Homeward Trust Edmonton Responds to Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy

Homeward Trust Edmonton proudly supports the release of the federal government’s strategy unveiled this morning to reduce chronic homelessness by half over the next ten years.

With Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy, the Government of Canada has committed increased resources toward the goal of ending homelessness and in support of the National Housing Strategy. Reaching Home also brings an increased emphasis on leading practices and strategies that have been instrumental in the strong progress made under Edmonton’s Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness – specifically, a “Coordinated Access” approach to matching services with need, along with a focus on real-time data to drive ongoing improvements to how programs and services are implemented.

Homeward Trust’s CEO Susan McGee notes: “Our organization sees the importance of data-driven strategies and systems planning, and we’ve seen the benefits of these policies already within our community.”

Reaching Home underscores the role of community-driven approaches to addressing homelessness but also elevates the need for communities to plan and act together as a single system. In Edmonton, this kind of coordinated planning and implementation is well-established; for example, the use of a shared By Name List (BNL) has made a huge impact in understanding needs. The By Name List is a list of people connected to Coordinated Access and assessed as experiencing homelessness requiring referral to sector programs and resources.

The increased emphasis on Indigenous homelessness reduction is also an important step forward. The Strategy recognizes the colonial legacy of Indigenous homelessness and builds on the wisdom heard across the country about the need for dedicated and community-based responses. Indigenous peoples represent only 6% of Edmonton’s population but makeup about half of those identified as experiencing homelessness.

While further details need to be developed for implementation, Homeward Trust Edmonton strongly endorses Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy. McGee adds, “It is important to understand that federal investment alone will not end homelessness. Our focus on outcomes and measurable success can provide a foundation through which we can build broad community support. It is critical that we work with all orders of government to leverage this significant opportunity as we strive to end chronic homelessness in Canada.”

Homelessness across Canada has become too large to ignore. According to “The State of Homelessness in Canada,” more than 235,000 Canadians face homelessness every year. In Edmonton, we have a long history of working shoulder-to-shoulder to address the issue locally, as we know no one organization or program can address the problem alone.

In this spirit, we continue to come together as a community twice a year for Homeless Connect.  This year’s spring Connect event will take place on April 29, 2018, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at Edmonton Convention Centre (ECC), formerly Shaw Conference Center (SCC). Our goal in this event is to connect our guests with a wide range of personalized services to help them pave a path out of homelessness.

The services provided address many essential needs of our guests like health care, legal advice, tax services, and help to access housing resources.  But Homeless Connect is also about providing relief, compassion, and dignity; guests can get a haircut, photo, or foot care on-site.  In addition, a kids’ zone will be set up with games, storytelling, and colouring books to allow the parents to take advantage of what the event has to offer.

Homeless Connect is more than just a day. This event is about community and making lasting connections. It’s a great opportunity to rally around one another and offer our time, expertise, and helping hands to our fellow neighbours.

To those who will be volunteering, we offer our heartfelt thanks.  But there are other ways to support Homeless Connect as well.

Your donations make a huge difference, especially items that are in high demand, such as feminine hygiene products, diapers, large-sized clothing, men’s clothing, and work boots. All donations can be dropped off at the Bissell Thrift Store.

Please help us make a difference in the lives of our most vulnerable Edmontonian neighbours by spreading the word and donating. If you would like to be a sponsor and offer financial assistance, please contact Janine at JTremblay@homewardtrust.ca.

Edmonton – Members of the community, stakeholders, and all orders of government gathered today to celebrate the Grand Opening of Balwin Place, a supportive housing project in the Balwin neighbourhood, managed in part by the George Spady Society. Permanent Supportive Housing is an evidence-based approach that combines affordable housing with support services for people experiencing homelessness. Balwin Place features 25 self-contained one-bedroom suites, including three barrier-free units for residents who have mobility issues.

