Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home, yet every day, vulnerable Canadians are at risk of or experience homelessness. The Government of Canada is taking action to help those in need and make a real impact to prevent and reduce homelessness across Canada.
Today, Robert-Falcon Ouellette, Member of Parliament for Winnipeg Centre and Dan Vandal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous Services 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.
On April 1, 2019, Reaching Home replaced the Homelessness Partnering Strategy. Reaching Home supports communities' efforts to prevent and reduce homelessness in Canada and supports the goals of the National Housing Strategy, including a 50% reduction in chronic homelessness nationally by 2027-2028.
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 $50 million has been allocated to the Designated Community of Winnipeg over the next five years under the program.
The Government will continue to work with communities to develop and deliver data-driven systems with clear outcomes. This new outcomes-based approach along with the removal of Housing First investment targets 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 a coordinated access system to prioritize individuals most in need of housing and support services. The Government is committed to supporting communities through this transformation by providing the necessary tools, as well as training and technical assistance they need to develop and deliver coordinated access.
A transition period is in place to ensure service continuity as communities implement the new elements of Reaching Home.
