Canada-Quebec Homelessness Agreement – Organizations Call for Respect for a Global Approach: Quebec News

While many media outlets are constantly experiencing over-the-top episodes, they are concerned that the signs of this deal will guide the allocation of the new program. To home, set goals and resources that will go against the expertise and know-how developed in Quebec.

Homelessness groups call for this agreement to respect the autonomy of the organizations and to support the various actions to prevent and reduce the phenomenon. The National Assembly was unanimous in June to call for federal funding To home serve to support the different actions envisaged in the National Homelessness Policy, adopted in Quebec in 2014.

Although Minister Danielle McCann has clearly expressed the position of the Quebec government in favor of a global fight against homelessness, the final content of the Canada-Quebec Agreement remains unknown. Above all, federal targets raise concerns about this agreement, whose signature is expected before the election call.

Orientations targeting poorly

The Canadian government announced $ 2.2 billion in funding over 10 years to To home, of which more than $ 30 million a year is allocated to Quebec. For 20 years, federal homelessness programs have consistently supported various essential actions to prevent and reduce homelessness. With its new program, the government is announcing a change.

Ottawa aims to reduce chronic homelessness by half in Canada in 10 years. However, this emphasizes the tip of the iceberg rather than acting against the problem as a whole. Targeting only chronic homelessness, the federal program will not be able to achieve its goal of supporting homelessness groups. Prevention is key in the fight against homelessness. Although it is difficult to quantify, it is necessary to reduce the phenomenon.

The For the few homeless, we need to help act on all the realities of homelessness and make it even more difficult. Avoid the street and get out is not the title of the Policy adopted in Quebec, but it is a key strategy that must support federal funding. Laury Bacro, RSIQ coordinator said.

Homelessness develops in multiple ways and faces and facing it requires so many answers. It's often hidden, especially for women, but it's still real. For RSIQ and RAPSIM, it is important to support the resources that help people living in this situation, even if they do not fall into the category of chronic homelessness.

Essential community planning

The strength of federal homelessness programs has always been to let the regions have a community plan that identifies needs, sets goals and priorities, and recommends funding. The community plan promoted the deployment of various interventions responding to community needs.

These concerted practices are now threatened by the implementation of a coordinated approach, another important federal orientation. A coordinated approach aims to set up a centralized computer data collection system, targeting only the homeless. Hundreds of groups have already expressed their opposition to this system, which could, if implemented, prevent actions already in place.

The Regional community planning has been the strength of this federal assistance. Thus, in Montreal, we have been able to support various forms of intervention, housing, improvement of local organizations and financing of new social housing for the homeless. This has to stay! Pierre Gaudreau, director of RAPSIM, said.

The press conference was held on Sainte-Catherine Street East, in Hochelaga, where Community Housing Avenue turned dilapidated buildings into social housing for tormented youth. Federal funding for homelessness has contributed to this project, as well as the development in Montreal of more than 1,500 housing units by various organizations over the last 20 years.

The RSIQ consists of 14 regional routes and totals over 300 organizations across Quebec.

RAPSIM is the RSIQ member council of Montreal, where it has 110 member organizations.