May 18, 2004

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TORONTO, ONTARIO – The Honourable Bill Graham, Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre-Rosedale, on behalf of the Honourable Claudette Bradshaw, Minister of Labour and Minister responsible for Homelessness, announced today funding of $84,047 to Ryerson University. The funding is targeted towards the university’s research study on possible linkages between homelessness and migration, and is provided under the National Research Program of the Government of Canada’s National Homelessness Initiative (NHI).

“The research on homelessness being undertaken by Ryerson serves a greater societal purpose, one that the Government of Canada is proud to support,” said Minister Graham. “Improving our understanding of homelessness through research will contribute to the work for solutions."

This project is brought forward by a partnership of the Joint Centre of Excellence for Research on Immigration and Settlement (CERIS), the School of Urban and Regional Planning at Ryerson University, the Social Planning Council of Peel Region, and the Department of Public Health and Community Service of the City of Hamilton.

The research’s purpose is to address the links between homelessness and migration. Specifically, it seeks to look at the housing insecurity in Toronto, Peel and Hamilton among immigrants that derives largely from the growing economic disparities between newcomers and other Canadians and the concomitant lack of affordable housing. The housing insecurity also derives from such factors as the larger family size of immigrants, their visible minority status, the lack of support that other recent immigrants can afford to offer them and the “face-saving” that precludes some groups from seeking temporary help. The National Research Program (NRP) for the National Homelessness Initiative is designed to increase understanding of the magnitude, characteristics and causes of homelessness in Canada. It will further increase the base of policy and community relevant research, encourage and support research partnerships and facilitate the sharing of best practices and transfer of knowledge. The National Research Program will help foster the development and assessment of appropriate and effective responses at the local and national levels.

“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,” stated Minister Bradshaw.

By working in partnership with community organizations, the private and voluntary sectors and other levels of government, the NHI is bringing all stakeholders together to develop local solutions that work to address particular needs and challenges faced by homeless people. Through this coordinated approach, the following programs are available to support communities across Canada: the Supporting Communities Partnership Initiative; the Regional Homelessness Fund; the National Research Program; the Homeless Individuals and Families Information System; and the Urban Aboriginal Homelessness Fund.

The Government of Canada launched the NHI in December 1999 to support communities' efforts to prevent or alleviate homelessness. Over $1 billion is being spent toward the federal government's commitment to addressing homelessness in Canada. 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

For more information, contact: