May 6, 2004

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

KITCHENER, ONTARIO —The Government of Canada today announced that the Region of Waterloo’s Community Plan on Homelessness has been approved. Under this plan, community groups will receive more than $1.3 million to help address homelessness in the Region of Waterloo. Members of Parliament Karen Redman, Lynn Myers, Andrew Telegdi and Janko Peric announced the funding on behalf of the Honourable Claudette Bradshaw, Minister of Labour and Minister responsible for Homelessness. The funding comes from the Government of Canada’s National Homelessness Initiative (NHI).

“The Community Plan has been developed by the community, for the community and builds on the strong partnerships and significant success of current efforts. We would like to congratulate the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, community groups, the private sector and all levels of government for their hard work in addressing and alleviating homelessness. This funding furthers our commitment to continue working together and finding solutions that have an impact,” declared the Members of Parliament in a joint statement.

The Community Plan focuses on several main priorities, including preventing youth homelessness, addressing gaps in the emergency shelter system, completing transitional and supportive housing capital projects currently under way and increasing the community’s capacity to reduce homelessness.

The Community Plan is the community’s vision of how best to help homeless individuals and families. The Plan is a product of a consultative process involving all stakeholders interested in addressing homelessness in a particular community. The community identifies assets, gaps and priorities that meet local requirements to both prevent and reduce homelessness.

“This funding furthers the Government of Canada’s commitment to continue working together with community groups, the private sector and all levels of government to find local solutions to address homelessness,” said Minister Bradshaw.

The Government of Canada launched the National Homelessness Initiative in December 1999 to support communities’ efforts to help Canadians out of homelessness. Over $1 billion is being spent towards the federal government’s commitment to addressing homelessness in Canada. Since the launch, the Initiative has supported 628 projects with a total of $124.8 million to alleviate homelessness in Ontario. Funding is provided for in the March 2004 federal Budget.

Since December 1999, communities across Canada have undertaken over 1,800 projects, funded wholly or in part by the NHI. These projects will result in: The addition of approximately 8,000 permanent beds in shelters, and transitional and supportive housing. The construction, renovation and improvement of over 1,000 facilities such as shelters, food banks, soup kitchens and drop-in centres. The transfer of 50 properties, worth $9.2 million and approved under the NHI’s Surplus Federal Real Property for Homelessness Initiative, to establish 214 transitional affordable housing units. In addition to Government of Canada investments, the partnerships have leveraged substantial resources, valued at more than a half billion dollars, for the implementation of homelessness projects in Canada.

For more information on the Government of Canada’s National Homelessness Initiative, visit our Web site at www.homelessness.gc.ca