The Canadian Federal Budget 2013 has announced an investment of $119 million per year over five years, nearly $600 million in total, to the Homelessness Partnering Strategy using a “Housing First” approach. This funding continues the federal government’s 2008 commitment to housing the homeless when it allocated $110 million to the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC)’s At Home/Chez Soi housing demonstration project. The At Home/Chez Soi project is thought to be Canada’s largest social demonstration project. It was created to find ways to help the growing number of homeless people who live with a mental illness. More information about the At Home/Chez Soi project is available.
Implementation of this funding is not yet determined but will be reached in consultation with community and government partners. In addition, the government also proposed $253 million per year over five years, over $1.25 billion in total, to renew the Investment in Affordable Housing.
See “Jobs, Growth and Economic Prosperity,” available on the Government of Canada Budget website.