Evaluation of the National Homelessness Initiative: Implementation and Early Outcomes of the HRDC-based Components - March 2003

Evaluation of the National Homelessness Initiative: Implementation and Early Outcomes of the HRDC-based Components - March 2003

2. Program Background and Descriptions

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This chapter presents a brief overview of the National Homelessness Initiative, including its rationale, objectives, scope, and program components.

2.1 The National Homelessness Initiative

On December 16, 1999, Cabinet approved a three-year demonstration initiative to contribute to reducing homelessness in Canada. Overall the Government of Canada is investing $753 million over three years to help alleviate and prevent homelessness across Canada. The National Homelessness Initiative has at its core the following set of strategic objectives:

• Facilitate community capacity by coordinating Government of Canada efforts and enhancing the diversity of tools and resources;
• Foster effective partnerships and investment that contribute to addressing the immediate and multifaceted needs of the homeless and reducing homelessness in Canada; and
• Increase awareness and understanding of homelessness in Canada.

These objectives are pursued through seven components⁸ managed through various federal departments and Crown Corporations.

• The Supporting Communities Partnership Initiative (SCPI) is a new initiative which is the responsibility of the National Secretariat on Homelessness (NSH), a unit created specifically for the NHI and housed within Human Resources Development Canada.
• The Aboriginal Homelessness component is channelled through the Urban Aboriginal Strategy, an existing program which is overseen by the Aboriginal Affairs group at the Privy Council Office, and implemented through the NSH.
• Funds targeted to homeless youth are channelled though the Youth Employment Strategy (YES) managed by HRDC.
• Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation received additional funding for existing renovation programs for low-income persons, including the homeless and those at risk of homelessness: the Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program (RRAP) and the Shelter Enhancement Program (SEP). The existing programs were revised and expanded to include a new Conversion RRAP component and SEP was extended to include youth who are victims of family violence.
• Public Works and Government Services Canada has responsibility for the Surplus Federal Real Property for Homelessness Initiative (SFRPHI), which makes surplus federal properties available to communities for homelessness related projects.
• And the NSH is responsible for the Research and Accountability Functions for the NHI.

While most of the components are managed as separate initiatives, the NHI was intended to promote a coordinated federal effort to address homelessness based on common objectives and compatible approaches.

2.2 The Supporting Communities Partnership Initiative

The SCPI, the largest component of the NHI ($305 million), is based on the premise that communities are best placed to devise effective strategies to both prevent and reduce homelessness locally. Therefore the SCPI is designed to support communities in building the capacity, resources and incentives to develop and implement comprehensive strategies.

The SCPI is guided by the following operational objectives:

• to alleviate the hardship of those who are absolutely homeless by increasing, for example, the number of beds available in shelters (either indirectly through providing alternative housing for current long-term shelter residents or directly by providing additional shelter space);
• to promote a "continuum of supports" approach to reducing homelessness⁹;
• to strengthen the capacity of communities to address the needs of homeless people and reduce homelessness by responding to the needs of individuals in a holistic way;
• to promote the development of collaborative processes and broad-based partnerships among all stakeholders, including the private sector, the voluntary sector, labour organizations and all levels of government to address the issue of homelessness at a community level; and
• to develop a base of knowledge, expertise and data about homelessness, and share it among all concerned parties and the general public.

The SCPI made funds available to a total of 61 communities across Canada. Eighty percent of the funding was allocated to ten communities that were identified through consultations as having the most serious problems with absolute homelessness. These are: Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Hamilton, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, and Halifax. The remaining 20% of the funding was allocated to another 51 communities that had a demonstrable need to address homelessness.

In order to obtain SCPI funds that had been allocated to them, communities were required to develop a community plan to address homelessness. The plans incorporated a number of elements including the plan objectives and the identification of funding priorities to address service gaps. A community plan was submitted and approved for all 61 communities designated as eligible for SCPI funding.¹⁰

Communities were able to choose between an entity or shared administrative model for implementing the SCPI. In the community entity model , an incorporated organization receives SCPI funding and is responsible for coordinating the development and implementation of the community plan, including deciding which projects will be funded. The community entity is responsible for ensuring an inclusive community planning process and transparency in the decision making and administrative processes and practices. The entity is also accountable for funding decisions. In the shared delivery model , HRDC staff, in partnership with community groups co-ordinate the development of an inclusive community plan and, based on recommendations from community groups, negotiate funding arrangements with project proponents. In this model, a community advisory board recommends acceptance of individual SCPI projects, but the Minister must give final approval.

2.3 Aboriginal Homelessness Component

Aboriginal people are significantly over-represented in the homeless population across Canada. NHI resources ($59 million) were made available to urban Aboriginal communities through the Urban Aboriginal Strategy, an existing federal mechanism that brings together federal departments through the Regional Councils of Senior Federal Officials.

The Aboriginal Affairs Secretariat of the Privy Council Office serves as the main coordinating body for the Aboriginal Homelessness funding. However, it was decided that the most effective way to channel the resources to Aboriginal communities was through the terms of the existing Aboriginal Human Resources Development Agreements (AHRDAs). As such, the responsibility for the administration of the Aboriginal Homelessness funding was given to regional HRDC offices, which managed the AHRDAs. Unlike the SCPI, funding was not limited to identified urban areas.

In SCPI-designated communities, Aboriginal Homelessness projects are intended to be a part of the community plan, but the funds remain separate from the SCPI allocation for that community.

On April 5, 2001, Treasury Board approved an amendment to the SCPI terms and conditions to allow for an expansion of Aboriginal Homelessness funding to activities that have a non-labour market focus. This amendment was brought forward as a result of the need for more flexibility that would allow Aboriginal communities to direct Aboriginal Homelessness funds toward homelessness projects.

2.4 Youth Homelessness Component

Youth constitute a significant component of the homeless in Canada. In most city studies, they account for 10%-30% of the homeless population. Under the NHI, $59 million over three years was allocated to address homelessness among youth. This component is delivered through existing HRDC Youth Employment Strategy (YES) programs.

Canada's YES is designed to help young people make the transition into the labour market. HRDC regional and local staff who operate YES programs, under the NHI, are able to fund projects that have a youth employment aspect, but which can be seen to contribute to the alleviation of homelessness or the risk of homelessness.

On April 5, 2001, Treasury Board approved an amendment to the SCPI terms and conditions to allow for an expansion to youth activities that have a non-labour market focus. This provides an alternative mechanism through which Youth Homelessness funds under the NHI can be allocated.

⁸A more detailed description of all seven NHI components and the logic models developed for both the NHI and the SCPI are provided in the NHI Evaluation Framework. Back
⁹The NSH defines a continuum of supports as "a holistic approach to addressing the needs of homeless individuals within a community plan. It includes all supports and services that would be needed to assist a homeless person or someone at risk of becoming homeless to become self-sufficient, where possible" (Glossary of Terms). The continuum includes homelessness prevention services, emergency shelter, outreach, transitional housing and support services (such as addictions counselling and employment training). Back
¹⁰On Prince Edward Island, it was decided that Charlottetown and Summerside would develop a joint homelessness plan, consequently there were only 60 community plans submitted and approved. Back

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