To say听迟丑补迟听the past year has been difficult would be an understatement.听We听have听faced immense loss, grief, challenge, and change at the hands of COVID-19鈥攂ut in the face of听terrific听adversity,听advocates, service providers,听and supporters across Canada have听continued to advance听their work to end homelessness.听
Homelessness has followed a relentless and lethal trajectory in our country for decades, growing year after year听and听putting over 235,000 lives at risk annually. COVID-19听put people experiencing homelessness at dramatically increased risk of illness and death,听cast more people into homelessness,听and听worsened the ongoing opioid crisis.听听
Over the past year, housing advocates,听supporters,听and听frontline workers听have worked tirelessly to keep people safe听and听healthy during the听pandemic听while听turning this tragedy into an opportunity to听accelerate progress听toward听ending homelessness. Below are some highlights of progress made by communities across Canada:听
- Before the pandemic was even declared, the Canadian Network for Health and Housing of People Experiencing Homelessness (CNH3) was raising the alarm and .听
- Within weeks of the pandemic being declared,听communities across Canada听launched rapid rehousing initiatives,听additional听emergency shelter,听and isolation听and quarantine听spaces.听听
- By May 2020, Built for Zero communities like听Chatham-Kent听were听using COVID-19听housing–focused听shelter听to offer听housing听supports and services for听people experiencing homelessness.听听
- By July听2020, Peel had听housed over 287 people听and听Toronto had听housed over 1,300 people听through听their听COVID-19 response.听听
- In August 2020, amid听the听global pandemic and a听flood, Fort McMurray achieved听quality chronic and veteran homelessness By-Name Lists听(BNLs),听Reaching Home quality Coordinated Access听and dramatic reductions in chronic homelessness.听听
- By December 2020, St. John had听reduced chronic homelessness by 10%.听听
- By February 2021, five Built for Zero communities achieved veteran QBNLs: Kingston, Fort McMurray, London, Moncton, and Saint John.听听
- Fort McMurray, Guelph-Wellington, and Saint John听all achieved measurable reductions in chronic听homelessness.听听
- Saint John and Windsor-Essex recently achieved Reaching Home quality Coordinated Access, while Dufferin County is the first community to confirm Advanced quality Coordinated Access thanks to their commitment to continuous improvement.听
- In February 2021, London made history as the听first community in Canada to end veteran homelessness.听
We applaud all听communities, individuals, and organizations working听to end homelessness听across Canada鈥攜our听urgent and compassionate听efforts are听both inspiring and impactful.听
Shifting to听recovery鈥�we cannot go back to 鈥渘ormal鈥�听
People experiencing homelessness听have faced听听infection, while already-marginalized, vulnerable, and low-income peoples continue to bear the brunt of听pandemic-related job loss and housing precarity.听听
On the anniversary of the听declaration听of the pandemic, we can see light at the end of the tunnel with vaccines reaching more and more Canadians.听We all want life to go back to normal, but听we can鈥檛 go back to the old normal鈥�a normal where听over听235,000 different people听experience听homelessness and are at life–threatening risk听each year听because of policies that fail to ensure听that听everyone has听access to听a home.听
To ensure we 鈥榖uild back better鈥� from the pandemic,听CAEH launched the听Recovery for All听campaign in May 2020, outlining a听6-point plan听for ending homelessness. To date, it has gained over 22,000 supporters who have sent over 700,000 letters to parliamentarians.听听
Supporters of Recovery for All听have secured a federal commitment to听end chronic homelessness听and听a $1 billion Rapid Housing Initiative.听Recovery for All is now pushing for a meaningful investment in the federal commitment to ending chronic homelessness in the upcoming budget.听
In May 2020, the Women91猫先生 National Housing & Homelessness Network also urged all levels of government to听implement听听to protect women, girls, children,听and gender-diverse peoples experiencing homelessness and domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both federal and provincial governments have begun heeding these calls to action, as evident from their recently听launched听听and听supports for听听and听, among others.听听
Meanwhile, in response to Canada91猫先生 growing arrears and evictions crisis, the National Right to Housing Network (NRHN) and the Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation (CERA)鈥攊n collaboration with over 120 individuals and organizations鈥攔eleased a federal proposal for a听听in February 2021. This听right to housing听submission听under the听听recognizes eviction as a systemic issue affecting already-marginalized tenants like women, low-income workers, Black and Indigenous peoples, queer households, and persons with disabilities most, and has received support from hundreds of housing advocates鈥攙ia听鈥攊n a matter of weeks.听
Thank you听
Together, we have overcome immense obstacles in the past year thanks to a growing movement of people, partners, and organizations rising to the occasion and remaining focused on the shared goal of听ending homelessness.听We鈥檝e come听a long way听in protecting our听homeless听neighbours鈥攈owever the听ongoing听COVID-19 pandemic provides a tragic and costly reminder of the urgent need to end homelessness in Canada, once and for all.听
We听cannot听rest until all Canadians have safe, decent,听and permanent housing听where they can be protected from the ravages of another pandemic.听听
We also thank听all frontline workers for听your听incredible听work听in听keeping听us safe. Your ongoing efforts are truly essential.听
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:听
One way the CAEH is supporting communities during COVID-19 is by working with the Canadian Network for Health and Housing of People Experiencing Homelessness to post resources and tools.听听