“This much needed PSH is helping our community move forward to achieve our collective goal of ending homelessness in Edmonton,” said Susan McGee, CEO of Homeward Trust Edmonton. “This project is an important contribution towards the 916 units of PSH that we urgently require as identified in A Place to Call Home: Edmonton’s Updated Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness.”

“The George Spady Society has over 35 years of experience working with some of our cities most vulnerable citizens,” said Lorette Garrick the Executive Director of the agency. “This new building provides an exciting opportunity for us to work closely with new partners, community agencies, and participants. We strive in all of our programs to ensure that individual’s dignity is paramount and to adhere to accredited, recognized best practices.”

“All Albertans deserve a safe and affordable place to call home. We are proud to work with partners like Homeward Trust to improve access to support and make life better for Albertans impacted by homelessness,” said Honourable Irfan Sabir, Minister of Community and Social Services. “Our ongoing commitment to affordable housing and supports is a key way our government is making life better for all Albertans.”

“The Government of Canada is proud to support Homeward Trust Edmonton whose project will help to reduce homelessness in northeast Edmonton,” said the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, on behalf of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development. “Every segment of our society must be treated with dignity and respect and be given the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution. This project is supported by the Homelessness Partnering Strategy program and is a prime example of how providing stable housing for more people can build local capacity to address homelessness and make a real difference in the lives of community homeless populations.”

A team of on-site workers provides support to Balwin Place residents 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Programming uses a harm reduction approach and will be varied, flexible, and responsive to meet each resident’s needs. Staff will provide residents with a stable home environment, including opportunities to integrate into the community. Residents will also be able to access mobile healthcare services.

Balwin Place would not have become a reality without the support of the federal, provincial, and municipal governments. This project was funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Homelessness Partnering Strategy program and a grant from the CMHC Seed Funding Program to develop a business plan and preliminary drawings. Capital funding came through the Alberta Social Housing Corporation, Government of Alberta. Alberta Health Services provides annual funding for the team of specialist health professionals who support this project.

Please Note: A late addition to the Balwin Place opening is a rooftop dedication ceremony for Ryan Arcand, whose viral video of him playing the piano caught the attention of the world. Balwin Place was his last home.

Over a 24-hour period, from Wednesday, April 11 to Thursday, April 12, hundreds of Homeward Trust volunteers will fan out across Edmonton and conduct an important point-in-time count of the city’s homeless population.

“The Homeless Count provides vital data and helps inform our ongoing work,” says Susan McGee, CEO of Homeward Trust. “There are many faces of homelessness in our city, and the Count allows us to understand the people involved and to better target our responses based on need.”

This is the 13th time Homeward Trust has counted the homeless population in Edmonton since the first Homeless Count in our community in 1999.

The small army of volunteers who assist Homeward Trust with the annual count come from all walks of life, including people with lived experience, elected officials, post-secondary students, city and provincial employees, park rangers, Edmonton police, agency outreach workers and partners, and church groups, just to
name a few. Working in pairs, volunteers will survey people they come across on predetermined routes as well as at shelters, drop-in centres, libraries, and on public land.

The last time the Homeless Count was conducted was in 2016, when 1,752 people were identified. This number was down 43% from the highest number counted in 2008 before the City of Edmonton’s Plan to End Homelessness was launched in 2009.

The 2016 Count also found that 48% of those experiencing homelessness identify as Indigenous. “That is a stark over representation that must be addressed,” said McGee. “The Count informs our ongoing efforts to end homelessness in Edmonton. We have housed and supported more than 7,000 people since 2009 through Housing Support programs, and we will continue to work relentlessly to see our count reduced all the way to zero.”

The 2018 Count was moved to April to align with the second nationally coordinated homeless count. Everyone Counts 2018 takes place between March and April in more than 60 communities across Canada. The Edmonton Homeless Count is funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Homeless Partnering Strategy. This will also be the second time the homeless count in Edmonton will be aligned provincially with Alberta’s seven largest cities – the 7 Cities on Housing and Homelessness.

The final results of the 2018 Homeless Count, as well as future and past results, are available here.

