Helping communities respond to unsheltered homelessness this winter

From: Infrastructure Canada

News release

Ottawa, Ontario, December 22, 2023 — Everyone deserves a safe and stable place to call home, but far too many Canadians face the daily unacceptable reality of homelessness. The Government of Canada and its partners recognize the collective responsibility to develop and deliver community plans with clear outcomes that address local priorities designed to meet the needs of specific populations.

To support communities in responding to unsheltered homelessness, the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities today announced $100 million towards emergency winter funding for many communities supported by Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy. This includes communities under: the Designated Communities funding stream; the Territorial Homelessness funding stream; and the Indigenous Homelessness funding stream.

This funding will help communities respond to urgent needs – particularly associated with rises in unsheltered homelessness, including encampments  – and to bolster local supports and services for people experiencing unsheltered homelessness this winter.

Reaching Home communities will use funding to support their winter responses to keep people experiencing unsheltered homelessness safe and find a more stable place to stay this winter. This work will include: leasing spaces to expand shelter spaces; time-limited rental assistance; providing extra meals and warming spaces; and hiring outreach workers to connect people experiencing unsheltered homelessness to available supports.

This investment is being delivered under Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy, which commits to support the needs of the most vulnerable Canadians and helps improve access to safe, stable and affordable housing.

Quotes

“Homelessness has a direct impact on the health and wellbeing of every Canadian community. Through Reaching Home, we’re helping address the immediate needs that many face during these cold months.”

The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

Quick facts

  • The $100 million is being provided by Infrastructure Canada to Reaching Home in order to help communities respond to unsheltered homelessness this winter.

  • Reaching Home is a community-based program aimed at preventing and reducing homelessness across Canada. This program provides funding and support to urban, Indigenous, territorial and rural, and remote communities to help them address their local homelessness needs. 

  • Funding under this program is allocated to 64 Designated Communities (urban centres), 3 territorial capitals, 30 Indigenous communities, and rural and remote communities across Canada. The program also makes funding available to Indigenous partners to support distinctions-based approaches to homelessness services.

  • Through Reaching Home, the Government of Canada is investing nearly $4 billion over 9 years to address homelessness. This includes investments announced in Budget 2021 and Budget 2022.

Associated links

Contacts

For more information (media only), please contact:

Micaal Ahmed
Communications Manager
Office of the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
(343) 598-3920
micaal.ahmed@infc.gc.ca

Media Relations
Infrastructure Canada
613-960-9251
Toll-free: 1-877-250-7154
Email: media@infc.gc.ca
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