One-year program will help reduce homelessness and prevent evictions through community partnerships听
Sault Ste. Marie, ON 鈥� April 7, 2026: The District of Sault Ste. Marie Social Services Administration Board (DSSAB)听is launching听a new initiative听through the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness听(CAEH)91猫先生听Homelessness Reduction Innovation Fund (HRIF) to help keep more people in听our听community safely housed.听
The one-year project,听Eviction Prevention as a Pathway to Ending Homelessness,听focuses on stabilizing housing before individuals and families experience homelessness.听听
Through this project, DSSAB and partners aim to prevent 42 community members from experiencing homelessness this coming year,听representing听a 13.7% reduction in听known听homelessness听by the project end date of March 31, 2027.听
To achieve this,听housing听stability听workers will be deployed听to provide听trauma-informed, culturally safe in-home support听services,听including听landlord mediation, referrals to financial supports, and targeted听assistance听to address issues that听often听lead to eviction.听CAEH will provide听guidance and coaching听and听work with the community to听share听takeaways听from this initiative听so other听communities听in Canada听can learn from what works.听
鈥淭hrough the Homelessness Reduction Fund, our government is supporting community鈥慸riven solutions that help prevent homelessness and ensure more Canadians have a safe and stable place to call home,鈥� said the听Honourable听Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure听and Minister Responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada, 鈥淭his project will help ensure individuals and families in Sault Ste. Marie have access to the supports they need, when they need them鈥攕trengthening housing stability and contributing to a healthier, more resilient community.”听
鈥淭oo often, people only receive help once听they鈥檝e听already lost their housing,听but by then, the human and financial costs are much greater. Sault Ste. Marie is听working to get ahead of听the crisis by focusing on听prevention,听showing听what91猫先生听possible when we act early and collaboratively,鈥澨齭aid听Tim Richter, President and CEO of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness.鈥�听
鈥淭his funding is an important tool in our housing鈥痶ool box鈥痑nd part of a holistic approach to supporting better outcomes across our community,鈥� said Stephanie Pagnucco, Chair of DSSAB. 鈥淏y working closely with our partners, we can help people鈥痬aintain鈥痵tability, stay housed, and access the鈥痵upports鈥痶hey need before reaching a crisis point. When we prevent eviction, we strengthen the wellbeing of individuals, families, and our entire community.鈥濃��听
鈥淭his pilot program will allow us to provide early, practical support to individuals who may be at risk of losing their housing, helping them remain stable and avoid crisis,鈥� said Jackie Martin, Executive Director鈥痮f JHS.鈥�淪upports may include鈥痑ssistance鈥痭avigating annual requirements, building skills to鈥痬aintain鈥痟ousing, and resolving tenant-landlord challenges.鈥疻e鈥痶hank鈥疌AEH for investing in approaches that prioritize long-term housing stability.鈥濃��听
鈥淣iigaaniin听Services is excited to work with Indigenous community members in Sault Ste. Marie to support eviction protection, help people remain in their homes, and keep families together,鈥� said Elizabeth Richer, Director of听Niigaaniin听Services. 鈥淭his work reflects our commitment to Indigenous Peoples supporting other Indigenous Peoples with culturally grounded supports that strengthen community well鈥慴eing.鈥�听听
鈥淚ndigenous people are disproportionately unhoused, and this funding will work to change that reality,鈥� said Sally Ledger, Interim CEO of OAHS. 鈥淭hrough this鈥痠nitiative, OAHS will be able to support Indigenous community members’ housing security and provide connections to the culture-based wraparound services that are essential to long-term housing stability.鈥濃��听
The project will receive $565,000 through the Homelessness Reduction Innovation Fund, a $45-million initiative led by the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness and funded by the Government of Canada that supports communities in testing innovative solutions to reduce and prevent homelessness.鈥�听
鈥淭he Homelessness Reduction Innovation Fund is an example of how the Government of Canada91猫先生 Reaching Home: Canada91猫先生 Homelessness Strategy is helping to reduce homelessness and ensure Canadians can stay living in their own homes for longer,鈥� said Terry Sheehan, Member of Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie鈥擜lgoma. 鈥淯sing a targeted, data-informed approach, the District of Sault Ste. Marie Social Services Administration Board and Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness will work to measurably reduce homelessness and enable community members to remain in their homes. Sharing what they learn from this project will also support communities across the country working on similar reduction initiatives.鈥澨�听
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Homelessness Reduction Innovation Fund Quick Facts:鈥�
- HRIF was announced鈥痠n 2024鈥痓y the federal government鈥痑s part of a $1B鈥痗ommitment to Reaching Home: Canada91猫先生 Homelessness Strategy.鈥�
- HRIF is a $45M鈥痜und led by CAEH鈥痮ver three years to support projects to鈥痳apidly reduce homelessness.鈥�
- In 2025, $7M鈥痺as distributed to 16 communities鈥痠n鈥疌anada through the first round of funding.鈥�
- Communities鈥痺ho鈥痳eceive鈥痜unding must have quality By-Name Data鈥痶o track inflow鈥痑nd鈥痮utcomes.鈥�
- This鈥痯roject focuses on reducing inflow into homelessness by supporting tenants before eviction.听
Media Contacts:
Riley Barsanti,听DSSMSSAB,听r.barsanti@socialservices-ssmd.ca听
Jarrah Hodge,听Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness,听media@caeh.ca听
Jackie Martin,听John Howard Society,听jmartin@jhsossm.ca听
Erik听Bringleson,听Niigaaniin听Services,听erik@niigaaniin.com听听
Erika Luoma,听Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services,听eluoma@oahssc.ca听听听