government of Canada will expand the program’s reach by adding up to six new communities through an open and transparent process, which is currently underway. Additionally, the Government will continue to work with communities to develop and deliver data-driven systems with clear outcomes. This new outcomes-based approach keeps decision making at the local level and gives communities greater flexibility to address local priorities and achieve results for the most vulnerable within their communities.

Communities will also have three years to introduce coordinated access systems to prioritize those individuals most in need of housing and support services. The Government is committed to supporting communities by providing tools and access to training, as well as technical assistance.

A transition period is in place to ensure service continuity as communities implement the new elements of Reaching Home.

To learn more about Reaching Home, visit the website for information.

Quotes

“When one person is forced to live on the streets, we’re all diminished. Homelessness is a reality for too many Canadians and a challenge for every Canadian community. Through Reaching Home we’re working with other levels of government, NGOs, Indigenous partners and communities across Canada to provide more stable housing to people living in homelessness and increasing support for vulnerable groups. This is only the beginning and one of many changes that will make a real impact on the lives of vulnerable Canadians. By working together, we can reduce chronic homelessness in our communities by 50% by 2027–2028.”
– The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development

“Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. As more and more Canadians struggle with housing affordability, our government is stepping up and working to ensure that no one is left behind. To reduce and prevent homelessness, we must all work together to build capacity.”
– The Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Natural Resources

“Edmonton has demonstrated real leadership in the fight to tackle homelessness. This city has shown that with a focused effort, chronic homelessness can be reduced. Together we can ensure everyone has a place to call home”
– Randy Boissonnault, Member of Parliament for Edmonton Centre

“Reaching Home builds on leading practices across Canada, including many which we have already adopted here in Edmonton. We’ve seen the positive impacts of the Coordinated Access model and how the community, working in collaboration, can better connect individuals to the supports they need. In Edmonton, there are now more than 60 access points in the community where people experiencing homelessness are identified, screened and referred to the services they need. Reaching Home demonstrates a long-term commitment from the Government of Canada to work with us to continue advancing us to our singular goal—to end homelessness.”
– Susan McGee, CEO, Homeward Trust Edmonton

Quick facts

  • The Government of Canada has committed a total investment of $2.2 billion over 10 years to tackle homelessness. By 2021–22, this will double annual investments compared to 2015–16.

  • In Edmonton, the previous homelessness program, the Homelessness Partnering Strategy, supported the placement of over 478 people in more stable housing since 2015–16.

  • The Surplus Federal Real Property for Homelessness Initiative, a funding stream of the Homelessness Partnering Strategy, sunset on March 31, 2019, and has been replaced by the Federal Lands Initiative, led by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

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Contacts

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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