OTTAWA, ON, November 5, 2026 — 51�Թ��� to End Homelessness (CAEH) welcomes the 2026 federal budget announced today. Setting Canada on a path to ending homelessness in the next 10 years and investing heavily in the construction of affordable and supportive housing demonstrates unparalleled ambition and leadership from the federal government. 

“The federal leadership we saw today is the essential first step in ending homelessness. The critical next step is aligning all provinces, territories and cities around this shared national ambition,” said Tim Richter, President & CEO of CAEH.��

Over the coming months, the federal government will need to work with provinces, territories and communities to articulate a clear, outcomes-focused strategy to reach this ambitious goal.  

To succeed, the ambition to end homelessness must be supported by investments in deeply affordable and supportive housing and the budget makes important initial investments.  

Canada cannot end homelessness without fixing the housing crisis. The commitment to triple non-market housing in the next decade, alongside an historic investment in supportive housing, can put Canada on a path to get there. 

The announcement of the expanded and improved Canada Housing Benefit and a reformed Reaching Home are foundational and could set us on path for rapid and sustainable success. 

“We know homelessness is solvable. Communities in Canada are already showing that progress is possible. We’re ready to get to work,” said Richter.��

This week, CAEH announced five communities that are making population-level reductions in homelessness and show that reaching the federal government51�Թ��� goals is possible. These communities all follow CAEH’s Model for Ending Homelessness and show what is possible when communities lead, supported by senior governments. 

“Today, the Government of Canada set the tone. To end homelessness, all levels of government need to be aligned around this strong national ambition. This budget calls provinces, territories and cities to the table to develop a comprehensive, integrated strategy to mobilize this historic investment in affordable housing to effectively end homelessness. They must heed the call and respond. Communities across Canada are already showing how it51�Թ��� done. By coming together, we will end homelessness,” said Richter. 

For more information contact Jacqueline Demers demers@redbrick.ca.

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“We know that ending homelessness is possible,” said Tim Richter, CAEH President and CEO. “Through the National Homelessness Reduction Awards, we’re proud to shine a light on the people who are doing the incredibly hard, and often invisible work to ensure that everyone has a place to call home.”   

The awards offer examples, ideas, and inspiration for ending homelessness. The 2026 recipients were recognized across six categories, in addition to the Paula Goering Memorial Scholarship which was awarded to two recipients: 

Lived Experience Leadership Award: Thompson Lived Experience Circle. Through the “Thompson Model,” Thompson has become the first community in Canada where people with lived experience are primary decisionmakers around funding and project development. The Thompson Lived Experience Circle, whose members are predominantly Indigenous and have all experienced homelessness in the community, has the final say on which initiatives move forward and how resources are used. Its decisions are final, ensuring that those most impacted by homelessness can shape the systems meant to help them. 

Indigenous Homelessness Impact Award: N’Dinawemak – Our Relatives Place.  N’Dinawemak is a Winnipeg-based organization grounded in Indigenous Ways of Knowing and has grown from a single shelter to four sites that include shelter, transitional and permanent housing, outreach and safety. The organization calls itself a learning facility where those who use the services, known as Relatives, become volunteers and then staff. The N’Dinawemak workforce is nearly all Indigenous, and 70% have lived experience of homelessness.  

Municipal Leadership Award: Joe Preston, Mayor, City of St. Thomas, ON. Mayor Joe Preston made housing, homelessness and community well-being a key priority for the City of St. Thomas. His leadership helped moved the community from managing homelessness toward creating a coordinated system offering prevention, supportive and affordable housing, and services that create pathways to housing independence. The City has eliminated veteran homelessness and reduced all homelessness by nearly 50% over the last three years. 

Individual Impact Award: Danielle Neilson, Acting Director of Social Services, City of St. Thomas, ON. Though her leadership with St. Thomas-Elgin Social Services, Danielle has helped build a coordinated, compassionate response to solving homelessness. She united municipal departments, housing organizations, healthcare providers and community agencies around the shared goal of ensuring homelessness is rare, brief and non-recurring. Danielle’s leadership has produced measurable results. The community has housed hundreds of people, built new affordable and supportive homes, improved access to healthcare, and achieved functional zero veteran homelessness.  

Community Innovation & Reduction Award: United Counties of Leeds and Grenville (UCLG). Since October 2025, UCLG has reduced chronic homelessness by 52 per cent through the Movement to Improvement Project, a Homelessness Reduction Innovation Fund project. Bringing together municipal, provincial and federal resources, along with non-profit expertise, the community recently opened 49 supportive housing units in Brockville that are operated by the John Howard Society of Kingston and District and serve people experiencing homelessness for six months or more. The Counties’ work is demonstrating that ending homelessness is possible.  

Lifetime Achievement Award: Susan McGee, Chief Executive Officer, Homeward Trust Edmonton. Susan has helped transform how communities respond to homelessness in Edmonton and across Canada. She led Edmonton51�Թ��� 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness and championed approaches that now define the sector, including coordinated access, shared data, performance measurement, integrated funding and collaborative oversight. Susan launched Edmonton51�Թ��� Housing First programs in 2009, which have since housed almost 23,000 people. She embedded Indigenous priorities into housing programs, strengthened collaboration between government and non-profits, and helped shape national homelessness policy. A generous mentor, McGee has left a legacy of lasting change, stronger leaders and thousands of people with a place to call home. 

Paula Goering Memorial Scholarship. Dr. Paula Goering, RN, PhD was a distinguished clinician and educator who made a tremendous contribution to research, services and policies targeting homelessness in Canada. The Paula Goering Memorial Scholarship recognizes Paula51�Թ��� role as a mentor to students, a practitioner, and a pioneering researcher who focused on translating knowledge into practice. The Scholarship is awarded each year to two students or Housing First practitioners who share Paula51�Թ��� passion for ending homelessness and her commitment to evidence-based practice. The 2026 Scholarship winners include: 

Hannah Lavinge, Coordinator, Supportive Housing Burdock. Hannah is a healthcare and social services professional who leads a harm reduction-focused program supporting people experiencing homelessness, mental health challenges, substance use and complex health needs. She believes in meeting people where they are while working toward practical solutions that foster dignity, connection and healthier communities.  

Victoria Rozycki, PhD Student, Community Psychology, Community Mental Health Research Lab, Wilfred Laurier University. Victoria51�Թ��� research focuses on housing justice and harm reduction. She has been involved in many community-based research programs and is the research and project coordinator for an initiative aimed at advancing research on Housing First adaptations and evidence-informed implementation across Canada.  

For more information, contact demers@redbrick.ca 

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OTTAWA – October 29, 2026 – In the face of an unprecedented surge in homelessness across Canada, five communities have achieved measurable reductions in homelessness over the past year.

These reductions were achieved through their partnership with the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH), with funding and support from the Homelessness Reduction Innovation Fund (HRIF).

The $45-million fund led by CAEH and funded by the federal government through Reaching Home, supports local, data-driven improvement projects that aim to measurably reduce homelessness in a community. The first wave of funded projects was announced one year ago, at the 2025 National Conference on Ending Homelessness.

The communities that have achieved these reductions include (more details below):

• United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, ON: 52% reduction in chronic homelessness since October 2025
• St. Thomas-Elgin, ON: 37% reduction in chronic homelessness since October 2025; and a 50% reduction in youth homelessness since February 2026
• Ottawa, ON: 21% reduction in youth homelessness since January 2026
• Prince Edward Island: 15% reduction in total homelessness since January 2026
• Halton Region, ON: 9% reduction in total homelessness since August 2025

More than a dozen other communities have made measurable improvements to the way they respond to homelessness —for example, measurably reducing inflow into homelessness or helping more people move faster from homelessness to homes — thanks to their partnership with CAEH through HRIF.

