The Improving the Health of Canadians 2007-2009 report series is comprised of three reports on mental health that focus on the determinants of mental health among Canada's vulnerable populations.

The Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness sponsored three events as part of Homelessness Action Week, Oct. 11-17 2009.

The Homelessness Action Week 2009 organizing committee selected events with the intention of bringing “non-believers” to the cause of ending homelessness - in other words, events which would draw in the broader community. These were:

• Project Connect, a service fair for the street community;
• A round table discussion - and backpack drive - for local secondary students featuring a panel of people who have experienced homelessness; and
• “Art and Soul”, an art show featuring the art and music of people who have experienced homelessness.

Ottawa (December 8, 2009) – A major Senate report tabled today is declaring that Canada’s system for lifting people out of poverty is substantially broken and must be overhauled.
“We began this study by focusing on the most vulnerable city-dwellers in the country, those whose lives are marginalized by poverty, housing challenges and homelessness.” stated Senator Art Eggleton, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology’s Subcommittee on Cities. “As our research evolved, so too did our frustration and concern as we repeatedly heard accounts of policies and programs only making living in poverty more manageable – which essentially entraps people."

State and Local Initiatives

Homelessness is a national problem with local solutions. No one federal agency, no one level of government and no one sector of the community can reach the goal of ending homelessness alone. Federal agency collaborations and partnerships with state and local governments and the private and faith-based and community sectors are key to achieving the objectives of preventing and ending homelessness. The Council has established a broad range of intergovernmental partnerships:

In August 2006, the BC Ministry of Health – Mental Health and Addictions Branch asked the Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health and Addiction (CARMHA) at Simon Fraser University to provide up-to-date information with regard to the scope of homelessness in BC, recommended solutions and associated costs.

On December 19, 2006 the Federal Government announced the creation of the Homelessness Partnering Strategy (HPS), replacing the National Homelessness Initiative (NHI). The Homelessness Partnering Initiative (HPI), a cornerstone of the HPS, takes a "housing first" approach; that is, finding safe, affordable, appropriate housing as the first step in no longer being homeless. Funding under the HPI began in September 2007.
On June 12, 2007, the Victoria Steering Committee on Homelessness (VSCH) held a strategic planning session to identify community priorities on homelessness to fund through the HPI. Given the growing numbers and needs of the homeless in the Capital Region, as evidenced by the February 2007 Homeless Needs Survey and a rental vacancy rate of O.8%, the VSCH determined that HPI funds would most impact the situation if used to provide housing. Within the limitations (total funding of $1,389,658 for 2007-09), the VSCH designated all available funds to their first priority: capital investment for new permanent, safe, transitional and supportive housing.

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Despite the good work being done to support Victoria's most vulnerable population, the pressures on the streets of Victoria are reaching a breaking point. Victoria needs a community-owned solution to end homelessness for its residents.

In May 2007, Mayor Lowe struck a short-term, 120-day task force to recommend a service model and business plan that would provide better assistance to residents challenged with mental illness, addictions and/or homelessness. Chaired by Councillor Charlayne Thornton-Joe, the Mayor's Task Force was charged with breaking down the issue of homelessness in Victoria and developing a new service delivery model that will be a substantial shift in the way we all respond to our community's social and health challenges.

The Task Force recommendations frame an action plan that aims to reorganize support and services and deliver them in a more effective way to help people get well and integrated into the community.

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What “housing first” means to people housed
under Toronto’s Streets to Homes program
Preliminary Findings of 2007
post-occupancy research

National Alliance to End Homelessness Conference, Washington, DC, July 10, 2007
Iain De Jong, City of Toronto
Shelter, Support and Housing Administration Division

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2007 Victoria CMA Assets Inventory - Homeless and At-Risk.

Victoria CMA is a publication of Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). In 2007 they published a comprehensive inventory of programs and services provided by a wide array of agencies on the southern island. Most information is still current.

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The following report is a summary of the key findings and recommendations of the Phase 2 (April 1, 2003- March 31, 2007) Victoria Community Plan Assessment (CPA) of the National Homelessness Initiative (NHI). Since Phase 1 of the NHI (2000-2003), the Victoria Steering Committee on Homelessness (VSCH) has been responsible for the administration of the Plan and the allocation of project funding. The CPA is intended to be a learning tool, enabling both the local community and the Housing and Homelessness Branch of HRSDC to better understand which strategies are useful in assisting individuals who are homeless or at-risk of homeless to move to greater housing stability.

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An edited collection
of the works of the
Women’s Housing Action Team
Marge Reitsma-Street, Arlene Wells, Carolyn Fast and Dianne de Champlain
(Editors)
December 1, 2005
Faculty of Human and Social Development
Victoria, British Columbia
Produced by the Women’s Housing Action Team

Click here for report.