The Government of Canada is committed to preventing and reducing homelessness. Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, in partnership with communities across Canada, launched Everyone Counts 2020.
This third nationally coordinated point-in-time (PiT) count of homelessness will be held in communities across Canada between March 1 and April 30, 2020, to help communities continue to measure their progress in reducing homelessness and enhance their understanding of the experience of homelessness. In Quebec, the point-in-time count will take place between March and April 2021, as part of their contribution agreements under Reaching Home.
Discussions and preparations with designated communities, including Canada's major cities, took place over the past months to help guide and support the approach taken for 2020. The PiT count includes a focus on understanding the experience of homelessness among youth, women and Indigenous people.
The information collected through PiT counts contribute to developing a national picture on the size and the experiences of the homeless population. They have also allowed communities the opportunity to better identify the needs of homeless individuals and provide them with local, tailored supports by helping them shift toward a more coordinated approach to addressing homelessness.
Quotes
"Homelessness is a reality for too many Canadians and a challenge for every Canadian community. This is why point-in-time counts of homelessness are important in helping us to understand and address the needs of our most vulnerable community members. By working together, this count will further contribute to the development of a national picture of homelessness, allowing the federal government, and participating communities, to identify effective strategies for reducing homelessness in Canada."
- The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development
Quick facts
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Reaching Home: Canada's Homelessness Strategy was launched on April 1, 2019.
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Under Reaching Home, point-in-time counts of homelessness help to support the goals of reducing chronic homelessness nationally by 50% by 2027-28.
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Coordinated point-in-time counts are community initiatives that take place under Reaching Home. They provide vital information to communities about individuals experiencing homelessness, helping to identify their needs and plan community resources accordingly.
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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.
