THE NATIONAL HOMELESS INITIATIVE
A Guide to the
Supporting Communities Partnerships Initiative
(SCPI)
CONTENTS
FOREWORD
- PART I – THE NATIONAL HOMELESSNESS INITIATIVE
- A PURPOSE OF THE GUIDE
B BACKGROUND
The Supporting
Communities Partnership Initiative (SCPI)
Youth Homelessness
Strategy
Urban Aboriginal Strategy
(UAS)
C ELIGIBILITY FOR SCPI FUNDING
Allocation of Funds
Eligible Organizations
Eligible Activities
Individual
Projects
Eligible Costs
Planning
Implementation
Administration
Urgent Needs Projects
D THE SCPI PROCESS
INTRODUCTION
1. PLANNING
Community Planning
Process
The Nine Basic Elements
of a Community Plan
1. Geographic
Area
2. Objectives
3. Community
Plan Development Process
4. Assets
and Gaps
5. Priorities
6. Sustainability
7. Evaluation
8. Communications
Plan
9. Community
Financial Contribution
2. DECISION MAKING
Governance
Community
Advisory Boards
Community
Service Providers
E APPROVALS
-
- PART II - OTHER COMPONENTS OF THE NATIONAL
HOMELESSNESS INITIATIVE
- Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)
Programs
Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program (RRAP)
Shelter Enhancement Program (SEP)
Canadian Centre for Public-Private Partnerships in
Housing (CCPPPH)
Surplus Federal Real Property for Homelessness
Initiative
GLOSSARY
ANNEX 1 Regional Contacts on Homelessness
ANNEX 2 City Facilitators on Homelessness
ANNEX 3 Regional Contacts, Phone Numbers and
Addresses Youth Initiatives Directorate
Let us know what you think!
FOREWORD
For ease of reading by a variety of audiences,
this document has been written in plain language.
However, a Glossary appears at the end of the text, to define
specific or more technical terms that are used in other material
relating to the SCPI program.
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PART I
THE NATIONAL HOMELESSNESS INITIATIVE
A. PURPOSE OF THE GUIDE
This document provides general information on the programs included in
the Government of Canada’s National Homelessness Initiative (NHI), and
specific direction for community groups wishing to develop proposals for
funding under the Supporting Communities Partnership Initiative (SCPI).
The Guide sets out the principles and components of SCPI, describes the
funding criteria and outlines the process for the development and approval
of plans and proposals. In addition, two key components of the NHI -
the Youth Homelessness Strategy and the Urban Aboriginal
Strategy - are explained in the front section of the document.
Part II, on page 25, provides information on other elements of
the National Homelessness Initiative that could be of interest to
community groups. Contact information about HRDC’s coordinators of
Homelessness and Youth programs are provided in tables at the end of the
document.
B. BACKGROUND
On December 17, 1999, the Government of Canada announced that it would
invest $753 million over three years, in a strategy designed to facilitate
collaborative approaches - among governments, the voluntary and private
sectors - to address the challenges posed by the homeless throughout
Canada. The National Homeless Initiative recognizes that no one
level of government or sector of Canadian society can, alone, solve the
problem of homelessness. The three basic components of the
Homelessness Initiative are described below.
1. The Supporting Communities Partnership
Initiative (SCPI)
The SCPI is a demonstration program, aimed at encouraging communities to work with provincial, territorial and municipal governments and the private and voluntary sectors to address the immediate needs of homeless people. The goal is to reduce - and prevent - homelessness over the medium and longer term. Although homelessness exists across Canada, the particular problems associated with it are quite different from one community to another. Consequently, the SCPI is designed to support local, community-based efforts to identify priorities, plan and develop appropriate actions, and recommend how funds should be allocated to support the identified actions.
Objectives
The SCPI has five specific objectives:
1. To alleviate the hardship of those who are currently without shelter
by increasing, for example, the number of beds available in
shelters. This may be done either directly - by providing additional
shelter space, or indirectly - by providing alternative housing for
current long-term shelter residents.
2. To promote a coordinated series of programs and initiatives aimed at
reducing homelessness.
3. To strengthen the capacity of communities to address the needs of
homeless people and to reduce homelessness, by bringing community service
providers together to develop plans that address individual needs in a
seamless and coordinated fashion.
4. To promote the development of collaborative processes and
broad-based partnerships among all stakeholders - including the private
sector, the non-profit sector, the voluntary sector, labour organizations
and all levels of government - to address homelessness at a community
level.
5. To develop a base of knowledge, expertise and data about
homelessness, and share it among all concerned parties and with the
general public.
Funding for this initiative amounts to $305 million over three years,
and applies to communities in one of two categories.
- Eighty percent of the funding is targeted at 10 cities that have
documented a significant number of people who are currently without
long-term shelter. They are Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton,
Winnipeg, Hamilton, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City and
Halifax.
- The remaining 20 percent of SCPI funds are directed at smaller
communities - in every province and territory - that are able to
demonstrate a homelessness problem. Identification of
these communities was made jointly by the federal and provincial or
territorial government.
In both categories, the SCPI will match the funding from non-federal
sources that has been identified by each community, to a maximum of the
total amount allocated for the community. Each community must
provide - or document commitments for - 50% percent of the total project
budget, in order to receive matching funds.
