海角社区

鈥淭his success story is not just about me.听It海角社区听about what becomes possible when people are given structure, compassion, and the opportunity to rebuild.鈥�听

Those were the words of a听newly moved-in听resident, shared听recently听during听the opening of听a supportive housing unit听in the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville.听

That海角社区听24 new homes for people experiencing chronic homelessness in the eastern Ontario region, and the supports they need to听rebuild their lives.听

The project is being funded in part over the next year by the Homelessness Reduction Innovation Fund (HRIF),听which comes from the federal government海角社区 $1 billion commitment to Reaching Home: Canada海角社区 Homelessness Strategy, announced in Budget 2024.

The announcement in the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville is one of several happening across Canada over the past few months, after federal Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Gregor Robertson announced the first communities to receive funding through HRIF on October 30 during the National Conference on Ending Homelessness.

In total,听nearly $7 million听is flowing to 16 communities across the country听through the first round of funding.听

鈥淐ommunities working with us are using real-time data to identify opportunities to reduce homelessness and then using a continuous improvement approach to design and test ideas to see what works,鈥� says Tim Richter, President and CEO of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH),听which is administering the fund in partnership with the National Indigenous Homelessness Council (NIHC).听

These 16 projects听are听of the first of听five rounds of funding to be announced over the next three years.听听

Second round projects are starting to roll out over the听coming months.听The expression of interest for the third round of funding opened on听February 17 and听will close on March 13.听

This is the first formal partnership between CAEH and the National Indigenous Homelessness Council, a coalition of all Indigenous-led community entities and advisory boards across Canada.听

鈥淒espite being about 5% of the overall population, our people represent 30% of those experiencing homelessness, so it海角社区 crucial that we lead, partner with, and support our local communities who are doing the hard work to address this,鈥� says NIHC Executive Director Shane Pelletier.听

鈥淭his represents a positive step the government of Canada is taking in addressing homelessness, and we acknowledge the dedication and commitment of Minister Robertson and Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada,鈥� he said.听

Learn more about the funded projects听

To听receive HRIF funding,听eligible听communities听must propose an initiative that听will听measurably reduce the number of people experiencing homelessness.听

In practice, that means each project must do two things:听

• Select a target population of people experiencing homelessness, such as people experiencing chronic homeless (people who have been unhoused for听at least six months over the past year, or 18 months over the past three years),听unsheltered homelessness, or veteran海角社区 experiencing homelessness.听

• Identify an aim to measurably reduce homelessness by decreasing the number of people entering homelessness, or increase the number of people exiting听it.听

Each community chose their target population based on local context, priorities, and importantly, based on the learnings they gleaned from their By-Name Data.听

The priority target group for most听round one听projects is people experiencing chronic homelessness,听with 13 of 16 projects focused on this group.听

Some of the projects are focused on specific populations experiencing chronic homelessness. In St. John海角社区, the community is focused on people with disabilities experiencing chronic homelessness, while Wellington-Guelph is looking to decrease chronic homelessness for single adults, and Niagara is aiming to reduce the number of seniors experiencing chronic homelessness.听

Others are focused on reducing all homelessness, while Windsor-Essex is aiming听.听

A majority of the projects are focused on increasing the听number听of people exiting homelessness. The initiatives range from adding more supportive housing units in United Counties of Leeds and Grenville;听to increasing housing allowances and housing听management support in Fort McMurray, Hastings County, and Prince Edward Island.听

Five of the projects听aim to reduce the length of time that people are experiencing homelessness by providing early intervention and intensive support, reducing the number of people returning to homelessness after being housed, and introducing听dedicated prevention teams to stop people from entering homelessness in the first place.听

Meanwhile, Halton region听is working to prevent people from entering homelessness by identifying early warning signs and supporting households before they听are evicted into homelessness through a combination of diversion-based case management and housing subsidies.听

And in Medicine Hat, Miywasin Friendship Centre is launching听Roots and Roofs, an Indigenous-led housing support program to help people leaving remand secure stable, culturally relevant housing and the services needed to sustain it, including a graduated rent support.听听

Projects that are similar will allow for听comparison about the effectiveness of initiatives within different contexts, while the听diversity of projects means a range of interventions are being tested to see if they can听bring about听clear reductions in homelessness.听

In the first round of funding, amounts range from $110,000 to $1.4 million for projects lasting up to one year, and a full list of the projects, target populations, and reduction aims can be found here.听

HRIF will help end homelessness in Canada听

The announcement of the first round of HRIF funding took place at a critical moment.听

Homelessness is rising in听nearly every听community across the country. According to the federal Point in Time count, homelessness has doubled in Canada between 2018 and 2024. Unsheltered homelessness is up a staggering 300 per听cent over that same time.听

鈥淭oo often, success in our sector is measured by outputs鈥攈ow many people are served or how many programs are delivered鈥攔ather than by outcomes, like whether fewer people are experiencing homelessness,鈥� said听Amanda DiFalco, senior director of strategy and people at CAEH.

鈥淭he most important question is simple: does this innovation听actually reduce听homelessness?听That海角社区听what HRIF will help us answer,鈥� said听DiFalco.听

The information learned in each community will be extended to all of Canada, as CAEH will share lessons and successes nationwide to amplify the impact and听ensure investments are being made in interventions that we know will work.听

It海角社区听how the sector moves from managing homelessness to ending it.听

For more details on HRIF and the application process, you can visit听the听dedicated HRIF website here:听CAEH – Homelessness Reduction Innovation Fund.听