Media Availability

Although there will be no formal launch, the media are invited to participate in the Homeless Count for a 24-hour period.

2018 Homeless Count

April 11 – 7:00 pm Count Begins (and continues for 24 hours throughout Edmonton)
Boyle Street Community Plaza
9538 – 103A Ave

On March 8, 2018, all levels of government, community, and business leaders gathered to celebrate the 2018 Recognizing Outstanding Organizations and People in Housing (ROOPH) Awards.

“I am so proud of our community’s accomplishments since these awards were created 13 years ago,” says Susan McGee, CEO of Homeward Trust. “The ROOPH Awards are an important opportunity to recognize our sector’s achievements and milestones. This year’s recipients are a testament to the work being done in and around Edmonton in affordable housing and homelessness initiatives.”

Larry Shaben Award for Outstanding Leadership in the Housing Sector:

Larry Shaben was a respected Alberta cabinet minister who provided critical leadership in addressing housing issues across the province. One of Mr. Shaben’s most outstanding contributions was in the area of safe, secure, and affordable housing. As a trustee of The Edmonton Housing Trust Fund, he was instrumental in initiating the ROOPH Awards. This award is named in Mr. Shaben’s memory to recognize the highly committed and passionate individuals working in the housing sector in our city.

2018 Larry Shaben Award Recipient:

Marggo Pariseau, Community Coordinator, Institute for the Advancement of Aboriginal Women

Marggo currently serves as the Community Coordinator and Vice President at IAAW, where she has continually demonstrated leadership and service to her community. She has been instrumental in ensuring the needs and priorities of all First Nations, Métis, and Inuit women and their families are represented by IAAW’s vision. For 20 years, Marggo managed WEAC, the Women’s Emergency Accommodation Centre, providing short- and long-term housing for needy women. Marggo is known for advocating for enhanced services for women, participating in both community and national conversations on homelessness, violence against women, and the specific needs of Indigenous women. Marggo is also a co-founder of the annual Esquao Awards. Founded in 1996, the Esquao Awards has become the largest recognition event in Canada of Indigenous women in categories that include Arts (Performing or Literature), Business, Children’s Future, Community Involvement, Culture, Education, Environment, Health and Medicine, International Influence, Justice, Political Involvement, and Lifetime Achievement.

Watch the video to find our more about Marggo:

 

2018 ROOPH Awards Recipients:

Alberta Rural Development Network

Alberta Rural Development Network (ARDN) developed the Sustainable Housing Initiative (SHI) in 2015 to address the specific needs rural communities face regarding affordable housing. They work directly with community groups as a facilitator to help simplify the development process. In addition, ARDN’s development of the Rural Homelessness Estimation Guide incorporates cost-conscious, cost-efficient, and reliable practices in accurately estimating the number of people experiencing homelessness in a rural community.

Hope Terrace (Bissell Centre)

Hope Terrace is a permanent supportive housing project operated by Bissell Centre that focuses specifically on individuals that have Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Hope Terrace opened in the fall of 2016 and currently supports about 20 individuals. It is the first facility in Canada that provides 24-hour care for formerly homeless individuals diagnosed with FASD. Utilizing a Harm Reduction approach, staff provide support and onsite programming to residents, and are specifically trained to assist people with FASD.

Carter Work Project (Habitat for Humanity)

As part of the Canada 150 Celebration, former U.S. president Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn joined thousands of volunteers in Edmonton last July to kick off the largest building project ever for Habitat for Humanity. A total of 75 Habitat homes are being built in both Edmonton and Fort Saskatchewan, highlighting the need for affordable housing throughout our community. The Province of Alberta provided over $4 million in funding and the City of Edmonton donated land for 58 of the houses.

Renay Ristoff

Since October 2016, Renee Ristoff has been the Housing Advocate for the City of Leduc, working through the Family and Community Support Services office. Over the course of 2017, she helped 181 individuals find housing. In 2013, she began as a Housing Outreach Worker at the Bissell Centre, where she helped house 12 individuals within one month during her first year. Renee is also involved with the Alberta Rural Coalition for Ending Homelessness, and is one of the founding board members of Homeless Link Alberta. 