2. Youth Homelessness Strategy
The federal government has allocated an additional $59 million over
three years, to address homelessness among youth. This component is
delivered in collaboration with the Youth Employment Initiatives of Human
Resources Development Canada (HRDC).
Projects to address Youth Homelessness do not require a 50 percent
community contribution, nor is the funding limited to those communities
identified under SCPI. However, all youth projects funded in a city
that receives SCPI funding must be linked to the Community Plan to address
overall homelessness.
Organizations wishing to participate in this initiative should contact
their nearest HRDC Youth Officer or Homeless Coordinator for more
information. [see Annexes]
3. Urban Aboriginal Strategy (UAS)
In the third key component of the NHI, funds amounting to $59 million
are being targeted toward the needs of Aboriginal people through the Urban
Aboriginal Strategy (UAS). The UAS, announced in January 1998, is a
mechanism that brings federal departments together to ensure that their
programs more effectively serve urban Aboriginal communities. The
Regional Council of Senior Federal Officials in each province or territory
will develop a plan to flow the funding to specified federal departments
for delivery of projects to prevent and reduce Aboriginal homelessness.
Projects under UAS do not require a 50 percent community contribution,
nor is funding limited to those communities identified under SCPI.
However, Aboriginal projects funded in a city receiving SCPI funds must be
linked to the community plan to address overall homelessness. It is
important to ensure that Aboriginal concerns are integrated into the SCPI
plan through consultation and representation on the planning committee.
Organizations interested in participating in this process, or applying
for funding under this component, should contact the nearest HRDC
Homelessness or Aboriginal Coordinator for more information.
Coordinators can advise communities on which federal departments will be
delivering funding in their regions, and provide appropriate contact
information.
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C. ELIGIBILITY FOR SCPI FUNDING
Allocation of Funds
Eighty percent of SCPI funding has been allocated to 10 urban centres
(see page 7 for explanation). The balance goes to other communities
that have significant homelessness problems.
Eligible Organizations
Individuals, not-for-profit organizations and municipal governments are
eligible to receiving funding. Public health and educational
institutions may be eligible for funding, with the agreement of the
province/territory government.
For-profit enterprises are eligible, provided that the nature and
intent of the activity is non-commercial and conforms to the plan to
address homelessness that has been developed by the community (the
Community Plan). In addition, businesses may receive funding to
assist them in providing work experience for the homeless.
Eligible Activities
Project activities eligible for a federal contribution under the SCPI
must not only fit within the Community Plan, but must also fall within the
scope of eligible SCPI activities. These include:
- ongoing planning related to building within the community, the
capacity to address a wide spectrum of homelessness issues such as
prevention, the need for transitional and supportive housing, and
socio-economic inclusion of homeless people;
- activities that strengthen the capacity of community organizations
to address the needs of the homeless, including proposal development,
organizational assistance (strategic planning, board training,
conflict resolution, decision making, etc.) access to workshops and
other educational opportunities, encouragement of collaboration, and
community development initiatives;
- activities that meet the immediate needs of people living on the
streets or in shelters, including providing outreach workers to link
homeless people with resources, multi-service centres (drop-in centres
that provide food, clothing, laundry, showers, foot care, sleeping
bags, dental hygiene, service referrals, etc.) building, buying or
renovating facilities for shelter space, and transitional and
supportive housing; and
- other initiatives that are based on a seamless program of support
services aimed at reducing homelessness.
Individual Projects
All activities eligible for SCPI federal funding must fit within the
program’s objectives, terms and conditions, and be identified in the
Community Plan. Priority will be established by the community and
generally be given to projects that address the needs of those currently
without permanent shelter. Some key areas that may be funded through
the SCPI include:
- emergency shelters;
- transitional and supportive housing;
- health and employment services;
- prevention strategies;
- outreach services;
- multi-service centres;
- initiatives that help community organizations conduct strategic
planning and board training, access educational opportunities and
encourage partnerships; and
- other activities that form part of a seamless program of support
services aimed at reducing homelessness.
Eligible Costs
Planning
In each eligible community, contributions may be made to cover the full
reasonable and direct costs of preparing a plan to reduce homelessness,
and disseminating information about it. Such costs may include
renting meeting space for community consultations, hiring a consultant to
facilitate the planning process and draft a Plan, and the publishing and
distribution of it.
Implementation
SCPI contributions may cover any or all portions of the reasonable and
direct costs of developing, administering, delivering and evaluating
projects that fall within the Community Plan. Contributions may be
provided for capital projects. If a proposal is approved for
funding, the eligible costs will be specified in detail in a contribution
agreement.
Administration
In both the Community Entity and Shared Delivery models of
implementation (see Decision Making, page 21) financial assistance may be
provided to cover administrative costs such as wages and
employment-related costs for staff, licences, permits, fees for
professional services, disbursements for research or technical studies,
disability needs, bank interest, utilities, materials, supplies, travel,
insurance, rental of premises, leasing or purchasing equipment and the
costs of audits, evaluations and assessments.
Urgent Needs Projects
While a community is in the process of developing its Plan, an urgent
need may arise for a project to address the case of people currently
without shelter. Funding for such a project will be considered,
provided that communities demonstrate that:
- the proposed intervention must be implemented within a specific time
frame to address immediate needs;
- the project has been identified as a community priority, through a
process of public consultation;
- the project is formally endorsed by all members of the Community
Planning group and, once complete, will reflect the priorities of the
Community Plan;
- the federal or, where appropriate, provincial Homelessness
Coordinator has certified that the project meets the objectives of the
SCPI.