Through HRIF, CAEH has been road-testing a new Model for Ending Homelessness. CAEH developed the model after more than a decade of working with communities across the country, drawing on best practices from around the globe, and learning what works and what doesn’t to meaningfully reduce homelessness.

“These early results show that not only is homelessness solvable, but there is a proven, adaptable approach any community can use to get there,” said Tim Richter,CAEH51�Թ��� founder and president.

According to federal government data, homelessness has nearly doubled nationwide over the past eight years. A recent poll by Abacus Data and CAEH found that more than one-third of Canadians know someone impacted by homelessness and nearly one in 10 say they have direct experience with homelessness. An overwhelming majority said they support investments in proven solutions.

Currently, many communities’ efforts are fragmented and focused on responding to the crisis of surging homelessness. CAEH51�Թ��� model shifts the focus from managing homelessness to ending it, ensuring every person experiencing homelessness is known and every community partner is working collectively to prevent homelessness whenever possible to create the shortest path from homelessness to housing. The community then uses data driven continuous improvement to improve their response until every neighbour has a safe place to call home.

Now CAEH is expanding support so more communities can implement this proven model, launching a range of support to meet different communities where they’re at. This includes free tools and resources, training, and peer learning to support and resolve specific challenges in community. A refreshed Built for Zero Canada partnership, along with fractional services to boost capacity, will work to support the heavy lifting as communities work to end homelessness. Services are tailored to local needs and offered through a non-profit fee structure focused on affordability and value.

To coincide with the service launch, CAEH also unveiled a new website and visual identity just ahead of the 13^th annual National Conference on Ending Homelessness, taking place in Winnipeg from November 3 to 5.

“In partnership with communities across the country, we’re changing how Canada responds to homelessness. To support that change, we have re-imagined how we work as well,” Richter said. “Our new look embodies our bold leadership and mission to reverse the lethal trajectory of homelessness in Canada.”

-30-

For more information, visit www.caeh.ca.
Media contact: Jacqueline Demers, 416-859-6250, demers@redbrick.ca

Additional Information:

The following list includes details about the six Homelessness Reduction Innovation Fund (HRIF) projects that have helped drive reductions in homelessness in five communities across Canada.

• United Counties of Leeds and Grenville (UCLG), ON — In October 2025, the county government launched their HRIF project Movement to Improvement: Building a Housing Continuum Model, aiming to reduce chronic homelessness by repurposing 24 transitional housing units into permanent supportive housing. The project has helped UCLG achieve a 52% reduction in chronic homelessness.
• St. Thomas-Elgin, ON (chronic homelessness)  — In October 2025, the regional municipality launched Prevention in Action: A New Team, A New Commitment to Ending Homelessness aiming to reduce homelessness by creating a dedicated homelessness prevention team focusing on early intervention and housing stabilization. The project helped St. Thomas-Elgin achieve a 36.5% reduction in chronic homelessness.
• St. Thomas-Elgin, ON (youth homelessness) — In February 2026, the regional municipality launched Zero in Sight: Ending Youth Homelessness aiming to reduce youth homelessness by creating two full-time, housing-focused case managers dedicated to supporting youth experiencing homelessness. Just eight months into the 12-month project, the community has already achieved a 50% reduction in youth homelessness.
• Ottawa, ON — In January 2026, Ottawa launched their HRIF project Ending Youth Homelessness in Ottawa through Scattered Community Integrated Head-Leasing, which aims to reduce youth homelessness by creating an innovative head leasing model securing housing for youth and offering them support before and after they move in. Just nine months into the 12-month project, the community has already reduced youth homelessness by 21%.
• Prince Edward Island — In January 2026, the John Howard Society of PEI launched the Prevention & Diversion Program aiming to reduce total homelessness by working with people and families that previously experienced homelessness and are at risk of losing their housing to provide emergency interventions to help them maintain their housing. Just nine months into the 12-month project, the province has already achieved a 19% reduction in all homelessness.
• Halton Region, ON — In August 2025, the regional municipality launched the Halton Housing Stability Project aiming to reduce all homelessness by identifying early warning signs for people and families at risk of losing their housing, and intervening before an eviction occurs. The regional municipality has achieved a 9% reduction in all homelessness, 14 months into their 18-month project.

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Key Takeaways for Communities

• When Indigenous organizations lead the work to reduce homelessness, culture, community and belonging are weaved in. As Miywasin is showing, that can help improve an entire community51�Թ��� homelessness response system.
• Many people who are incarcerated do not have a permanent home and are discharged into homelessness — whether that is staying in shelters, sleeping rough, or couch surfing. Miywasin51�Թ��� HRIF project addresses that systems gap through intensive case management, housing stabilization funds, and cultural and community connection, which seems to improve housing stability and retention. 
• Miywasin Friendship Centre has incorporated a cultural wellness assessment as part of their intake process, helping connect people with supports that instil a sense of belonging. 
• Flexibility in project design and implementation is important in the work to reduce homelessness, particularly as the local context changes. Amidst ongoing shifts in the provincial remand system, Miywasin adapted their project to cover other gaps where people are discharged into homelessness from health care, treatment and child family services. 

For Mark*, the Indigenous-led Roots & Roofs post-remand housing stabilization program in Medicine Hat, AB, came at a critical moment. 

The 56-year-old has been working in British Columbia and Alberta for decades and living on-and-off in Medicine Hat for the last 15. 

But it51�Թ��� been a hard year. 

His employer lost out on a contract and laid him off, marking one of the first times he was without work since he was 14. Without family, income nor company-provided housing, Mark didn’t have his own place. He couldn’t find another job. 

Then he got sick; a doctor ordered tests for a spot on his lung. His brother died a month before Christmas.  

“Overnight, it can just happen to anybody, man. Anybody. You get sick and you lose your job, and then you got no income. It51�Թ��� scary,” he said. 

In December, Mark was arrested for disturbing the peace by Medicine Hat police at the motor home he was staying in and sent to a remand centre — a facility where people are held before their court proceedings and sentencing are finalized. 

“When I got released three weeks later, I had nothing. Nowhere to go. No money. The clothes on my back. That51�Թ��� it,” Mark said. 

He was released without charges from remand into homelessness and stayed on a friend51�Թ��� couch for a month. 

Then he got connected to Roots & Roofs. By February, Mark was accessing community resources and income supports. He even found an apartment that he could afford to rent. 

“When I met Alyssa [the program coordinator], she just took weight of the world off my shoulders … she went above and beyond for me. Above and beyond,” Mark said, as tears formed in his eyes. 

“It gives me back my dignity, my pride, makes me feel like part of the community again. I’m very grateful for it.” 

Housing stability is more than a roof over your head 

Mark was the first person housed through Roots & Roofs, which started in January 2026. The one-year project is a partnership between the Miywasin Friendship Centre, the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH), and the National Indigenous Homelessness Council (NIHC), a coalition of all Indigenous-led community entities and advisory boards across Canada. 

Roots & Roofs received $368,998 through the Homelessness Reduction Innovation Fund (HRIF), a $45-million federal fund delivered by CAEH that supports data-driven improvement projects to measurably reduce homelessness at a population level, while developing lessons that can support similar efforts across Canada. 

The aim of Roots & Roofs is to reduce homelessness by increasing the number of people moving into housing in Medicine Hat every month, with a focus on people discharged from a remand centre.  

