Backgrounder: Action Research on Chronic Homelessness (ARCH)

Context

Chronic homelessness occurs in communities all across Canada. In 2021, close to an estimated 93,529 people used emergency shelters and approximately 28,631 shelter users experienced chronic homelessness in our country. However, these numbers likely underestimate the true extent of homelessness in Canada, as experiences of homelessness go far beyond shelter use.

Communities across the country are making progress towards addressing and preventing chronic homelessness supported by existing investments, such as Reaching Home, investments by the provinces/territories, as well as community based programs and services. However, even communities that have successfully implemented best practices to addressing homelessness continue to experience persistent barriers in addressing chronic homelessness.

Ending chronic homelessness is an ambitious goal, given that people experiencing homelessness intersect with various support and service systems (e.g., healthcare, child welfare, correctional services, etc.). Working towards the elimination of chronic homelessness requires both a whole-of-government response, including, Indigenous partners, the non-profit sector, and communities. This is why Budget 2022 invested $18.1 million, beginning in 2022-23, to conduct action research into identifying further measures that can contribute to eliminating chronic homelessness in Canada.  

Action Research on Chronic Homelessness (ARCH) initiative

Through the ARCH initiative, the Government of Canada is working with and supporting eight communities to co-develop these projects. Projects were selected in collaboration with communities to fall within the following priority areas:

• Collaboration: explore ways to improve buy-in across partners; having relevant partners working together towards a joint plan-of-action
• System Alignment: explore strategies to improve systems-level alignment (e.g., with healthcare, corrections, child welfare)
• Data: enhancing available data on current knowledge gaps; explore solutions to address concerns related to data ownership and sharing
• Enhancing Indigenous supports: exploring methods to enhance accessibility and culturally appropriate supports and services 

The site selection process was designed to identify which potential sites would be in a position to test new processes or activities that extend beyond Reaching Home requirements and ensure that the communities and scope of projects to be undertaken are complementary.

Each site will be supported to identify and document persistent barriers, challenges and successes, as well as test potential approaches. Based on an understanding of existing knowledge gaps, each community research project will be grounded in collaborative efforts bringing various partners –  including community and Indigenous partners, and different orders of government – to work together towards a joint plan-of-action. The communities, the lead organizations involved in the projects, and their areas of investigation are as follows:

• Brandon, Manitoba – The Brandon Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation (BNRC) and key partners are exploring service navigation and connection hubs in rural areas, and investigating the root causes of rural to urban migration in order to better support surrounding communities (i.e. through enhanced coordination within and across communities, and more comprehensive, tailored services such as one-on-one mentorship).
• Edmonton, Alberta – The Homeward Trust Foundation and the City of Edmonton are investigating ways of reducing unsheltered homelessness by building multidisciplinary outreach teams, seeking to better understand factors contributing to homelessness, and using new knowledge to inform policy and program adjustments at the provincial level.
• Fredericton, New Brunswick –  The Saint John Human Development Council  and Turning Leaf are exploring alignment with the corrections system to prevent discharges into homelessness by improving case management practices for people in corrections, putting more resources towards Indigenous programing, piloting a systems navigator role to better support clients, and testing early intervention approaches for people at risk of homelessness.
• Hamilton, Ontario – The Coalition of Hamilton Indigenous Leadership and The City of Hamilton are evaluating the process of building and implementing an Indigenous Cultural Capacity and Accountability Framework and Indigenous Data Liaison, focusing on the co-development of data and service provision approaches with Indigenous communities.
• London, Ontario – The Atlohsa Family Healing Services and the City of London are investigating alignment between Coordinated Access and Indigenous Housing First by improving coordination, building community support teams, and developing tailored tools, processes and training to meet the needs of Indigenous communities.
• Medicine Hat, Alberta – The Medicine Hat Community Housing Society and Miywasin Friendship Centre are researching ways of better supporting high acuity clients by building stronger connections between healthcare and the organizations that serve these clients, as well as by incorporating Indigenous healing into the westernized healthcare system.
• Sudbury, Ontario – The City of Sudbury and Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres (OFIFC) are exploring ways of improving systems alignment with the child welfare system and outcomes for Indigenous youth through addressing needs such as enhanced supports tailored for youth, improved connections between agencies, and culturally appropriate service delivery.
• Whitehorse, Yukon – The Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition (YAPC) and key partners will explore strengthening collaboration amongst community and governmental partners (e.g., surrounding First Nations, community, and Territorial governments) to create greater alignment and consensus to house the unhoused under the leadership and guidance of Self-Governing First Nations.  

Research is meant to complement and align with ongoing community efforts and facilitate collaboration between a variety of partners to address chronic homelessness. The ARCH initiative will help inform the development of a broader strategy while research efforts and preliminary findings will be shared broadly to support ongoing efforts in communities across Canada.