In addition to meeting these requirements, an Urgent Need Project
proposal must contain the same elements as a regular project
proposal. For further information, contact the regional coordinator
on Homelessness in your region. [See Annex 1 for list]
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D. THE SCPI PROCESS
INTRODUCTION
By far the most important elements for the effective implementation of
SCPI are planning and decision making.
1. PLANNING
The Community Plan should be a product of a consultative process
involving all stakeholders interested in addressing homelessness in their
community. Regardless of the delivery model chosen, the broader
community is responsible for the development and implementation of a
community-based Plan and for ensuring that the community planning process
is inclusive.
Community Planning Process
Community Planning Groups are organizations that have come together to
coordinate the research and discussions necessary to develop and implement
a plan to address homelessness in their community. Typically, they
include representatives from local community service providers, funding
organizations, various levels of government and the private sector,
including youth groups and, where numbers warrant, Aboriginal
groups. Community Planning groups undertake the following:
- working with service providers, the City Homelessness Facilitator,
funding sources and the various levels of government to determine the
priority needs of the homeless and identify funding sources for
responding;
- developing the Community Plan, based upon the nine elements
described below;
- submitting the plan to the City Facilitator for funding approval.
The Nine Basic Elements of a Community Plan
The community planning process should be guided by an inclusive and
consultative approach that involves the participants and
stakeholders. The community identifies services currently available
(“assets”) and those that need to be developed (“gaps”).
Participants then determine the priorities that meet local requirements,
to prevent and alleviate homelessness. Assets might include
addiction services, soup kitchens or youth outreach programs; gaps
might include a lack of emergency shelters, drop-in centres or mental
health services. By developing a seamless underpinning of support,
the Community Plan provides a foundation for community action that can
build on current assets and begin to address the identified gaps.
The Community Plan is expected to:
- provide community service organizations with a framework in which to
work together to achieve common goals;
- assist the community to make the best possible use of scarce
resources by reducing overlap and duplication;
- enable the community to evaluate its progress in reaching its
objectives; and
- identify other sources of funding that the community will use to
meet its 50 percent matching requirement.
Broad community involvement is important to the development of a plan
that clearly identifies the community’s concerns. Service
providers and other interested organizations should be involved in the
planning process. In particular, the plan must reflect the needs of
the key groups at risk - Aboriginal peoples, women and their children,
youth, immigrants, refugees, substance abusers and the mentally ill - and
involve them in the planning process.
It is also important that there be links with existing or emerging
community initiatives on homelessness. City Facilitators in HRDC’s
local offices will work with communities to help them develop their plans,
and will help to position communities to receive support funding for
eligible projects.
Though not all activities identified in the Plan may be eligible for
federal funding under SCPI, the Plan should identify the complete range of
actions necessary to reduce and prevent homelessness, regardless of
funding source. This is to ensure that the Community Plan is a
comprehensive document that assists in directing all activities related to
homelessness in the community, and not just those that fall under the SCPI.
To qualify for matching federal SCPI funds, the Plan must identify
funding sources other than the federal government, and provide evidence of
confirmed funding, such as a letter from the funding partner. In
addition, the Community Plan must provide information on the following.
1. Geographic Area
The geographic area over which the SCPI funding is to apply.
2. Objectives
Outcomes that the community expects to achieve by 2003,
through implementation of its Plan. The specific objectives of the
Plan must be compatible with the SCPI objectives on homelessness (see p.
7).
3. Community Plan Development Process
The process to be followed in developing and implementing the Community
Plan, including steps taken to ensure an open, consultative approach and
the participation of all interested stakeholders. Particular
attention should be given to involving Aboriginal, youth and homeless
persons throughout.
A list of participating organizations from any workshops, working
groups or community meetings held as part of the planning process should
also be included.
4. Assets and Gaps
Research has shown that homelessness is most effectively reduced by
implementing a seamless underpinning of support services, that helps
people - over time - move from a situation where they are without
permanent shelter or in danger of becoming homeless, to one of
self-sufficiency.
With this in mind, list the supports and services that currently exist
in your community - programs, services, human resources, equipment,
buildings, land, etc. Use this list to quantify the supports and
services that are required to meet the needs of the homeless - the
gaps. If the list is lengthy, refer to it in summary form in the
body of the Plan, and provide details as an attachment.
5. Priorities
Analyze the gaps identified to develop a priority list of needs for the
homeless in your community. Such priorities may be broadly stated,
and have a long- or a short-term focus. This identification of
priorities is the essence of a Community Plan. Once the priority
gaps have been determined, highlight the specific aspects of each that you
propose to address over the life of the Plan. For example: if the
priority is emergency shelter, the target group might be families.
The short-term nature of the SCPI requires that the Plan identify a
focus for its priorities, for the three years of the Initiative (December
1999 to 2003). Include a list of potential initiatives (or
a combination) and estimate the cost of each. It is important that
the link between gaps, priorities and target areas be clearly articulated
in the Community Plan.
Key to the three-year Plan is the sequencing of projects or initiatives
identified through analysis of the assets and gaps. While needs
differ from one community to another, some core issues should be
considered.
