The Committee discussed adjusting the Committee day schedule to move Closed Committee immediately following Community and Health Services with the Planning and Works Committee and Administration and Finance Committee to follow.
P. Sweeney introduced the Plan to End Chronic Homelessness presentation. A copy of the presentation is attached to the agenda. He highlighted that the Plan is focused on addressing chronic homelessness and the challenges that cause homelessness through a community approach that centers lived experience. The Plan encompasses thirty (30) actions that address specific challenges such as rural considerations, youth and senior homelessness, mental health and addiction factors, and the necessity of providing wrap around care in supportive housing.
He further highlighted the community engagement conducted, in addition to the co-creator contributions, that formulated the Plan. He acknowledged the importance of the participation and dedication of the co-creators of the Plan. He further acknowledged the connection between homelessness and inequitable realities such that Indigenous Peoples are affected by homelessness at a disproportionate rate.
Peter Phillips, Supervisor Quality Assurance and Integration for Community Services, Jennifer Gordon, Lived Expertise Community Voice, Marjorie Knight, Lived Expertise Community Voice, and Chris McEvoy Manager of Homelessness and Supportive Housing, provided an overview of the Plan including significant definitions, strategic priorities and actions. P. Phillips noted that there are over five hundred individuals currently experiencing chronic homelessness in the Region and that it more widely impacts marginalized individuals. He further noted that the Plan has set out the objective to achieve "functional zero" by 2030 which means that three or less people will be experiencing homelessness over three or more months.
M. Knight provided lived experience expertise on homelessness. They expressed concern for the increased need for supports and resources for the community.
J. Gordon shared a lived expertise experience from a client, highlighting systemic issues that may have complied with policy standards, but, failed to provide adequate support for the individual in need, that then resulted in continued homelessness. She expressed that the Plan is necessary to amend the system to be serve the community.
C. McEvoy provided an overview of the system transformation that requires a proactive approach that addresses the complexity of needs throughout the Region, such that a rural community may have different needs than an urban center. He highlighted that in 2024, the Region has allocated $56 million to homelessness and supportive housing programs, however, further investment and advocacy is necessary for the Plan to thrive. P. Sweeney further highlighted that chronic homelessness is a shared responsibility that will include continued community collaboration with ongoing advocacy for all levels of government and organizational support.
The Committee expressed concern that Council Members have not been provided the adequate opportunity to participate in the process to create the Plan. In response to the Committee, P. Sweeney explained that Council directed Staff to provide this Plan and that Staff have provided several reports and updates to Council since August 2022.
The Committee acknowledged the efforts of Staff and expressed support for the Plan as a community framework with the continued community and municipal collaboration. In response to the Committee, C. McEvoy explained that action 4.4 is a recommendation to create a senior strategy embedded within the broader Plan. Additionally, he noted that Staff recommended funding supports for seniors experiencing homelessness and that was approved in the 2024 budget. He further explained that there are various community lead actions that will be implemented in the near future such as the 'Whole of Community Leadership' and the 'Prototyping' actions listed in Appendix C.
The Committee requested that when Staff return with budget recommendations for Council consideration that the recommendation be specific, tangible, and numerical. Additionally, the Committee requested that the Plan implementation include education for community integration and the increase of women focused supports.
The Committee continued to discuss the Plan and expressed further concern on the lack of opportunity for Council involvement and input, defining human rights in terms of the scope of the proposed Plan, and that the Plan does not reflect the request of Council. In response to the Committee, P. Sweeney clarified that following Council direction from August 2022, there was a shift in language to remove the term 'master' and to focus on chronic homelessness based on community feedback with individuals with lived experience.
The Committee expressed concern that the Plan does not specifically address the increase in youth experiencing homelessness and provide adequate resources, address senior crisis, address barriers in the justice system, and include specific preventive measures. The Committee also voiced concern that there is a lack of involvement by the private sector including land developers.
Responding to the Committee, P. Sweeney explained that community input has been essential for the creation of the Plan. C. McEvoy further explained that youth that experience homelessness are more likely to experience homelessness in their adulthood, therefore the investment in children, youth, and family is crucial to ensure prevention. The housing first model ensures that resources are dedicated to those in the greatest depth of need and then the investment strategy set out in the proposed Plan is meant to address the individuals entering the system.
The Committee voiced support for a Plan grounded in a community-based approach. However, there was further concerned voiced that area municipalities have not been engaged and communicated with properly. The Committee also requested that the advocacy strategy as set out in the Plan be accelerated.
In response to the Committee, P. Sweeney stated that Staff have not established the budgetary amount required from both the Provincial and Federal governments to implement the Plan recommended actions.
Responding to the Committee, Graham Walsh, Regional Solicitor, confirmed that the term 'human rights' can be used as both a broad term and for a legal basis, which would refer to applicable legislation such as the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
In response to the Committee, P. Sweeney explained that collaboration with area municipalities has been embedded in the Plan with consideration for the intermunicipal dependency throughout the Region. P. Phillips further explained that Staff have recognized that area municipalities are key partners and Staff have engaged with area municipal CAOs to meet for discussions. Staff acknowledged that there should be increased area municipal engagement based on Committee feedback.