CALGARY, Alberta, Jan. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- From 1994 to 2008, Calgary had the fastest growing population of people experiencing homelessness in Canada. Point-in-Time (PiT) Count projections estimated that, in the absence of targeted interventions, there would be more than 10,000 people experiencing homelessness in Calgary on any given night by the end of 2018.
Calgary led the country by ambitiously implementing Canada’s first 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness (Calgary’s Plan). In 2008, Calgary’s Plan started with a Housing First strategy and called on all orders of government to take action. The Calgary Homeless Foundation (CHF) was chosen to implement Calgary’s Plan and coordinate efforts among the homeless-serving community. As January 29, 2018 marks the end of Calgary’s Plan, we are excited to celebrate our progress, share our learnings and engage Calgarians in our vision beyond 2018.
“The remarkable thing about having a 10 Year Plan is that it has given us an ambitious goal to work towards,” says Kevin McNichol, Vice-President of Strategy for the Calgary Homeless Foundation. “Over the past 9 years we’ve been able to add over 2100 programming spaces throughout Calgary, ensuring that individuals are not only housed, but housed with the right supports.”
In the face of record in-migration to Calgary, there are now 26% fewer people (per capita) experiencing homelessness today than in 2008. As a community, we have housed more than 8,700 people and are on track to house 10,000 people by the end of 2018. We have also built more than 500 units of permanent housing with supports and are on track for more than 620 units of housing for vulnerable individuals by the end of 2018.
“The past 10 years have defined Calgary as a trailblazing community that has been willing to do something that, up until that time, no-one thought possible: stop the growth of, and reduce, homelessness,” says Diana Krecsy, President and CEO of the Calgary Homeless Foundation. “This is remarkable progress; we’ve never been in a better position than we are right now to take what we’ve learned and continue moving forward.”
CHF and Calgary’s homeless-serving community look forward to celebrating our progress and sharing more results in December 2018. We have achieved a stronger understanding about the scope of homelessness in Calgary and how to continue the important work started under the Plan. In the coming months, CHF will synthesize this knowledge into a summative report to stakeholders. Calgarians can look forward to an event in December where CHF and the homeless-serving community will share this report and look beyond 2018.
About CHF
The Calgary Homeless Foundation is a catalyst and enabler for Systems and Service Agencies to optimize client success. CHF focuses on four strategic pillars of work; Advocacy, Research and Development, Systems Planning, and Funding (outcomes). In addition, CHF addresses gaps and identifies best practices to improve the system of care and enhance desired client outcomes. Through mobilization of collective impact, CHF is committed to moving forward in partnership with the many homeless-serving agencies, the private sector, government partners, local communities, the faith community, other foundations and all Calgarians to end homelessness in Calgary. For more information, visit calgaryhomeless.com.
Resources
In 2008, Calgary became the first Canadian city to launch a plan to end homelessness.
For the most recent version of Calgary’s Plan please visit http://www.ihearthomeyyc.com/content/uploads/Update_to_Calgary_Plan_March_4.pdf
Media Inquiries:
| Calgary Homeless Foundation Darcy Halber Communications Specialist Media Line: 403.615.7607 Direct Line: 403.718.7742 darcyh@calgaryhomeless.com |