- Multi-year funding needs: Some initiatives may require funding
for two or three years. To ensure full funding before the SCPI
ends in 2003, it is recommended that the community consider beginning
the projects early in the planning period.
- Contributions from other sources: The SCPI encourages
communities to link this initiative with other federal and
provincial/territorial programs, where feasible and appropriate.
Planners should consider how the availability of funds from other
sources may have an impact on the time at which a particular
initiative could receive SCPI funding.
- Capital projects: Large capital projects require considerable
time to move from idea to construction to the habitation stage.
Capital projects should, therefore, begin early in the life of the
initiative.
While the Community Plan is being developed, projects may be funded
through the Urgent Need program, described on page 13.
Following completion of the Plan, the community can solicit proposals
from, among others, community service groups, for initiatives to address
the identified priority areas. This can be achieved through a formal
Request for Proposals, or an informal process determined locally.
6. Sustainability
The Plan must indicate how it will address the ability of the community
to sustain the momentum of programs begun or enhanced through the National
Homelessness Initiative, including project proposals that identify funding
needs beyond the end of the SCPI.
- In those cases where a future funding source is secured, identify it
in the Plan and keep documentation on file.
- Cases where future funding sources are not yet secured should be
discussed with the City Facilitator on Homelessness.
7. Evaluation
This element includes both reporting and evaluation. The
Community Plan must identify the measures that will be used to report on
progress during the three years of the SCPI. This includes
measurable outcomes anticipated from individual initiatives that have
received SCPI funding.
The Plan should include a commitment and a process for periodic review
and updating. At a minimum, this should be an annual process. The
Plan must also outline the process to be used to evaluate the Plan
objectives against results at the end of the three-year period.
8. Communications Plan
It is essential that individuals and community agencies have free
access to the Community Plan, are informed of calls for project proposals
to address the Plan priorities, and are provided with updates on progress
during implementation. The Community Plan must, therefore, include a
Communications Plan. It should also outline the process and schedule
for reporting to the community and stakeholders - including governments -
on the progress made on achieving the objectives of the Plan.
For those community groups not familiar with developing communications
plans, samples may be obtained from the City Facilitator on Homelessness.
9. Community Financial Contribution
For a community to receive SCPI funding, confirmed funding from
non-federal sources must equal the community’s maximum SCPI
allocation. Confirmation of the non-federal funding must be appended
to the Plan in the form of letters, certification by an officer of the
donor agency or other documentation from the funding source. Types
of funding that will be recognized for one-to-one matching with SCPI funds
include:
- provincial/territorial and municipal monies and in-kind
contributions committed from April 1, 1999 onward, that are identified
as addressing the homelessness issue in the specific community; and
- funding and in-kind services raised by service providers and the
private sector, committed from April 1, 2000 onward, that are
identified as addressing the homeless issue.
Matching funding does not include:
- funding provided by the Government of Canada through other programs
(e.g., Justice, other HRDC programs, Health Canada, CMHC);
- federal funding provided to provinces and territories to manage a
program such as social housing or training; or
- funding for established, basic programs that are the traditional
responsibility of the provincial government, such as health care.
Where a Community Plan identifies a shortfall in the matching funds
necessary to attain its full federal allocation, it should contain a
strategy for securing the remainder of the required funds.
The financial information may be lengthy, and may be referred to in
summary form within the Plan with details included as an appendix.
Any such appendix should also include the total implementation cost of the
Plan, and projected revenues - both confirmed and unconfirmed - from all
sources.
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2. DECISION MAKING
Governance
Accountability for SCPI funds may be ensured by the community through
one of two models, chosen in consultation the City Facilitator on
Homelessness. The community may wish to delegate responsibility for
implementing the Plan to a Community Entity - an incorporated body
authorized to act on its behalf. Examples of community entities are
municipal governments or community housing foundations.
As an alternative, the community may prefer to work with the HRDC
Coordinator and to share in the implementation of the Plan.
In the Community Entity model, the Community Entity
contracts with the federal government for SCPI funds. A
community-based advisory body undertakes a preliminary review of the
projects and makes recommendations to the Community Entity. The
Community Entity retains the authority for making final recommendations as
well as for monitoring and reporting on the implementation and evolution
of the Community Plan, including investments made, success in filling gaps
in services and new partnerships forged.
In a shared delivery model, the community’s
recommendations on projects to be funded are made - through a Steering
Committee - to HRDC. Officials review the proposal and make
the final decisions on funding.
Key responsibilities of the implementing agent in both models include
ensuring that:
- mechanisms to provide funding to community based projects are open,
equitable and transparent;
- community groups are involved in the selection of projects for SCPI
funding;
- approved projects are in accordance with SCPI Terms and Conditions
and support community plan priorities.
In addition, the implementing agents are involved in preparing, signing
and managing the funding agreements, including monitoring, assuring the
timely reporting of results, audits and evaluation.
Community Advisory Boards
Community Advisory Boards (or Steering Committees, Action Committees,
Governance Committees) typically comprise community partners who have
different levels of involvement in the homelessness issue, including
public, private and not-for-profit organizations. They work with the
Community Planning Group, the Community Entity and the City Facilitator on
Homelessness to ensure that the priorities identified in the Community
Plan are met through the funding process. Community Advisory Boards
with representation from youth and, where numbers warrant, Aboriginal
peoples, undertake to review project proposals for SCPI eligibility and
relevance to Community Plan priorities, and to make recommendations to the
Community Entity or the City Facilitator, depending on the delivery model
selected.