An estimated 30 per cent of people released from Canadian correctional institutes will face homelessness within two years. People released without stable and secure housing have a greater likelihood of re-entering the justice system, according to the .��

“Housing stabilization is about much more than having a roof over your head … Long-term housing stability is more likely when people are supported holistically and feel connected, valued, and like they belong in their community,” said Holly Gould, program manager with Miywasin. 

Early results show benefit of cultural connection 

The project is innovative in its focus on connection to community and culture as part of helping people maintain housing and reduce recidivism. 

Participants complete both a standard housing and needs assessment and a cultural wellness assessment grounded in Indigenous worldviews of wellness, belonging and community connection.  

An intensive case manager connects them with existing cultural programs and services in the community to support healing, while working with them to find safe and secure housing. A rent supplement is available for six months to reduce financial pressure and stress and bridge the income gap people experience after being discharged from remand. 

Early results show promising system improvements. Through the first eight months of Roots & Roofs, only one participant returned to remand.

The majority of Roots & Roofs participants who have secured housing have been able to maintain it, with 86 per cent of participants remaining housed after being supported to exit homelessness. 

This is an important lesson for Medicine Hat, as it works to continuously improve its homelessness response system and prevent people from falling back into homelessness after being housed. 

Since the project started in January, an average of two fewer people have re-entered homelessness from housing every month, dropping from an average of 8.6 people per month in January to an average of 6.5 people per month as of August 2026. 

“Housing stability comes when people have access to culture, traditional foods and medicines, ceremony, land-based practices, Elders and Knowledge Keepers, and a community where they feel welcomed and wanted,” Gould said. 

As people spend more time connected with Roots & Roofs, their engagement in community and cultural activities has continued to grow, whether they are Indigenous or not, Gould added. 

The project demonstrates the broader impact that Indigenous-led organizations can have in reducing and ending homelessness for all when they have adequate resources, said Francisco Urrutia, CAEH51�Թ��� lead improvement advisor for Medicine Hat. 

“Miywasin is bringing Indigenous worldviews and perspectives to improve the way the entire homelessness response system functions in the community,” said Urrutia. 

Indigenous-led from the beginning 

Roots & Roofs is the first HRIF project across Canada to be led by an Indigenous Community Entity. It was conceptualized, proposed and operated by Miywasin from the very beginning, with support from NIHC to map how data moves through the local homelessness response system and explore approaches to strengthen Indigenous data governance, roles and relationships. 

Miywasin also works closely with Medicine Hat Community Housing Society, the Designated Community Entity. MHCHS provides data support to help measure the impact of the project at the system level, while the two organizations maintain a strong working relationship responding to housing and homelessness needs in the community. 

“Indigenous communities know what Indigenous people need. Indigenous knowledge and ways of being cannot be added at the midpoint, or at the end of a project and be truly integrated,” said Gould. 

“When Indigenous people lead the work from the start, culture, community and belonging are woven into every part of it.” 

Indigenous people are disproportionately represented among those experiencing homelessness, and among those who are incarcerated. 

Nearly 32 per cent of all people incarcerated in Canada are Indigenous, according to the . That was an increase from 23 per cent in 2013. 

In the , almost one-third (30%) of all people experiencing homelessness in Canada identified as Indigenous — representing six times the proportion of Indigenous people among the total Canadian population. The proportion of Indigenous people experiencing unsheltered (40%) or hidden homelessness (46%) was even greater. 

The overrepresentation of Indigenous peoples in both homelessness and corrections cannot be understood in isolation from the broader impacts of colonialism and the disruption of relationships to family, culture, community and land. 

“We recognize, as Indigenous scholar Jesse Thistle describes, that Indigenous homelessness is not only the absence of housing, but also the loss of relationships to family, culture, community, and land,” said Gould. 

“While this project is Indigenous-led and grounded in Indigenous ways of being, these teachings benefit everyone. The project welcomes both Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants, and we see firsthand how cultural connection, community, ceremony, and holistic wellness strengthens all people51�Թ��� ability to heal and remain housed,” said Gould. 

Project making pivots and improvements along the way 

Homelessness is dynamic and complex, and HRIF projects are about learning what works. 

This project demonstrated that cultural and community connection improve housing stability, especially for people exiting remand. 

Throughout the process, Miywasin has been forced to make pivots and adjustments to the project as it aimed to meet its target of increasing the number of people moving into permanent housing, despite changes to the policy landscape and tightening rental market conditions. There have been several recent changes to provincial income assistance programs that have reduced the fixed incomes available to seniors, people who are unemployed, and people with disabilities.

“Even when I’m supporting people with higher levels of monthly income, it51�Թ��� still really hard to find a place. The financial piece is one thing, but the stigma is another,” said Alyssa Roads, the Roots & Roofs program coordinator. 

“A lot of landlords are very hesitant to rent to people who are accessing any form of social or community supports … and with people coming out of remand, for example, you’ve got a gap in rental history, and there51�Թ��� not one place [here] that doesn’t ask for rental history or references,” she added. 

There have also been provincial changes to the remand and corrections system, which has complicated the original referral pathways, making it difficult to connect with people before they are released into homelessness. 

In August 2026, CAEH published first-of-its-kind research that demonstrated the link between housing affordability, vacancy rates, and homelessness. 

In Medicine Hat, market conditions for the most affordable units are getting worse, according to a CAEH analysis of data from the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). 

From 2023 to 2025, the average monthly rent price for those lowest-cost units has increased by 14.3%, from $750 to $857. In that same time frame, the vacancy rates for those same units have dwindled to 0.5%, down from 2.7% just two years earlier. 

In practice, that means it’s incredibly difficult to find affordable places for participants in Medicine Hat and increase move-ins for people trying to exit homelessness, Roads said.

But in the spirit of continuous improvement, and with coaching support from improvement advisors at CAEH, Miywasin51�Թ��� project team has been testing small changes to improve their outcomes. 

Despite low vacancy rates, Roads has been reaching out to private landlords interested in prioritizing clients on income support. She51�Թ��� also been helping people connect with different community agencies to increase their incomes and address barriers to employment. 

The Roots & Roofs project team has also worked with additional agencies to expand referral pathways into the Roots & Roofs program from other institutional settings, including healthcare, treatment programs and child and family services. 

“This project has faced many challenges outside its control. But Miywasin has been flexible, making pivots as they encountered new difficulties and adapting the project to incorporate the lessons they’ve learned about their housing system,” said Urrutia. 

Miywasin51�Թ��� HRIF pilot will end in December 2026, but the lessons and system improvements will continue. 

“Roots & Roofs is helping create a more coordinated, effective and culturally responsive homelessness response in Medicine Hat and the surrounding region … demonstrating the value of culturally grounded, Indigenous-led approaches to homelessness prevention,” said Roads. 

*This Bright Spot was funded by the Government of Canada.

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Key Takeaways for Communities

• Building relationships with landlords can expand the housing options available to people experiencing homelessness. Recognizing there was an inadequate amount of non-market, supportive and deeply affordable housing units to meet the local need, the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo leveraged support from the Homelessness Reduction Innovation Fund to establish a landlord liaison role in the community. By developing and maintaining relationships with landlords, they’re making better use of market housing already available in the community.
• People with very low incomes often can’t afford even the cheapest market rentals, but flexible financial assistance, like housing benefits, can bridge the affordability gap. Through the municipality51�Թ��� HRIF project, timely and flexible housing benefits remove a critical affordability barrier at the moment an individual is seeking housing and creates time to explore longer-term income and affordability options.  
• Supporting people after they move in is an important part of reducing returns to homelessness. Housing coordinators based in Fort McMurray continue providing intensive case management to build housing stability, help people advance personal goals, and intervene in at-risk tenancies to prevent housing loss. When a tenancy cannot be sustained, workers quickly help people secure another housing option to prevent a return to homelessness. 
• This HRIF project has helped the municipality double the average number of people exiting chronic homelessness every month. However, while outflow has increased, the municipality51�Թ��� data shows inflow into homelessness has also increased. In the spirit of continuous improvement and a relentless focus on reducing homelessness, the municipality and CAEH partnered on a second HRIF project aiming to address inflow. This serves the goal of reducing chronic homelessness overall. 

Jennifer Pittman’s job is to advise the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo how they can help more people exit homelessness faster. 

As a social program advisor for the regional municipality, which covers Fort McMurray and nine hamlets, Pittman looks at the entire homelessness response system, identifying opportunities for improvement and the resources needed to reduce and ultimately end homelessness. 

Ending homelessness isn’t a new concept for the community. 

In 2023, Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo ended homelessness for all veterans. Supported through Built for Zero–Canada, the municipality achieved Functional Zero Veteran Homelessness, which they continue to maintain, ensuring homelessness is rare, brief and non-recurring for anyone with veteran status in the community. 

Now, the municipality has set its sights on reducing chronic homelessness. 

When applications opened for the first round of funding through the federal Homelessness Reduction Innovation Fund (HRIF), the community was eager to apply. 

HRIF is a $45-million Government of Canada fund, led by the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH), which supports data-driven improvement projects that aim to measurably reduce homelessness at a population level, and develops lessons that can support similar efforts across Canada.

“Going over our homelessness data every month with our CAEH improvement advisor really helped us sharpen our focus on what sort of project we wanted to do … she was always there to give us ideas on what we could improve, and her support was pivotal in getting approved for the project,” said Pittman. 

A key challenge to helping people exit homelessness is limited availability of nonmarket, deeply affordable and supportive housing options in Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo. The private market units that are available are often more expensive than what people experiencing homelessness can afford with limited income. 

In September 2025, the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo received $551,995 from HRIF to launch their 15-month project, the Collective Impact Initiative, in partnership with CAEH.  

The project created a new, dedicated landlord liaison position, funded two housing coordinators, and provided 30 housing benefits to bridge the affordability gap for people exiting chronic homelessness — those who have spent six months or more without a permanent home.  

“The landlord liaison helps expand different pathways to permanent housing. The housing benefit addresses affordability. Ongoing housing support helps people establish and maintain housing stability. Together, these strategies address multiple points where people can become stuck between experiencing homelessness and achieving a stable exit,” said Lori Richer, CAEH’s lead improvement advisor for the regional municipality. 

“Rather than looking for a single intervention to increase housing placements, Fort McMurray examined their entire pathway from homelessness to housing stability and identified the barriers that needed to be addressed at each stage,” Richer said. 

One year into the project, the community has been able to increase the number of people moving from chronic homelessness into their own homes. 

Prior to the project starting, an average of 4.6 people were supported to move into housing every month. Since September 2025, the community has doubled their monthly move-ins, with an average of 9.2 people exiting chronic homelessness every month. 

Once people experiencing homelessness are connected to a housing coordinator through the Collective Impact Initiative project, it takes an average of 37 days to find them permanent housing. That’s 10 days faster than what the community was historically able to do. 

Honesty and trust are crucial to building relationships with landlords 

When the project started, there was a real focus on learning and improving existing practices. 

“We started out thinking about what elements landlords have said they feel are missing in other programming, and worked from there to improve our existing documentation,” Pittman said. 

“With the information captured in our updated documents, the landlord liaison really started with a picture of what the individual was looking for and then were able to look for units based on what the individual’s needs and wants were,” Pittman said. 

The central innovation in this HRIF project is the creation of a landlord liaison, whose role is to connect people experiencing homelessness with market rentals and ensure housing stability, as well as strengthen relations with landlords. 

The liaison is responsible for contacting landlords to find new places for people to live and rent, helping landlords draft lease agreements, working with tenants to fill out their lease agreement, and doing monthly unit checks to support positive relations between the tenant and the landlord. 

“There is often a deep-rooted sense of bias toward people experiencing homelessness … and we’re asking landlords who may not have a lot of knowledge about homelessness to trust in this program and to give people a chance,” said Tayla Malott, the landlord liaison with the Collective Impact Initiative.

“I’m very honest and upfront about what the program does … how we’re there to support the tenants that are renting … and being supportive and listening to the concerns or the anxieties that landlords might have,” she said. 

Malott said she’s been able to find many landlords who understand the program and want to play a role in ending homelessness for their neighbours and fellow community members. 

“It’s not just about the rent being paid. It’s not just about filling units. It’s about supporting people in their community and being a part of something bigger,” she said. 

The landlord liaison has funding to cover damage deposits and make repairs in the infrequent cases where some damages have occurred.  

In a few cases where people have been evicted from a unit, Malott said she works with the tenant and their housing coordinator to find them a new place that better meets that person’s needs. 

“I see all 30 people supported through HRIF once a month. The majority of them are thriving, taking care of their space, making themselves dinner, and showing me around their space and having pride in what is now their home,” Malott said. 

Creating a dedicated landlord liaison also helped relieve some of the burden on housing coordinators, said Breanna MacDonald, the community services team lead at Wood Buffalo Wellness Society. 

“It takes a load off the case coordinator. I can be more focused one-on-one with the client and working on their goals, while the liaison works with the landlords. It also saves us time, so we aren’t spending hours looking for rentals, going for viewings, and meeting with landlords,” MacDonald said. 

‘This has helped reset my life’ 

Ashley is one of the people supported through the Collective Impact Initiative. 

She was living in a multi-generational family home, including with her two children, when there was a family breakdown with her parents and she had to leave her home. 

Without anywhere else to go, Ashley went to an emergency shelter. 

“I was terrified going in that day … I’ve never been in that situation, and I never thought I would be,” she said.

Ashley spent a year at the emergency shelter. Without the right support to find permanent housing, she thought she would never exit homelessness. 

“Everything is like $2,000 for rent here, so it’s really hard to find anything … it was the kids that I was worried about, and that was the biggest part, getting a place big enough for the three of us,” said Ashley. 

That’s when she met Caitlin, a Housing First coordinator with Salvation Army, hired to support the initiative. Within 32 days, Ashley had a signed lease for a three-bedroom apartment and was moving in, living with her teenage kids again after a year apart. 

“It’s been a few months, and we’re doing great. The kids are thriving here. We’ve got a park next door. We’re so close to the schools that they go to … it feels like home and I hope to be able to stay here for a long time,” Ashley said. 

“This has helped reset my life. I get to be a mom again.” 

Housing benefit bridges affordability gap 

Since moving into the house, Caitlin has worked with Ashley to connect her to longer-term income support, work on organizational skills, and connect her with parenting resources. 

Everyone that Caitlin supports has a history of chronic homelessness. Many have been experiencing homelessness for four or more years.

With the cost of housing, Caitlin said it is incredibly difficult to find a decent place for people to live that’s affordable for those with low incomes.  

The housing benefits have been essential to bridge the affordability gap, get people into housing immediately, and then start working on longer-term income options. Those other income options, whether it’s employment, social assistance, disability benefits, or longer-term housing benefits, often take longer to arrange and that can leave people stuck experiencing homelessness while they wait. 

“Being able to relieve that immediate financial pressure is such a big part of this,” said Caitlin. 

