The federal government has released Reaching Home – Canada’s Homelessness Strategy, a new federal homelessness strategy that will replace the existing Homelessness Partnering Strategy. Along with other National Housing Strategy investments, Reaching Home will help to meet Canada’s goal of reducing homelessness by 50% over the next ten years. The federal government is dedicating $2.2 billion for the strategy, with funding taking effect in April 2019.
Reaching Home is a data-driven and performance based program using real-time data tools. In addition, the strategy aims to facilitate the development of coordinated local homeless systems through the introduction of Coordinated Access Systems. These tools will seek to understand who is really homeless, what their needs are and how local communities can best match them to the housing and supports they need.
This updated strategy aims to give communities more flexibility on how to use homelessness funding to meet the outcome of a 50% reduction in chronic homelessness.
The announcement was met by support by stakeholders such as the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness and the Toronto Alliance to End Homelessness.
For more information, visit the Government of Canada website.