Government of Canada helping those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in Swan River

April 21, 2009

SWAN RIVER, MANITOBA, April 21, 2009—The Government of Canada is helping those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless build a stronger future for themselves.

Mr. Inky Mark, Member of Parliament for Dauphin–Swan River–Marquette, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, announced that Homelessness Partnering Strategy funding will be used to support data analysis and information sharing on homelessness in Swan River.

“Our government is supporting many Canadians with housing needs, and is fulfilling its commitment to help those seeking to break free of the cycle of homelessness and poverty,” said Mr. Mark. “Through this investment, the Canadian Mental Health Association will be able to help individuals and families in need.”

With this new federal investment of over $44,000, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Parkland Region will provide community coordination, training, technical support and data analysis for the Homeless Individuals and Families Information System (HIFIS) in Swan River. HIFIS, a data collection system used by homelessness service providers, allows community organizations to use data collected to better design long-term solutions that address the root causes of homelessness in Canada.

“As Regional Director of CMHA Parkland Region, I am glad to be a team player in the federal government’s new HIFIS data collection initiative,” said Mr. Marvin Fried, Regional Director of the Canadian Mental Health Association Parkland Region. “Our efforts are primarily in training grassroots workers in retrieving and tracking the statistics that happen daily at the various housing projects, food banks and drop-in centres throughout our northern Manitoba region. It is our hope that this information will help those in government, community and service delivery measure the effectiveness of our joint efforts in dealing with homelessness issues.”

In September 2008, the Government of Canada announced $1.9 billion over five years for housing and homelessness programs for low-income Canadians. This commitment provides the Government with the flexibility to work with the provinces and territories, municipalities and charitable organizations to develop ways to improve the effectiveness of federal spending in the area of housing and homelessness.

This ongoing funding will ensure that the Government can continue to assist those who need support, including homeless people and those at risk of homelessness—low-income Canadians, seniors, people with disabilities, recent immigrants and Aboriginal Canadians.

Canada’s Economic Action Plan is building on these investments by making an additional one-time investment of more than $2 billion over two years in new and existing social housing, and by making available up to $2 billion in loans available to Canadian municipalities over two years for housing-related infrastructure improvements.

The Homelessness Partnering Strategy recognizes that housing and employment stability are essential to self‑sufficiency and full participation in Canadian society. With its clear goals of improved partnerships, enhanced sustainability and tangible results, the Strategy provides concrete, meaningful and lasting results for Canadians in need.