Toque Tuesday raises funds for solutions to end youth homelessness in Edmonton

Volunteers and community members will join Homeward Trust Edmonton on Tuesday, February 6, 2018, at downtown LRT stations to raise money for programs that support homeless youth. The media is invited to attend.

Tuesday, February 6 marks twenty-one years of Toque Tuesday. This one-day blitz sees more than 40 communities across the country selling Raising the Roof gear to raise funds and awareness for long-term solutions to homelessness. Homeward Trust is proud to be a partner with Raising the Roof again this year.

Proceeds from sales in Edmonton support the programs and services offered by e4c, Edmonton John Howard Society, iHuman Youth Society, and Youth Empowerment & Support Services (YESS) to move youth from high-risk situations to positive futures.

Toque Tuesday Media Availability

Date: Tuesday, February 6, 2017
Location: Churchill LRT Station by City Centre pedway from 8:15 to 8:45 am.

Susan McGee, CEO of Homeward Trust & representatives from e4c, Edmonton John Howard Society, iHuman Youth Society, and Youth Empowerment Support Services (YESS) will be available to comment.

Toque Tuesday volunteers will sell toques ($10) and ball caps ($20) at Churchill, Central, Bay/Enterprise Square, and Corona LRT Stations from 7:00 to 9:00 am and from 3:30 to 6:00 pm.

Toque Tuesday 2018 is fast approaching! Mark your calendars for February 6, 2018.

For over 10 years, Homeward Trust has partnered with Raising the Roof and has raised more than $100,000 for local youth and family homelessness initiatives. Raising the Roof is a national Canadian charity focused on long-term solutions to homelessness. The charity funds local grass-roots agencies working to alleviate and prevent homelessness in their communities.

Fundraising events are held throughout the campaign, culminating with Toque Tuesday. This one-day blitz sees hard-working volunteers selling specially branded Raising the Roof gear at various locations, including downtown LRT stations.

Jocelyn Falconer has been a Toque Tuesday volunteer for four years. “As a mother, the idea of youth homelessness breaks my heart,” Jocelyn shares. “Any way that I can assist an organization whose mission is to end youth homelessness, I am completely on board!” She says that the day is busy but well worth it: “The generosity of our community coming together is intoxicating!”

“Volunteering for Toque Tuesday fills my heart,” Jocelyn adds. “During the day, my job has me working with individuals who struggle just to make ends meet. Being able to volunteer allows me to give that little bit extra.”

Proceeds from this annual campaign support efforts to end youth homelessness in our community and across Canada. This year, funds raised in Edmonton will support the programs and services run by e4c, Edmonton John Howard Society, iHuman, and Youth Empowerment and Support Services to move youth from high-risk situations to positive futures.

Raising the Roof gear is also available at the Homeward Trust office (Monday – Friday), and both Find locations.

Indigenous peoples are vastly overrepresented in Edmonton’s homeless population. Fifty-seven percent of people experiencing homelessness identify as Indigenous, compared with only 6% of Edmonton’s general population. We recognize that Indigenous homelessness is a colonial legacy and, as such, requires conscious action from all of us.

Earlier this month, we were happy to welcome Harry Watchmaker to lead a smudge-making session with 18 Housing Support staff representing 7 different agencies. Harry is a knowledge keeper from Kehewin Cree Nation who has been cultural support with the Indian Residential Health Support program. He has also supported homeless serving agencies and community members for many years.

Smudging is a practice common to Indigenous peoples in North America. It is a traditional form of cleansing – ridding ourselves and/or our surroundings of negative energy through sacred smoke created from burning medicinal or sacred plants. Many, but not all, Indigenous cultures in Canada smudge and may have different beliefs associated with the smoke, as well as different ceremonies and protocols.