Municipal funding extends HRIF project, as community continues efforts 

The federal HRIF funding for the Collective Impact Initiative is set to end in November 2026.  

With the clear success of the project and ongoing community efforts, previously allocated funding was approved by the Community Advisory Board (the Homelessness Initiatives Strategic Committee) to support the program51�Թ��� continuation until March 31, 2027. 

Nonetheless, chronic homelessness has continued to grow in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. 

While outflow from homelessness has increased, meaning more people are exiting homelessness and finding permanent housing in Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo, inflow continues to be high, with more people entering chronic homelessness than leaving it. 

This project did improve the regional municipality51�Թ��� homelessness response system, but that improvement alone did not result in an overall reduction.

Instead of feeling defeated, they found the funding to extend the improvement project that did work, dug back into their quality By-Name Data to see why chronic homelessness continued to increase, and are trying another improvement project to meet their reduction goals. 

In April 2026, the municipality launched a second HRIF project, in partnership with CAEH, aiming to slow the inflow of people into homelessness by preventing it from happening in the first place.  

The project adds a diversion position focused on identifying people at risk of homelessness earlier and working with service providers to prevent people from falling into and getting stuck in emergency shelters and homelessness.  

“This is continuous improvement in action. As Fort McMurray knows from their success in ending veteran homelessness, this is how communities move from managing homelessness to ending it. They look at their data to see what’s working really well, and where are the opportunities to improve their homelessness response by stopping it from happening in the first place and helping more people find and maintain permanent homes faster,” said Richer. 

“Strong leadership, a united community, and a relentless focus on ending homelessness — that51�Թ��� how reductions happen.” 

*This Bright Spot is funded by the Government of Canada.

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Homelessness is hitting closer to home for more Canadians. More than one-third know someone affected by homelessness, and one in ten have personally experienced homelessness, according to new national polling that also finds strong support for government action on proven solutions.

The poll by Abacus Data on behalf of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH) reveals that the percent of Canadians who know someone affected by homelessness increased 6% from just two years ago. Fully two-thirds of Canadians said they encounter homelessness at least weekly and 36% said they encounter it daily.

Encampments, people sleeping outside and concerns about public safety are highly visible. In response, Canadians want to see governments work together to resolve the crisis.

“Homelessness is hitting closer to home for more and more Canadians,” said Tim Richter, President and CEO of CAEH. “They’re concerned for people experiencing homelessness and they’re telling us clearly they want governments to work together on solutions that achieve real and visible progress.”

The survey research found that 84% of Canadians believe homelessness can be meaningfully reduced, and fully 85% agree that governments need to collaborate more effectively on the issue. But only 34% believe governments are investing enough. Large majorities support key investments, including: expanding mental health and addiction services (80%), affordable housing initiatives (77%), and supportive housing and better government coordination (76%), which suggests that mental health and addiction services should be paired with supportive housing. Far fewer think Canada can enforce its way out of the crisis.

When it comes to preventing homelessness, respondents were provided basic information about the benefits of a housing benefit that is targeted to those at greatest risk of losing their housing and those experiencing homelessness. 72% supported government investment in this kind of housing benefit, which CAEH has since showed could reduce homelessness by over 60%.

For additional information and insights from the research, read on the survey.

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Media Contact

media@caeh.ca

The post New Poll: Homelessness Hits Closer to Home for More Canadians; They Want Government Action on Proven Solutions appeared first on 51�Թ��� to End Homelessness.

The City of Greater Sudbury is starting work on two innovative programs designed to reduce homelessness and help vulnerable residents secure and maintain housing, thanks to support from the Homelessness Reduction Innovation Fund (HRIF). 

Led by the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH) and funded by the Government of Canada, the Homelessness Reduction Innovation Fund provides financial support for innovative projects aimed at achieving measurable reductions in homelessness through data-driven, community-based solutions. The City of Greater Sudbury applied for funding in partnership with community organizations and will receive $2.5 million for two initiatives that are expected to significantly reduce chronic and unsheltered homelessness in the City: 

Pathways to Stability: Bridge Housing for Older Adults with Complex Needs ($1,110,791) will support older adults experiencing homelessness by providing Bridge Housing with supports such as individualized care plans, housing-focused case management and connections to appropriate housing and support services to help them secure and maintain stable housing. Pathways to Stability aims to reduce projected chronic homelessness by 10% over the course of the project. 

Pathways Home: A Housing-Focused Response to Unsheltered Homelessness ($1,392,599) will support individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness through Bridge Housing, intensive case management, outreach and rent supplements, helping participants overcome barriers to securing and maintaining housing. Pathways Home aims to reduce unsheltered homelessness by 10% by increasing move-ins by 114 over the course of the project. 

The projects will also support broader system improvements by enhancing housing-focused case management practices, strengthening coordination among service providers and using real-time data to measure outcomes and inform future homelessness reduction efforts. Projects will begin this fall and run until February 2028. 

Additional details about these initiatives will be announced in the coming months. 

Quotes 

“Far too many Canadians are at risk of experiencing homelessness. By working with our partners like the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness, we are helping more people find safe and stable housing. Every Canadian deserves a safe place to call home. – The Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister Responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada 

“Homelessness is a real and continuing challenge for our community. The federal government51�Թ��� partnership with the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness is important as it supports community-based solutions. Sudbury51�Թ��� decision to use this funding for chronic and unsheltered homelessness in our city is the right one. – Viviane Lapointe, Member of Parliament for Sudbury 

“These investments will help strengthen our efforts to reduce homelessness in Greater Sudbury by connecting people with stable housing and the supports they need to succeed. Through bridge housing, intensive case management and strong community partnerships, these initiatives will help more people move indoors and access services. We thank the Government of Canada and the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness for supporting innovative solutions that will strengthen our housing and homelessness system and deliver lasting benefits for our community.” – Tyler Campbell, General Manager of Community Well-being and Safety 

“Communities across Canada are facing a growing homelessness crisis, particularly unsheltered homelessness. Greater Sudbury is tackling the crisis head-on with innovative, data-driven projects that aim to achieve a measurable reduction in homelessness in Sudbury. These projects, when successful, will help other communities across the country struggling with the same problems.” – Tim Richter, President & CEO, Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness. 

About the Homelessness Reduction Innovation Fund (HRIF) 

The Homelessness Reduction Innovation Fund (HRIF) provides financial support for innovative community projects aimed at achieving measurable reductions in homelessness. HRIF is led by the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness and funded as part of the federal government51�Թ��� commitment to , as announced in Budget 2024.  

About the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness 

51�Թ��� to End Homelessness (CAEH) leads a national movement of individuals, organizations, and communities working together to end homelessness in Canada. This includes working directly with more than 60 communities, including Greater Sudbury, to prevent and end homelessness.  

-30- 

Media contact:  

City of Greater Sudbury 

communications@greatersudbury.ca  

Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness 

media@caeh.ca  

The post New Initiatives Aim to Reduce Chronic and Unsheltered Homelessness in Greater Sudbury appeared first on 51�Թ��� to End Homelessness.

Key Takeaways for Communities

• It51�Թ��� not enough to just build more housing. To reduce homelessness, communities need to know everyone experiencing homelessness by name, and match people with the right housing option and supports they need through coordinated access.
• Some people with higher levels of need require housing and support to find and maintain housing. Thanks to stable housing and comprehensive supports provided by on-site staff and community partners, residents at the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville51�Թ��� (UCLG) Movement to Improvement HRIF project have reported better physical and mental health, less involvement in the justice system, and a reduced calls to community emergency services like police and paramedics.  
• Strong political leadership and support, and close coordination between all levels of government does move the needle. UCLG51�Թ��� reduction in chronic homelessness happened because municipal, county, provincial and federal resources were used in coordination with non-profits to create and operate new permanent supportive housing.  
• Supported by HRIF, UCLG innovated their approach to bring all levels of government together for the first time to deliver both the housing units and the supports needed to help people with the highest level of need maintain their homes. 

