The Supporting Communities Partnership Initiative (SCPI) is a key component of the Government of Canada's National Homelessness Initiative that focuses on community efforts to address homelessness. It has been implemented in communities across the country and relies on private and public partnerships at the local level. As the SCPI enters its third year, 61 communities have come together to examine the problem of homelessness and have developed comprehensive plans to mobilize their efforts to assist the most vulnerable citizens in their neighbourhoods.

In recognition that these communities have now all completed their planning process, the Honourable Claudette Bradshaw, Minister of Labour and Federal Coordinator on Homelessness sought their input for this report. Ten communities were asked for an open and frank review of both the challenges and successes they experienced during the planning phase of the Initiative. They were asked to share their views and experiences. (A summary of their comments are included in the following pages of this report.)

The ten communities who have participated in this report were chosen because their progress under the SCPI was far enough along to be able to provide examples of best practices as well as other information that could inform others about lessons learned along the way. These communities are Greater Vancouver, Victoria, Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer, Sudbury, Hamilton, Ottawa, Halifax and St. John's.