The smudge-making day culminated in medicine-picking trips held throughout the summer and fall. Everyone who attended the session was taught about the various medicines and herbs that were ground up and combined to make the smudge. At the end of the day, each participant had a smudge that they could take with them.

Reconciliation is a key focus area in Edmonton’s Updated Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness. A vital part of moving forward is ensuring that we in the homeless serving sector have ongoing, consistent access to Indigenous ways of knowledge and learning to inform our practice. This smudge-making workshop allows Housing Support workers and partner agencies to experience Indigenous culture and ceremony and understand how we can better engage those experiencing homelessness in cultural conversations.

As expressed in the Definition of Indigenous Homelessness in Canada, cultural connections are a way we can help those experiencing homelessness reconnect culturally, spiritually, and emotionally with their Indigeneity lost through colonization and racism that have displaced and dispossessed so many.

Every year, Homeward Trust funds up to 5 community research projects. During Housing Month, we are releasing one report a week. The final highlighted report is:

Domestic Violence: Roles of Landlords and Property Managers by The Centre for Public Legal Information

Funded by the Government of Canada’s Homelessness Partnering Strategy through Homeward Trust Edmonton’s Community Research Projects funding.

On National Housing Day, November 22, the Government of Canada released details of the first ever National Housing Strategy, which includes more than $40 billion in investment over the next 10 years. This Strategy represents a huge step forward in addressing Canada’s housing crisis. It will have a strong impact in Edmonton, and in communities across the country.

Canadians have been calling for new national investment for years. In fact, current levels of homelessness and poverty in Canada are directly related to the limited involvement of previous federal governments in affordable housing since the 1990s. As leaders of the work to end homelessness in Edmonton, we at Homeward Trust see the tremendous potential that comes with all orders of government leaning into the issue.

The cornerstone of the National Housing Strategy is the idea that we as Canadians have a right to housing. This commitment is vital, and will be formalized in legislation. The Right to Housing is not some idealistic notion about everyone owning their dream home; what we’re talking about is acknowledging that without suitable housing, there’s no way for Canadians to be safe, to be healthy, and to participate as active members of our communities. Research and evidence overwhelmingly confirm the benefits of housing for individuals, for family well-being, for our service systems, and for strong, diverse communities. Housing is the foundation of what we can accomplish together as Canadians, as Edmontonians, and no one should be left out. The work to end homelessness in our city has for years been grounded in this shared conviction that everyone deserves a home.

Edmonton’s Mayor, City Council, and local leaders have spoken with one voice on the dire need for new housing units. The City’s Affordable Housing Strategy calls for social, affordable, and supportive housing units to be created in all neighbourhoods. Edmonton’s Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness calls for more than 900 new units of Permanent Supportive Housing for those who are most vulnerable. Affordable housing is also a key plank of our city’s strategy to end poverty within a generation. The measures within the National Housing Strategy will make more units available and accessible, increasing the diversity and stability of our neighbourhoods.

The National Housing Strategy also creates the Canada Housing Benefit, which is an important tool to help break the cycle of poverty and homelessness. About 20,000 households in Edmonton are currently at risk of homelessness, spending more than half of their income on housing. Last year, around 1% of Edmontonians experienced a period homelessness, with affordability being by far the biggest challenge. Among those needing longer-term support, around 300 new applications for social housing are made each month, far more than the spaces that are available. Affordable rental units are essential not only to help individuals get out of homelessness, but also to prevent people from losing their housing to begin with.

In addition, the Government of Canada is working with governments and leadership representing Indigenous peoples in order to address urgent housing needs on and off reserve. This work is of great interest in Edmonton, where almost half (48%) of those experiencing homelessness identify as Indigenous, compared with only 6% of the total population.

Further developments are forthcoming; for instance, we are looking forward to the renewal of federal homelessness programming to be announced in the coming year. This commitment will be essential to achieving the ambitious goal of the NHS to cut chronic homelessness in half. We know that there is still more to do and more to learn as the National Housing Strategy unfolds, but it sets us on a promising path forward as a community and as a country.