P.E.I. homeless count to include rural areas in 2020

With concerns about homelessness across P.E.I. growing, the next count of homeless people on P.E.I. will include rural areas.

The federally-funded count, organized by the John Howard Society and the Reaching Home initiative, measures the number of homeless over a 24-hour period. The Island's two previous counts only looked at Charlottetown and Summerside.

Reaching Home coordinator Donna Keenan said they are currently working on plans for an effective count in rural parts of the province.

"We are hearing that the numbers have risen in rural areas and that at times there's even people even leaving the cities, migrating out to the rural areas," said Keenan.

"We are looking at how we will do that this time around."

Keenan said the feeling is homelessness is rising, in part because of the housing crisis, but also because of mental health and addictions struggles as well.

The next count is scheduled for April.

Early intervention

In addition to funding the count, the federal government has provided new funding to combat homelessness. How that money will be spent will be decided in the next month.

Keenan said there is $287,000 for rural projects, and $432,000 for projects in Charlottetown and Summerside this year.

Nine preliminary proposals were submitted for the cities, and those have been narrowed down to six that will submit full proposals by Friday. Expressions of interest for rural areas are also due Friday.

Prevention is a new area the group is looking to fund this year.

"How can we prevent individuals from entering into the system of homelessness," said Keenan.

"Maybe when they approach that shelter door for the first time, is there some mediation or intervention that can happen right there to quickly divert them out of the homeless system."

Advisory boards will make decisions by the end of December on what projects will be funded.