Canada  
News release

April 23, 2004

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Hamilton Community Plan Approved – Homeless and those at risk to benefit

HAMILTON, ONTARIO – Approval for Hamilton’s community plan on homelessness was announced today by the Honourable Stan Keyes, Minister of National Revenue and the Honourable Tony Valeri, Minister of Transport, on behalf of the Honourable Claudette Bradshaw, Minister of Labour and Minister Responsible for Homelessness, along with the Mayor of Hamilton, Larry Di Ianni. Under the Government of Canada’s National Homelessness Initiative (NHI), the city of Hamilton will receive $12,969,722 to assist in their efforts to address homelessness.

“The Community Plan has been developed by the community, for the community and builds on the strong partnerships and significant success of current efforts,” said Minister Keyes and Minister Valeri in a joint statement. “We would like to congratulate the City of Hamilton, 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.”

Hamilton’s Community Plan is comprised of several main priorities, including the completion of a family shelter, improving the accessibility of health care services for the homeless population, eviction prevention programs, long-term supportive housing for homeless individuals with addiction problems, and implementing the Homeless Individual and Family Information System.

"Addressing the needs of the homeless in large urban centres like Hamilton requires the involvement and assistance of the broad community and every level of government," said Hamilton Mayor Larry Di Ianni. "Hamilton has responded with compassion and commitment and we are very grateful to the Government of Canada for their support in helping us find solutions to help this city's homeless population."

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.

The Government of Canada launched the NHI in December 1999 to support communities’ efforts to help Canadians out of homelessness. 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 National Homelessness Initiative. These projects will result in:
  • The creation of approximately 8,000 new, permanent beds in shelters, transitional, and supportive houses;
  • The construction, renovation, and enhancement of roughly 1000 sheltering facilities and support facilities, such as food banks, 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 over a half 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:
Deborah Wallace
Government of Canada
(416) 954-7302

Dave Elliot
City Facilitator
Hamilton
(905) 570-7217

Philip Homerski
Media Relations Coordinator
Office of the Mayor
City of Hamilton
905 546-2074