At the far end of Brockville, Ont., there are rows upon rows of tiny homes, tucked away on a city-owned plot of grassy land overlooking the St. Lawrence River.  

A former dormitory-style building converted into 24 additional one-bedroom units sits alongside the tiny homes.  

These units, located on a previously vacant property, have become home to a community of 49 people previously experiencing chronic homelessness in the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville (UCLG), a mostly rural county located a couple hours’ drive west of Ottawa. 

The relatively rapid development of these 49 supportive housing units has helped UCLG reduce chronic homelessness by 49 per cent from October 2025 to August 2026.

“For many years, we had no resources … homelessness was increasing … and it was very defeating. You would see the same people coming in [looking for housing and support] day after day, and we didn’t really have anything to offer them,” said Tracy Birtch, who worked for the past five years as the team leader of homelessness for UCLG.  

“Seeing how something like this can come together and actually see some change, actually see some progress, actually see our numbers going down … just demonstrated that it is possible [to end homelessness],” she said.  

Using provincial funding through the Homelessness Prevention Program, the Ontario Priorities Housing Initiative, and municipal funding, UCLG was able to construct the first 25 supportive cabins on land leased to the Counties by the City of Brockville. In support of the project, the City of Brockville waived the lease fee for the first year of operations.  

The John Howard Society (JHS) of Kingston and District signed on to operate the supportive housing and started filling the units in February 2025 with people who’ve been experiencing homelessness for the longest time, prioritized and referred from the county51�Թ��� By-Name Data (BND) and coordinated access table.  

Later that fall, UCLG entered into a strategic partnership with the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH), receiving $836,220 in federal funding from the Homelessness Reduction Innovation Fund (HRIF) to open and staff an additional 24 one-bedroom supportive housing units in the adjacent building. HRIF supports data-driven improvement projects that aim to measurably reduce homelessness at a population level, while developing lessons that can support similar efforts across Canada.  

CAEH improvement advisors worked with UCLG to design the project based on community-level data and local needs. They provided ongoing coaching to ensure the project aligns with Housing First principles and to ensure onsite case management aligns with best practices, so every resident has access to the supports they need.  

The project helped usher into the county for the first time a new model of housing with intensive supports for people with the highest level of need, thanks to a blended funding model that combined municipal, county, provincial and federal resources along with sector expertise from non-profits.  

“It was one of the first times locally we saw our municipal government join the United Counties in the facilitation of this project with both provincial and federal funding dollars,” said Robyn Holmes, assistant executive director for JHS of Kingston and District.  

“We’ve had support from our local Member of Parliament and Members of Provincial Parliament … rooting for us and cheering us on every step of the way,” she said.  

This project demonstrates what is possible when political leaders make reducing homelessness a priority, and work together to make resources and homes available, said Francisco Urrutia, CAEH51�Թ��� lead improvement advisor for UCLG.  

“UCLG is working hard to build a strong homelessness response system. They know everyone experiencing homelessness by name, and agencies are working collectively to match people with the housing and supports they need,” Urrutia said.  

“This means they were primed to capitalize on the new supportive housing units and substantially reduce homelessness in the county by offering the right kind of housing and the right supports to those who’ve been experiencing homelessness the longest.”  

When housing comes first, healing follows closely  

On a sunny Wednesday afternoon, a team of people swept into a modular building beside the supportive cabins, sliding chairs to desks and setting up a makeshift medical examination room.  

Some were there to help residents apply for identification, get their health cards, sign up for the federal dental program or for provincial income assistance programs.  

Debbie Champ, a nurse practitioner with the Summit Community Paramedic outreach team, was there to do medical check-ups — an important service for many of the residents who don’t have a primary care physician, in a city without a walk-in clinic.  

“Without housing, how can you start to stabilize your food or have any healthcare? People are living under tremendous stress trying to figure out how to keep themselves safe, how to keep themselves warm … most people are just in survival mode all the time,” said Champ.  

“Without housing, they don’t have any chance of healthcare … so we go to them and that51�Թ��� what we’re doing here, because this is a place where many people who were formerly unhoused are living.”

While people are experiencing homelessness, healthcare mostly focuses on crisis response, making sure people have dry and warm clothes and shoes, sufficient food, and wound care. But once people have stable housing, then they can focus on normalizing their medication use and start to work on chronic health conditions and preventive healthcare, like diabetes, COPD, hypertension, vaccinations and cancer screenings, Champ said.  

Housing is a key social determinant of health. Stable, affordable housing is closely linked to reduced need for emergency health services and improved mental and physical health. First responders have told the John Howard Society that the number of emergency service calls they’ve received has declined since the supportive housing complex opened.  

That includes involvement with the justice system.  

Jessie had been homeless for several years in Brockville — sometimes staying on a friend51�Թ��� couch and sometimes trying to find a place to sleep outside.  

“One thing you take for granted is having access to a shower. I hate bad smells, so it drives me nuts to not have access to showers and basic human necessities,” he said.  

Jessie has been in and out of the legal system since he was a kid.  

“I have trust issues. I have troubles with authority. I have literally every acronym out there: ODD, ADHD, OCD, PTSD … I have troubles with a lot of social and other things that other people would find easy,” he said.  

This is just the second time since Jessie was 12 that he51�Թ��� been out of jail, off probation, and not facing any criminal charges. He credits that to his intensive case manager, who51�Թ��� helped him stay organized, get to court and follow his probation orders.  

“It takes a lot of anxiety off me … she just understood me. She took the time … she was very patient and persistent.”  

A permanent home for some, a ‘stepping stone’ for others  

Everyone offered a place at the supportive housing program in UCLG had been experiencing homelessness for six months or longer.  

Steve became homeless and spent almost a year living on the street after his apartment complex burned down in a fire.  

Jerry never experienced homelessness until his dad passed away, but he couldn’t pay rent and ended up living outside for several years.   

Kevin worked his entire life, buying his own home at 19. After a family breakdown, he moved out of the house, staying with friends or in shorter-term rentals. After a severe illness left him permanently unable to work, and an unexpected eviction from his bedbug-infested rental, Kevin became stuck in homelessness for several years.  

“I went from owning a house to now, I’m homeless, all within a couple years. It was just total downhill, one after another … I thought it wasn’t going to end for a long time. Things just kept getting worse and worse,” he said.  

For all three men, born and raised in Brockville, it was an unexpected series of unplanned crises that cost them their homes. With rental prices surging and a lack of deeply affordable housing, they became entrenched in homelessness.  

“It took a lot of time, but here I am. Things are starting to look better,” Kevin said.  

At the supportive housing program, people have a permanent place to call home. They can stay as long as they like. But there are supports available for those who want to find their own place and live more independently in private market or nonmarket housing.  

That51�Թ��� the goal for all three.  

“This place is a stepping stone to get back into my own place … I’m looking for something nice, something small … but it51�Թ��� a money thing, and I think it is for most of the people here. They can’t afford it. Either you pay your rent or you starve,” said Steve.  

There has been a reduction in the number of units in the area that are deeply affordable for people experiencing homelessness and with the lowest income, said Robyn Holmes of the JHS for Kingston and District.  

The local John Howard Society is trying to build more relationships with local landlords and are exploring a wide range of additional housing options, including room rentals and family networks, but affordable options are still quite limited in a small community like Brockville, Holmes said.  

Meanwhile, housing subsidies can help bridge the gap between someone51�Թ��� income and the price of rent, but they are few in number, difficult to access — often requiring a lease in hand — and are not long-term subsidies, which puts someone with a fixed income at risk of falling back into homelessness if the subsidy ends.

“Ultimately, we want to see everyone in safe housing that is appropriate and accessible for them and their physical, mental and emotional needs. That51�Թ��� what they deserve,” said Holmes.  

The United Counties has a 10-year plan to reduce homelessness, including a goal to create 150 supportive housing units by 2035. This supportive housing complex has helped UCLG reach one-third of that goal.  

But to reduce, end and ultimately prevent homelessness, the county needs more deeply affordable, nonmarket and supportive housing, with the resources to offer the supports people need to maintain their homes for the long-term. 

*This Bright Spot is funded by the Government of Canada.

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This story was on 16 September 2026.

Ottawa should invest in intensive housing for Canadians with severe cognitive impairment, a small but uniquely visible and costly subgroup in the homeless population that no current housing model is designed to serve, a leading organization on homelessness argues.

51�Թ��� to End Homelessness, a national charity, has submitted a proposal on the issue to the federal government ahead of its coming budget.

Advocates, housing agencies and front-line clinicians say intensive housing could be the missing piece in Canada51�Թ��� housing system for this medically complex and underserved segment of society.

In a policy proposal sent to Prime Minister Mark Carney51�Թ��� government and provided to The Globe and Mail, the CAEH is lobbying Ottawa for a $2-billion investment to build 6,250 intensive units across the country catered to people who are chronically homeless with severe, permanent cognitive impairment.

The proposed model for intensive housing would be secure or semi-secure units with 24-7 staff, including nurses and health care aides, similar to a dementia unit.

Monty Ghosh, an inner-city physician in Alberta, said he often treats this highly vulnerable group of unhoused people who are living with severe, permanent cognitive impairment as a result of traumatic brain injuries, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, trauma and substance use.

He said the cognitive impairment is so severe that they are unable to manage their own housing or safety but there is nowhere for them to go. They are stuck in a revolving door between hospitals, shelters and the criminal-justice system.

Dr. Ghosh, who worked with the CAEH on its proposal, estimates that between 20 and 30 per cent of the homeless population fits into this category.

Tim Richter, president of the organization, said intervening to house this medically complex population will not only support people in dire need of help but would reduce public-safety incidents – a lightning-rod issue for governments of all stripes.

“It51�Թ��� unsettling if you see someone in the throes of this kind of disability on the train into work or unconscious on the side of the road,” said Mr. Richter. “We just need to make sure that there is a humane, effective and appropriate housing solution for them – and that51�Թ��� not a jail.”

He said intensive housing for this population is an alternative to involuntary addictions treatment, which is gaining political traction across Canada and set to soon come into practice in Saskatchewan and Alberta. Just last month, Ontario51�Թ��� Big City Mayors group asked the province to review existing mental health laws with the goal of expanding involuntary treatment.

But Mr. Richter stressed that this population with irreversible cognitive impairment will not recover after involuntary intervention and would benefit from lifelong housing rather than a short stint in an involuntary treatment centre. He said these individuals should not be in a prison-like setting.

Intensive housing sites would also have on-site occupational therapy, physiotherapy and cognitive rehabilitation, in addition to addiction and mental-health supports when needed, according to the proposal. The model is mirrored after long-term care “not on psychiatric institutionalization” and its core goals are rehabilitation, stability and dignity.

It would not be appropriate for all Canadians experiencing homelessness, but for those who have not been able to stabilize in shelters or through other forms of housing and have no capacity for individual decision-making, it states.

Dr. Ghosh said he often has to send these patients back onto the streets.

“I discharge patients with dementia, Alzheimer51�Թ���, traumatic brain injury from motor-vehicle accidents to these long-term care facilities for lifetime support and yet I can’t discharge these individuals to those facilities,” said Dr. Ghosh.

He explained that it is also difficult to find these patients’ families, which leads to a lengthy public guardianship process.

The Carney Liberals have made housing a key commitment, recently announcing a $2.7 billion investment for 18 projects across Toronto. The Liberals have also created a federal Crown corporation, Build Canada Homes, to accelerate the construction of affordable housing across Canada.

Arianna Durgerian, press secretary to Canada51�Թ��� Minister of Housing and Infrastructure, Gregor Robertson, declined to comment on the intensive housing proposal.

She said the federal government is focused on building up the supply of affordable and supportive housing and is working with other levels of government to do so.

Mr. Richter said building intensive housing would be expensive but is cheaper than ignoring the problem.

The proposal notes that people in this subgroup visit EDs and are admitted to hospital frequently, costing between $1,000 and $3,000 per emergency department visit and between $1,500 and $2,500 daily for a hospital admission.

“The downstream savings from stabilizing this population in appropriate residential care are substantial and accrue directly to provincial health, justice and social-service budgets,” the document states, before outlining an ethical obligation.

“Leaving people with the functional cognitive capacity of a young child to navigate street homelessness unprotected is an abdication of care.”

Sandra Clarkson, chief executive of the Calgary Drop-In Centre, one of the largest emergency shelters in North America, said the shelter system was never designed to serve this complex population but is the only place for these individuals to go.

She said intensive housing is badly needed and could help hundreds of people currently seeking shelter at the Drop-In.

“This is not a homelessness issue alone. It51�Թ��� a health care, cognitive disability issue that is showing up in homelessness.”

Read more about the policy recommendation for the next national housing strategy.

The post Ottawa urged to fund intensive housing for homeless Canadians with cognitive impairments appeared first on 51�Թ��� to End Homelessness.

Key Takeaways for Communities

• Non-market and private market landlords have a crucial role to play in ending homelessness—preventing it before it happens by working with tenants to understand issues that are challenging the tenancy, and offering supports where possible. 

• There are many agencies and resources in every community that are working toward the same goal: keeping people housed. No one agency or landlord can offer the full range of supports that people need. Find those agencies in your community—often they’ll be at the coordinated access table.

• The National Conference to End Homelessness gave Dana White the knowledge, the tools and the contacts to help Civida, the largest community housing provider in Edmonton, prevent evictions and foster more successful tenancies.

Doors for coming and going. A wall of steel mailboxes. Elevators pinging.  

Looking at it, you might think this is a typical lobby. It51�Թ��� anything but. 

For staff and residents at O’Day-min Village, the lobby is a gathering place. 

On this day, Aunty Donna has come by for the weekly “Cooking with Aunty” session. People take turns learning to make bannock, and cook dozens of burgers for a community barbecue, thanks to a partnership with the community agency Amity House. 

Residents decorate small leaves to hang on a lobby tree. 

A nearby grocery store drops off boxes of donations — fresh bread and fruit — for residents to take, as needed. 

“It51�Թ��� the Grand Central station of it all … it51�Թ��� for those high fives with staff when somebody got a job interview. It51�Թ��� for the conversations when someone is struggling with something,” said Dana White, a district manager with Civida, the largest community housing provider in Edmonton. 

The complex is filled with a diverse cross-section of people, from families to seniors, newcomers to Canada to people with long histories experiencing homelessness, and relationships across age, cultural, ethnic and linguistic diversities, all living under one roof. 

When Civida acquired the 149-unit apartment complex in 2023, it became the largest singular expansion of community housing in Edmonton in years. One hundred units are deeply affordable, with residents paying a set price of 30 per cent of their income, and the remaining units are near-market rentals, costing 20 per cent below market rent. 

But Civida didn’t just want to expand their housing stock. They wanted to try something different to reduce evictions and build community — something they’ve worked hard to accomplish in the last three years. 

“It51�Թ��� certainly not just managing housing, and it51�Թ��� not just managing tenants. It is making sure every tenant here feels that they’re part of a community and that they’re loved. And we’ve seen such a difference when somebody knows they’re cared for and safe,” said White. 

When White started with Civida as a compliance clerk, her job included working with tenants whose housing was already at risk of being ended due to financial, behavioural or lease-related issues.

But, listening to tenants she heard stories of past trauma. People who didn’t feel heard or valued. Family breakdowns. Physical and mental health struggles. Job loss.   

“I ask them, ‘where would you be if you weren’t here?’ And generally, it51�Թ��� couch surfing, or at a shelter, or out on the street begging for a home,” White said. 

“The stakes are so high. When you’re in community housing, you’re already so vulnerable. You’re struggling financially. There51�Թ��� no place to go.” 

More than 3,700 people in Edmonton are experiencing homelessness, according to the . The vast majority have been homeless for more than six months. 

Shifting from compliance to eviction prevention 

In 2023, White attended the National Conference on Ending Homelessness in Halifax. 

“I cried every day I was there in the best ways. I made notes in every breakout room. I was extremely inspired. It was so simple: Nobody wants to lose their home. And if you don’t want to lose your home, and I can help you … let51�Թ��� connect, let51�Թ��� come up with a plan together,” she said.  

White said she learned more about the realities and common barriers to housing facing people experiencing homelessness. She was equipped with the tools and resources she needed to help prevent evictions, learning from experts across the country. 

She learned she wasn’t alone in wanting to do this work. 

“Those agencies are out there, and I suppose I didn’t know we could go get them. I didn’t know we could say, ‘Hey, I have a tenant who is about to be evicted, here51�Թ��� their story that I’m sharing with permission. What is it that your organization can do?’” 

White left the conference armed with contacts, empowered to build bridges with other agencies that shared the same goal of keeping people housed.

It was the exact knowledge she needed to support Civida51�Թ��� ongoing transformation toward being more than just a landlord and focusing on sustainable tenancies. 

Now, instead of just moving to evict people, White and her team have conversations, and offer connection, care and support. Building trust as a foundation to honest, two-way communication is the magic key, she said. 

“Now that I know what you’re struggling with, let51�Թ��� see who can help. Maybe it51�Թ��� Civida, but it51�Թ��� generally our community partners. I come back to my office and start sending out emails, with consent, saying ‘hey, we have this tenant, this is what they’re struggling with — food insecurity, arrears, domestic violence, addiction,” said White. 

“And 99 per cent of the time, people are coming to the table. The tenant has agreed to the help, and that tenancy is now on the way to being successful, sustainable and healthy.” 

As the District B Housing Clerk, Doreen says her job is mostly “chasing people for accounts and paperwork,” ensuring tenants are submitting the necessary documents and paying their rent. 

Many residents come in with existing, often multi-generational trauma of housing instability and a challenging relationship with prior landlords, potentially including a history of being evicted. 

Some new tenants expect the same treatment from Civida, Doreen said. Instead, she prioritizes building relationships with tenants founded on trust. When issues come up, she helps problem solve, which can look like connecting them to community-based resources or having open and frank conversations.

“When I’m honest with them and I’m helpful, they start to trust me, and they’ll start coming before the problem escalates to the point where their tendency is shaky,” said Doreen. 

She is regularly in contact with other agencies in the community that offer support to tenants. 

Some time ago, she connected with Bent Arrow, an Indigenous traditional healing society with housing programs in Edmonton. Together, they helped many tenants overcome significant rent arrears, creating stability for families who were at risk of losing their housing. 

‘People need people’ 

Sharon, 67, is one of the first people that White met when she started working for Civida.  

She moved into the building in 2020. Sharon is short and spirited, standing at just 4’9”. 

“I used to be 5’1, you know.” 

For years, she drove transport trucks and heavy machinery across Western Canada. Her career and source of income ended abruptly when she broke her back. 

For 10 years, Sharon lived on and off in her car, until she was offered a place in her current home in 2020, before it was taken over by Civida. 

“I didn’t know anybody. Everybody was cheery. I went to bed that night and I thought, no rain to get me? That51�Թ��� new … this is an awesome place. They made me feel welcome,” she said.

To say Sharon doesn’t get along with everyone would be an understatement. She51�Թ��� quick to call out residents for behaviours she doesn’t like and is apt to take things into her own hands if she doesn’t think those behaviours are being dealt with appropriately. 

“I’m just me, right. I’m in your face. Bold. And if you can’t do it right, get out of here. And Civida seems to get me, because I’m still here. They haven’t kicked me out yet, and I’m pretty sure they have grounds,” she said. 

But Sharon likes most of the tenants at O’Day-min Village. 

“People need people. We need somebody that, if I want to sit and talk to, I can. Just anybody that walks past me, if I’m not having a good day, they’ll ask me what51�Թ��� wrong … they tell me it51�Թ��� going to be better,” she said. 

Carmen feels that same sense of community. She spends most of her days in the resource room and the community garden, right by the lobby at O’Day-min. She usually gets the coffee going in the mornings, and welcomes new residents when they move in. 

It51�Թ��� a big change since she moved in four years ago.

“I was an angry person. I was mad at the world. I didn’t talk to anybody, I just kept to myself.” 

She was wracked with grief, having just lost her husband and her house in a fire. Unable to stay in her home First Nation, Carmen moved to Edmonton and was accepted into O’Day-min after months splitting time between her daughter51�Թ��� place and a hotel. 

“The staff here care about you. They helped me grow, I just see so much of a difference in the four years that I’ve been here. And now it51�Թ��� just like my big happy family here. I don’t have to feel alone,” Carmen said. 

Building community must be intentional 

David Berger worked to build community at O’Day-min Village from 2023 to 2025 as the Community Connector, in a pilot project funded by the city. 

When he started, Berger said there was already a sense of community in the building, thanks in large part to one longtime resident named Tim. 

He would make birthday cakes for residents on their birthdays, and hosted a monthly barbecue for the entire building, food cooked and paid for exclusively by Tim alone. He took a lead role in caring for the community garden. 

Tim died in the spring of 2026, but his legacy of bringing residents together for shared meals continues to this day. 

Part of Berger51�Թ��� work involved creating additional social opportunities like bingo nights and movie nights. But he also focused on identifying residents’ needs and bringing in community agencies who could help people build greater financial and food security and improve their physical and mental health. 

“Our driving motive was to bring both the enjoyment side of things, but also on the service side to help people feel connected to the supports that they needed,” Berger said.

Many people living in social or community housing are struggling with personal and multi-generational trauma, but they don’t have needs acute enough to require permanent supportive housing, which often has 24/7 onsite support services. 

The challenge for social housing providers is to take that next step beyond just housing, to look at the fundamental causes why people feel disengaged or marginalized by the broader community and think about what it means to help residents heal at their own pace, Berger said. 

“Social housing providers know that a roof over one51�Թ��� head is not enough. But the gap is really the ability to find the money that would help bring resources and build that sense of community.” 

When those housing providers find a way to build community and offer those supports, it has the potential to change lives and create housing security. 

*This Bright Spot is funded by the Government of Canada.

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