The Government of Canada Delivers Support to Help Those who are Homeless in New Brunswick
SAINT JOHN, NEW BRUNSWICK–(March 17, 2008) – Families and individuals in New Brunswick working to break free from the cycles of homelessness and poverty and build a stronger future for themselves are getting help from the Government of Canada.
The Honourable Greg Thompson, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Regional Minister for New Brunswick, on behalf of the Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, today announced that during the first year of the Homelessness Partnering Strategy (HPS), the Government has funded 33 projects worth over $1.5 million in New Brunswick.”Our government is delivering on its commitment to help individuals who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless,” said Minister Thompson. “We are proud to support community efforts that help find local solutions to local problems. Working together, we can help our most vulnerable citizens find a place to call home, as well as find the supports they need to become more self-sufficient.”
The announcement took place at the Resource Centre for Youth, an organization receiving HPS funding, located at 28 Richmond Street, Saint John, New Brunswick.
“We are very grateful to receive this funding to help operate our homeless support room,” said Ms. Alisha Anderson, Homelessness Co-ordinator at the Resource Centre for Youth Inc. “This funding will go a long way in helping us to ensure that we have sufficient staff to continue providing essential services to homeless youth in and around Saint John.”
On February 22, 2008, Minister Solberg announced that 505 projects totalling almost $150 million have been approved since April 1, 2007, under the HPS to prevent and reduce homelessness in Canada. The announcement today is part of that total figure.
The Homelessness Partnering Strategy is providing $269.6 million over two years to help communities across Canada combat homelessness more effectively. The Strategy recognizes that housing stability is essential to self-sufficiency and full participation in Canadian society. It focuses on transitional and supportive housing as important measures to help people overcome homelessness. With its clear goals of improved partnerships, enhanced sustainability and tangible results, the Strategy will provide concrete, meaningful and lasting results for Canadians in need.
“Our government will invest more in affordable and supportive housing this year than any federal government in Canada’s history. We are currently spending more that $2.7 billion annually,” said Minister Thompson. “Annual federal spending has never been higher.”
The link between homelessness and mental illness is well-established. With Budget 2008, the Government is committed to developing solutions that will save lives by providing $110 million to the Mental Health Commission of Canada to support innovative demonstration projects, one of which will be in Moncton, to develop best practices to help Canadians facing mental health and homelessness challenges.
This news release is available in alternative formats upon request.
For more information on the Homelessness Partnering Strategy, please visit www.homelessness.gc.ca.
BACKGROUNDER
The Homelessness Partnering Strategy (HPS) began on April 1, 2007. The Strategy is providing $269.6 million over two years to prevent and reduce homelessness in Canada. The HPS is a unique community-based program aimed at preventing and reducing homelessness in Canada by providing funding and direct support to more than 60 communities across Canada.
Under the HPS, the Government of Canada is offering to work in partnership with all provinces and territories. Once put in place, such partnerships would encourage better alignment of federal and provincial/territorial investments, and help to provide a seamless continuum of supports for homeless people.
The HPS has three main initiatives: the Homelessness Partnership Initiative, the Homelessness Accountability Network and the Surplus Federal Real Property for Homelessness Initiative.
The Homelessness Partnership Initiative (HPI) is the cornerstone of the Homelessness Partnering Strategy. Its housing-first approach recognizes that the first step is to provide individuals with transitional and supportive housing.
The HPI has four funding components:
– Designated Communities
– Outreach Communities
– Aboriginal Communities
– Federal Horizontal Pilot Projects
The Homelessness Accountability Network helps to strengthen program accountability. It also develops knowledge and encourages organizations to reinforce their networks and share best practices.
The Surplus Federal Real Property for Homelessness Initiative makes surplus federal property as well as land available to community organizations, the not-for-profit sector, and other levels of government, for projects to prevent and reduce homelessness.
BACKGROUNDER
EXAMPLES OF HOMELESSNESS PARTNERING STRATEGY PROJECTS IN NEW BRUNSWICK
– The Resource Centre for Youth received $40,000 to fund a co-ordinator for its homeless youth support room and support services. This will allow for the co-ordination of activities and support services for homeless youth who are in need in of shower and laundry facilities, food, personal hygiene supplies, referrals to health and educational services, emergency counselling and outreach services.
– The Bathurst Youth Centre received $71,634 to increase awareness and prevention of homelessness. The organization is also working to improve partnerships with the Province of New Brunswick as well as local stakeholders in order to reduce homelessness in the Chaleur area. This funding will allow the Youth Centre to expand its outreach services so that a minimum of 70 clients are no longer at risk of becoming homeless and can become self-sufficient.
– Mobile One Community Services Inc. received $103,769 to improve the lives of homeless individuals or those at risk of becoming homeless in Moncton with a central entry point where they can learn about services in their community and be referred to those services, which will help them move from a life of crisis to one of independence.
– The John Howard Society of Fredericton Inc. received $56,764 for two projects to improve the lives of homeless youth or youth who are at risk of becoming homeless. The first project involves the pre-development objectives and activities related to the building or purchase and renovation of a multi-unit sustainable building.
As part of the second project, the John Howard Society of Fredericton Inc. will provide youth with transportation to the food bank, medical appointments, and employment opportunities. In addition to providing transportation, over the next 12 months the John Howard Society of Fredericton Inc. intends to assist 70 youth in finding and maintaining affordable housing in the Fredericton area.
For more information, please contact
Human Resources and Social Development Canada
Media Relations Office
819-994-5559
This article comes from NationTalk:
https://nationtalk.ca
The permalink for this story is:
https://nationtalk.ca/story/the-government-of-canada-delivers-support-to-help-those-who-are-homeless-in-new-brunswick
Comments are closed.