Community Service Providers
Community Service Providers and agencies participate in the National
Homeless Initiative at a number of levels. They can:
- participate in community planning and decision-making activities;
- prepare proposals for consideration by the Community Advisory Board;
- provide reports on the main outputs of their projects to the
Community Entity or the City Facilitator; and
- participate in program evaluations.
E. APPROVALS
Proposals will be reviewed by HRDC officials and referred to the
Federal Coordinator on Homelessness for approval. In all cases,
applicants will receive either a notice of approval or of rejection of the
application. No hiring of staff, commitments of any kind, or
expenditures should be undertaken until project approval has been
received. Any expenditure incurred prior to the agreed start date,
as described in the official approval, will be the sole responsibility of
the organization and is not eligible for reimbursement.
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PART II
OTHER COMPONENTS OF THE NATIONAL HOMELESSNESS INITIATIVE
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)
Programs
CMHC supports the National Homeless Initiative through two key
programs. They are the Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program (RRAP)
and the Shelter Enhancement Program (SEP), and are delivered by CMHC or
designated agencies directly (in Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia,
Yukon, Prince Edward Island and Nunavut) or by provincial or territorial
housing agencies, which cost-share the program(s).
Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program (RRAP)
The RRAP has four components:
- Rental RRAP provides financial assistance to help landlords pay for
mandatory repairs to units occupied by low-income tenants.
- Rooming House RRAP offers repair assistance to owners of rooming
houses who offer affordable rents to low-income people.
- RRAP for Persons with Disabilities provides assistance to homeowners
and owners of units occupied by low-income tenants with disabilities
who require special modifications to their residences to improve
accessibility.
- RRAP Conversion provides financial assistance to convert
non-residential properties into affordable rental units or rooming
houses.
Funding from RRAP is for existing buildings only and cannot be used for
new construction. Funds are also available to assist low-income homeowners
in rural and urban areas with repairs, and to help low-income seniors with
accessibility modifications.
Shelter Enhancement Program (SEP)
The SEP provides financial assistance to repair existing shelters for
women, children and youth who are victims of family violence. Where
needed, the funding can also be used to create new shelters or
second-stage housing.
Canadian Centre for Public-Private Partnerships in
Housing (CCPPPH)
The Centre, located at CMHC, offers advice, expertise and consultation
to community groups interested in providing affordable housing, including
persons with special needs. Interest-free loans are available to assist
groups in developing project proposals. The Centre can also help to
arrange mortgage loan insurance, which enables groups to access mortgage
financing for projects at favourable terms and conditions. For
further information, contact your City Facilitator (see Annex 2).
Surplus Federal Real Property for Homelessness
Initiative
The Surplus Federal Real Property for the Homelessness Initiative was
created to help communities combat the often prohibitive capital costs
that many homelessness projects face, such as those incurred in purchasing
land and buildings. The initiative provides $10 million nationally
($4 million in 2000/01, $3 million in 2001/02 and $3 million in 2002/03)
worth of surplus federal properties for homelessness projects.
Federal departments are encouraged to identify surplus properties and
receive compensation for lost revenues when the property is transferred to
a group for the purpose of assisting homeless people.
Non-profit organizations and other levels of government are eligible to
receive federal surplus real property (buildings and/or land) to assist
homeless people in cases where their community has a demonstrable homeless
population and their proposal is supported by a recognized Community
Plan. The fund will cover the difference between the market value of
the property and the amount of money that the successful organization can
afford to pay. Priority will be given to projects that are part of
an SCPI Community Plan.
Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) and HRDC, with the
assistance of CMHC, will work as partners to implement and manage this
initiative.
For further information, contact your City Facilitator on Homelessness
(see Annex 2).
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GLOSSARY
Absolute Homelessness - The situation that arises when people
are living on the street, in temporary shelters or in locations not meant
for human habitation.
Advisory Group - A community reference group for the
implementation of SCPI providing a forum for sharing best practices and
the identification of gaps.
Affordable Housing - Housing that is generally accessible to a
wide segment of lower- income wage earners. While Affordable
Housing should form part of the community’s Continuum of Supports Plan,
it cannot be funded through the SCPI.
Assets - All elements currently used to support the community
plan. They include, but are not limited to, services, human
resources, equipment, buildings and land.
City Facilitator - The federal employee at the community level
who will assist in building or strengthening partnerships among
stakeholders and other levels of government. The City Facilitator
will act as a catalyst to assist in the development of community-based
approaches to homelessness and represent the Government of Canada and the
Federal Coordinator on Homelessness.
Community Advisory Board - ideally comprises community service
providers, funders and academics. At a minimum, the Board comprises
community funders. This Board provides recommendations to the
Community Entity or HRDC (whichever is applicable) on which projects to
approve for funding.
Community Entity - An incorporated organization that will
receive SCPI funding. It will take on the task of ensuring that
community planning is undertaken, decision making mechanisms and
administrative practices based on transparency and financial probity are
in place for the calling for project proposals, evaluating proposals and
flowing SCPI funding to projects.
