Regional council endorses plan to end chronic homelessness by 2030

Regional councillors have endorsed a plan that aims to end chronic homelessness over six years in Waterloo region.

Since January 2020, chronic homelessness has increased by 129 per cent in the region, according to the report, and if the trend continues, the number of people experiencing homelessness could triple by 2028. 

"The current system is not designed or adequately resourced to address the increase in numbers of individuals (volume) requiring support or the increased complexity of needs that individuals have, specifically those who are precariously housed or experiencing hidden homelessness and those who require deeply therapeutic and supportive housing," the report read.

"The system must address the lack of lived expertise and equity focus in policy, decision-making, and service-delivery in order to better align with the needs of the diverse community of Waterloo Region and those experiencing homelessness."

The Region aims to invest more than $245 million in 2024 into affordable housing and homelessness. Roughly $56 million will be going to homelessness and supportive housing programs.

More than 40 local organizations and several university professors who work with homelessness, housing and mental health were part of a co-creator group that provided information for the report.

The plan acts as a road map focusing on new ways the region will approach, service and prevent homelessness in the future through seven priorities and focus areas it aims to implement, which are:

• Create Policy and System Accountability.
• Centre Community Voices.
• Build System Bridges.
• Advance Equitable Housing.
• Focus on Preventing Homelessness.
• Change the Narrative on Housing and Homelessness.
• Advocate and Collaborate for Broader Change.

Through the plan, the region aims to take a housing first and human rights based approach. The goal is to reach "Functional Zero" by 2030, according to the report's project manager Peter Philips. 

"Functional Zero means three or less people experiencing homelessness sustained over three months or more in a system that is tracked closely by data and by name list," he said.

Philips said the region will continue to work with the Social Development Centre of Waterloo Region, one of the groups that helped create the report, in the implementation of the plan going forward.

Council also asked staff to include area municipalities to the co-creator group going forward, an amendment brought forward by Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic.

Concerns with plan

Over a dozen people delegated at Tuesday's Community and Health Services Committee, many who were in favour of the plan, including Nadine Green from A Better Tent City and members with the Social Development Centre.

"We need lasting change in our region. Homelessness is a complex issue and we need to keep tackling it piece by piece with [council] support along the way," Green said. 

Stephen Jackson CEO Anishnabeg Outreach, was also a delegate who said his organization could not support the plan in its current state.

Jackson said the report doesn't properly define the root cause of homelessness and it makes no mention of seniors being part of the homelessness population.

"It's the grey tsunami and we have to address the needs of that population if we want to address homelessness within six years," he said.

"Page 35 of the report, root cause, is incorrectly stated and if root cause is wrong, you're not going to achieve the outcomes you're hoping for."

Coun. Rob Deutschmann and Natasha Salonen also shared concern with council not having an opportunity for "further learning" before endorsing the plan.

"I will be honest, I share some of the concerns that Coun. Deutschmann does in terms of plopping this in front council and not necessarily having the opportunity for further learning," she said.

"I'm not against it, but we need to understand it before we vote on it."

Trust in the process

Coun. Colleen James said council needs to trust the process to help people experiencing homelessness now.

"If we do not support this right now, and there are people literally on the street who are at risk of dying right now, I think we're doing a disservice to the community, but I know there is a huge risk in us approving this, but it's bad out there," she said.

Regional Chair Karen Redman said The Plan to End Chronic Homelessness and its process are different, but the approach the region is currently taking to addressing homelessness needs to change.

"What we have been doing isn't working, so yes this is trust," she said. "We are not the experts."

"It is important that we lean on the expert that is freely being offered and facilitated," she added.