October 22, 2004

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SAINT JOHN, NEW BRUNSWICK — Mr. Paul Zed, Member of Parliament for Saint John, on behalf of the Honourable Joe Fontana, Minister of Labour and Housing, today announced funding through the Government of Canada’s National Homelessness Initiative (NHI) for The Salvation Army Booth Centre and First Steps Housing Project Inc.

“The Government of Canada is proud to support these projects,” said MP Zed. “Booth Centre and First Steps are two organizations that make a positive contribution to our community. This funding will make a difference in the lives of men, women and children in Saint John.”

The Salvation Army Booth Centre is receiving $120,000 under the Government of Canada’s NHI. The Centre offers emergency housing for homeless people, transients and foster children. It also offers a long-term care program for adult men with psychological and/or physiological concerns. The funding will be used for upgrades and renovations.

The contribution to First Steps Housing Project Inc. is $275,000, also under the NHI. The organization provides a safe and healthy transitional housing facility for homeless youth who are pregnant or who are parenting, and assists these women in moving from homelessness to self-sufficiency and a better quality of life. The funding will help them ensure continued services to clients.

Since the Government of Canada launched the NHI in December 1999 to support communities’ efforts to help Canadians out of homelessness, more than $7 million has been invested in 108 projects in New Brunswick.

Funding for the Initiative is provided for in the 2004 federal Budget.

Since December 1999, communities across Canada have undertaken over 2,600 projects, funded wholly or in part by the National Homelessness Initiative. These projects will result in: The creation of about 10,000 new, permanent beds in shelters, transitional, and supportive houses; The construction or renovation of approximately 1100 sheltering and supportive facilities (i.e. emergency and transitional shelters, soup kitchens and drop-in centres); The transfer of 50 federal surplus properties worth over $9 million, which will result in the creation of 214 transitional and affordable housing units; and In addition to the Government of Canada investment, partnerships have leveraged almost one billion dollars towards 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:

Étienne Chiasson
Human Resources and
Skills Development Canada
(506) 452-3708

Peter Graham
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Labour and Housing
(819) 953-5646

Major Durdle
The Salvation Army Booth Centre
(506) 634-7021

Sharon Amirault
First Steps Housing Project Inc.
(506) 693-2228