Community Plan - The plan that uses the continuum of supports
approach to identify all of the supports and services currently available
within a community as well as those that are missing or needed. It
will also include a clear statement of objectives, identification of the
geographic area of the community, description of the process used to
develop the plan, statement of priority issues, a description of how the
community will address the need for future funding for services once SCPI
funding ends, a strategy for evaluating progress in implementing the plan
and a communications plan. It must address the specific needs of homeless,
urban Aboriginal people and youth within the community. A financial plan
must be attached to each Community Plan.
Community Planning Group - Comprises representatives from the
various sectors (stakeholders) interested in homelessness. All
reasonable effort must be taken to include representatives from the Youth
and Aboriginal sectors.
Continuum of Supports - A holistic approach to addressing the
needs of homeless individuals within a community plan. It includes
all supports and services that would be needed to assist a homeless person
or someone at risk of becoming homeless to become self-sufficient, where
possible.
Contribution agreement - The legal mechanism that will stipulate
what is required to ensure that the terms and conditions of SCPI and
Treasury Board guidelines are respected and that program-specific
financial and performance terms are adhered to.
Demonstrated Need (with reference to 20% communities) - The
requirement for a community to present evidence of a problem with absolute
homelessness in it. Provincial/territorial and Government of Canada
agreement must be reached before a community will be declared as an ‘eligible
community’.
Exceptional Situations - Situations that are beyond the control
of the community and are not reasonably expected. This does not
include changes in government (provincial, municipal or federal)
policy. An example is the unplanned destruction of a shelter.
Financial Plan - The financial annex to the community plan that
identifies all the funding that a community uses to deliver their programs
and services. Sources of each contribution (fundraising, municipal,
provincial, etc.) should be identified. Each funding source will be
noted as ‘confirmed’ or ‘unconfirmed’. Funding will be
considered ‘confirmed’ when there is a commitment in writing for a
specific amount. The financial plan will not include any funds
received directly from the federal government. In-kind contributions must
be confirmed by the supplier.
In-kind Contributions - All non-financial contributions used in
the implementation of the community plan. This may include, for
example, volunteer hours, donated supplies and facilities and professional
services (accounting, legal, other).
Involuntary Homeless - Although one of the five broad objectives
of SCPI refers to “…individuals that are involuntarily on the street…”,
for SCPI funding purposes, there is no need to distinguish between ‘voluntary’
and ‘involuntary’ homeless.
Most Affected Communities - Those communities identified through
bi-lateral negotiations between the Government of Canada and provinces or
territories as having a significant problem with absolute
homelessness. Such communities will have access to 80% of SCPI
funding. They are currently identified as Vancouver, Calgary,
Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton, Montreal, Quebec City and
Halifax.
Multi-service Centres - Centres that offer a broad range of
services to homeless people, including meals, showers, dental hygiene
services, service referrals, etc. However, such centres do not necessarily
provide beds or overnight shelter.
Non-commercial Activities - Activities from which the
sponsoring/delivering organization does not plan to make a profit, or
where all profits realized would be immediately re-invested in
homelessness initiatives/activities.
Other Affected Communities - Those communities identified
through bi-lateral negotiations between the Government of Canada and
provinces or territories, that will have access to 20% of the SCPI
funding.
Regional Facilitator - The HRDC employee who coordinates the
homelessness initiative at a regional level. The Regional
facilitator will provide administrative support to City Facilitators,
links with other federal departments and other levels of government and
will act as a liaison point between regions and the National Secretariat
on Homelessness.
Service Providers - Those agencies and organizations that
deliver programs and services to individuals who are or may become
homeless, regardless of where the agency is found on the continuum of
supports.
Shelters - Housing intended for very short tenures (from a few
days to six months), usually available on an emergency basis.
Social Housing - public or non-profit owned housing receiving
long-term federal subsidies (3+ years).
Stakeholders - Those individuals, agencies, organizations and
funders that are interested in making a contribution to reducing or
preventing homelessness. This also includes the private sector,
churches and homeless individuals.
Supportive Housing - Public, private or non-profit owned housing
with some form of support component, intended for people who cannot live
independently in the community, where providers receive funding for
support services. The tenure may be long term.
Sustainability - The concept of the future state of a project
receiving SCPI funding. Each project proposal must include either
a plan for continued resourcing of a project beyond 2003 (when SCPI
funding ends) or an impact statement for all projects that will end
in 2003, as a result of the termination of the SCPI.
Time Sensitive (to qualify for Urgent Need) - The immediate
requirement to start work on a project. A case would have to be made
that demonstrates how waiting for a community plan to be finalized would
jeopardize the success of an activity or project.
Transitional Housing - A combination of housing and services
intended to facilitate self-reliance and self-sufficiency. This
housing is intended for an individual’s use for up to three years.
Urgent Need - Work (projects/activities) that must be undertaken
before a community plan is in place (plan written, priorities identified
and agreement among planning group reached) due to time-sensitive
issues. In order for a project to qualify as an ‘urgent need’,
the community has to show that homeless people would suffer from extreme
hardship if the project did not commence immediately.
Top of Page
ANNEX 1
REGIONAL CONTACTS ON HOMELESSNESS
|
Region
|
Telephone/Fax
|
Postal Address
|
British Columbia/Yukon
|
(604) 666-2859/(604) 666-2235
|
300 West Georgia Street,
Suite 1400
Vancouver BC V6B 6G3
|
Alberta/NWT/Nunvut
|
(780) 495-5341/(780) 495-4250
|
Suite 1400, Canada Place,
9700 Jasper Avenue,
Edmonton AB T5J 4C1
|
Saskatchewan
|
(306) 780-5939/(306) 780-6717
(306) 780-7398
(306)536-5892 (Cell)
(306) 780-7718
|
2045 Broad Street, 3rd floor,
Regina SC S4P 2N6
|
Manitoba
|
(204) 983-7313
(204) 984-0638
(204) 983-5750
|
233 Portage Avenue,
Winnipeg MB R3B 2A7 or
Room 750, 266 Graham Avenue,
Winnipeg MB R3C 0K3
|
Ontario
|
(416) 954-7302
(416) 954-7222/(416)973-2700
(416) 954-7191/(416) 954-7290
|
4900 Yonge Street,
Willowdale ON M2N 6A8
|
Quebec
|
(514) 982-2384/(514) 283-0521
(514) 982-2384, ext. 2414
(514) 982-2384, ext. 2409
|
Complexe Guy-Favreau,
West Tower,
200, boul. René-Lévesque West
5th floor,
Montréal QC H2Z 1X4
|
New Brunswick
|
(506) 452-3281/(506) 452-3145
|
P.O. Box 2600,
Fredericton NB E3B 5V6
|
Nova Scotia
|
(902) 426-3815/(902) 426-8055
|
99 Wyse Road, P.O. Box 1350,
Dartmouth NS B2Y 4B9 or
P.O. Tower 2, 7001 Mumford Road,
Box 1800
Halifax NS B3J 3B1
|
Prince Edward Island
|
(902) 566-7609/(902) 566-7699
|
P.O. Box 8000,
85 Fitzroy Street,
Charlottetown PE C1A 8K1
|
Newfoundland
|
(709) 772-3317/(709) 772-0815
(709) 772-2510
|
689 Topsail Road,
P.O. Box 12051
St. John’s NF A1B 3Z4
|
Top of Page
ANNEX 2
CITY FACILITATORS ON HOMELESSNESS
|
Region
|
City
|
Telephone/Fax
|
Postal Address
|
British Columbia/Yukon
|
Vancouver
Whitehorse
|
(604) 666-2859/(604) 666-2235
(604) 666-1576/(604) 666-2235
|
300 West Georgia Street,
Suite 1400
Vancouver BC V6B 6G3
|
Alberta
|
Edmonton
|
(780) 495-4346/(780) 495-4250
(780) 495-8056/(780) 495-3156
(780) 495-7484
|
120 Meadowlark Mall
15710 - 87 Avenue,
Edmonton AB T5R 5W9
|
Calgary
|
(403) 292-4020/(403) 292-5153
(403) 292-5500
|
Canada Alberta Service Centre,
Room 268, Harry Hays Bldg.,
220 - 4th Avenue S-E,
Calgary AB T2P 2T7 or
Suite 280,
220 4th Avenue S-E,
Calgary AB T2G 4X3
|
Grande Prairie
|
(780) 532-4411/(780) 532-3488
|
Canada Alberta Service Centre,
10121 - 97 Avenue,
Grande Prairie AB T8V 0N5
|
Lethbridge
|
(403) 382-4750/(403) 381-5668
|
Canada Alberta Service Centre,
200 - 5th Avenue South,
Lethbridge AB T1J 4L1
|
Red Deer/
Central Alberta
|
(403) 341-7102/(403) 341-7199
|
Canada Alberta Service Centre,
First Red Deer Place,
4911 - 51 Street,
P.O. Box 5050,
Red Deer AB T4N 6A1
|
Northwest Territories
|
Yellowknife
|
(867) 669-5006/(867) 873-3621
|
Joe Tobie Building,
5020 - 48th Street, Bag 1170,
Yellowknife NT X1A 2R3
|
Nunavut
|
Iqaluit
|
(867) 979-6271/(867) 979-6070
|
Trigram Building,
P.O. Box 639,
Iqaluit NU X0A 0H0
|
Saskatchewan
|
Regina
|
(306) 780-7191/(306) 780-6848
|
2045 Broad Street, 3rd floor,
Regina SK S4P 2N6
|
Saskatoon
|
(306) 975-4044/(306) 975-6424
|
101 - 22nd Street East,
Saskatoon SK S7K 0E2
|
Prince Albert
|
(306) 953-8421/(306) 953-8404
|
1288 Central Avenue,
Prince Albert SK S6V 4V8
|
Manitoba
|
Winnipeg
|
(204) 983-7313/(204) 984-0638
|
233 Portage Avenue,
Winnipeg MB R3B 2A7
|
Ontario
|
Toronto
Toronto Centre
|
(416) 954-7031
(416) 952-1390/(416) 973-5865
|
HRCC - Toronto Centre,
25 St. Clair Avenue East
4th floor,
Toronto ON M4T 1M2
|
Ottawa
Belleville
Peterborough
Oshawa
Kingston
|
(613) 991-0449/(613) 996-6052
(613) 969-3339
(705) 750-4771
(905) 725-3251
(613) 545-8964
|
300 Sparks Street, 3rd floor,
Podium Building,
Ottawa ON K1A 0J6
|
Hamilton
Peel-Halton-Dufferin
London
Barrie
Brant,Haldimand -Norfolk
Kitchener
St. Catharines/Niagara
Windsor
|
(905) 570-7217/(905) 572-2563
(905) 339-4120
(519) 645-4018
(705) 728-2468 ext. 316
(519) 751-6545
(519) 571-5658
(905) 988-2824
(519) 985-2334
|
1550 Upper James Street, 2nd
floor,
Hamilton ON L9B 1K3
|
Thunder Bay
Sudbury
Sault Ste. Marie
North Bay
|
(807) 346-2136
(705) 670-6682
(705) 941-4521
(705) 472-3700 ext. 2039
|
|
Quebec
|
Montréal
|
(514) 522-4444 ext. 303
(514) 283-6085
|
1001 de Maisonneuve East,
3rd floor,
Montréal QC H2L 5A1
|
Québec
|
(418) 692-2800/(418) 648-4232
|
330 de la Gare du Palais,
Québec QC J1K 7L5
|
Chicoutimi
|
(418) 692-7150 ext. 1-7200
|
2489 St-Dominique,
Jonquière QC G7X 0A2
|
Drummondville
|
(819) 477-4150 ext. 242
|
1525 boul. St. Joseph,
Drummondville QC J2C 2E9
|
Hull
|
(819) 953-2830 ext. 222
|
920 boul. St-Joseph,
Hull QC J8Z 1S9
|
Sherbrooke
|
(819) 564-5864 ext. 222
|
124 Wellington Street North,
P.O. Box 340,
Sherbrooke QC J1H 5X8
|
Trois-Rivières
|
(819) 536-6002
|
4695, 12th Avenue, Room 1470,
Shawinigan-Sud QC G9P 5H8
|
New Brunswick
|
Bathurst
|
(506) 548-7384/(506) 548-7186
|
120 boul. Harbour View,
P.O. Box 4000,
Bathurst NB E2A 1R6
|
Miramichi
|
(506) 627-2199/(506) 627-2049
|
150 Pleasant Street,
P.O. Box 1030,
Miramichi NB E1V 3V5
|
Fredericton
|
(506) 452-3565/(506) 452-3303
|
HRSC
633 Queen Street,
Fredericton NB E3B 1C3
|
Saint John
|
(506) 636-5006/(506) 636-3808
|
P.O. Box 7000,
Saint John NB E2M 5R1
|
Moncton
|
(506) 533-5128
|
|
Nova Scotia
|
Halifax
|
(902) 426-3815/(902) 426-8055
|
P.O. Tower 2,
7001 Mumford Road,
Box 1800
Halifax NS B3J 3B1
|
Prince Edward Island
|
Charlottetown
|
(902) 566-7885/(902) 566-7699
|
P.O. Box 8000,
85 Fitzroy Street,
Charlottetown PE C1A 8K1
|
Newfoundland
|
St. John’s
|
(709) 772-2510/(709) 772-0815
|
689 Topsail Road,
P.O. Box 12051
St. John’s NF A1B 3Z4
|
Top of Page
ANNEX 3
YOUTH INITIATIVES DIRECTORATE
|
Telephone and Fax
|
Postal Address
|
British Columbia/Yukon
|
Tel: (604) 666-6318
Fax: (604) 666-3615
|
Program Consultant,
Youth Initiatives,
Library Square,
300 Georgia Street West, Suite 1400,
Vancouver BC V6B 6G3
|
Alberta
|
Tel: (780) 495-2448
Fax: (780) 495-6736
|
Program Consultant,
Canada Place,
1440 - 9700 Jasper Avenue,
Edmonton AB T5J 4C1
|
Northwest Territories
|
Tel: (876) 669-5044
Fax: (867) 873-3621
|
Program Consultant,
Bag Service 1170,
Yellowknife NT X1A 2R3
|
Saskatchewan
|
Tel: (306) 780-7294
Fax: (306) 780-7720
|
Program Consultant,
2045 Broad Street,
Regina SK S4P 2N6
|
Manitoba
|
Tel: (204) 983-6743
Fax: (204) 983-8319
|
Program Consultant,
Paris Building, Room 750,
266 Graham Avenue,
Winnipeg MB R3C 0K3
|
Ontario
|
Tel: (416) 954-7333
Fax: (416) 954-7940
|
Program Consultant,
4900 Yonge Street, Suite 200,
North York ON M2N 6A8
|
Quebec
|
Tel: (514) 982-2384 ext. 2714
Fax: (514) 283-7271
|
Program Consultant,
Complexe Guy-Favreau, West Tower,
200 boul. René-Lévesque West, 2nd floor,
Montréal QC H2Z 1X4
|
New Brunswick
|
Tel: (506) 452-3198
Fax: (506) 452-3145
|
Program Consultant,
615 Prospect Street West,
P.O. Box 2600,
Fredericton NB E3B 5V6
|
Nova Scotia
|
Tel: (902) 426-6299
Fax: (902) 426-8724
|
Program Consultant,
Metropolitan Building,
99 Wyse Road,
P.O. Box 1350,
Dartmouth NS B2Y 4B9
|
Prince Edward Island
|
Tel: (902) 566-7718
Fax: (902) 368-0925
|
Program Consultant,
85 Fitzroy Street,
P.O. Box 8000,
Charlottetown PE C1A 8K1
|
Newfoundland
|
Tel: (709) 772-6163
Fax: 772-2104
|
Program Consultant,
P.O. Box 12051,
689 Topsail Road,
St. John’s NF A1B 3Z4
|
Top of Page
|