Homelessness (Human Services)

The new Ministry of Human Services is part of Premier Redford’s strategy to take action on Albertans’ priorities, and is responsible for the following:

Read details in the news release.


Homeless Plan Wins National Excellence Award

A 2011 Canada Award for Excellence has been presented to Alberta Housing and Urban Affairs for Housing Starts: Year One of Implementing the Provincial 10-Year Plan to end Homelessness. The Certificate of Merit award was presented recently in Toronto and was accepted by Human Services’ Director of Homeless Cross Ministry Initiatives Barry Bezuko. The awards recognize excellence within the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. To date the plan has resulted in over 4,400 homeless people being taken off the streets in Alberta and a total of 1,933 housing for the homeless units being developed.

For more information about Excellence Canada (formerly the National Quality Institute), go to
http://www.excellence.ca/en/knowledge-centre/news/the-2011-canada-awards-for-excellence

Homelessness

Emergency shelters are not a long-term housing option. Under a Plan for Alberta - Ending Homelessness in Alberta, the ministry has adopted the Housing First approach to address homelessness. To learn more about the Government of Alberta's commitment to help some of our province's most vulnerable people, you can read A Plan for Alberta on Alberta's Plan to End Homelessness.

Adopting a Housing First approach to end homelessness by 2019 means that permanent housing is provided along with needed support services. Support services may include intensive medical, psychiatric and case management services including life skills training, landlord liaison assistance or addictions counselling. Addressing these needs through support services helps formerly homeless people maintain their housing over the long term.

Housing First works for the taxpayer too. Studies show it can cost upwards of $100,000 per year in health, emergency and justice system services to support a chronically homeless person. Under Housing First, it costs less than $35,000 per year to provide permanent housing and the supports they need to break the cycle of homelessness

The business case is clear…and it is the right thing to do for individuals and communities.

We are using the available funding to assist those communities who are progressing with a homelessness strategy and have the support of their municipality in the development of new housing units. For example, in 2010/11, HUA committed $188 million under the Housing Capital Initiatives to develop housing for both low-to-moderate income Albertans for the homeless.

The government of Alberta has achieved its goal of 11,000 housing units by 2012. Find out more about this housing support which includes over 1,800 units for homeless Albertans.

Outreach support services
Under Alberta's 10-year plan to end homelessness by 2019, funding is being provided to community-based organizations in the seven major cities, which work with community partners to deliver services necessary to meet the unique needs of the homeless. Funding is allocated based on factors such as population and shelter space usage in the community.

Funding is used for supports such as intensive medical, psychiatric and case management services to help people resolve the underlying causes of their homelessness. These services are key to ending homelessness, because they help those who are now housed to stay housed and keep on track to independence.

Community Provincial Allocation
2009/2010 2010/2011 2011/2012
Calgary $13.8 million $19.1 million $21.8 million
Edmonton $9.8 million $12.5 million $15.4 million
Grande Prairie $800,000 $1.3 million $1.9 million
Fort McMurray $950,000 $1.5 million $2.1 million
Red Deer $1.1 million $1.7 million $2.3 million
Lethbridge $800,000 $1.3 million $1.9 million
Medicine Hat $780,000 $1.3 million $1.8 million
Other $4 million $2 million  
 Totals $32 million $40 million $47.5 million

Sustain shelter operations
Shelter space usage has gone down in all major cities in Alberta and there will be a reduced need for emergency shelter spaces as more and more homeless people are provided with permanent housing. However, as there continues to be a need for emergency accommodations the Alberta government continues to support about 3,500 emergency shelter spaces in 30 facilities across Alberta. 

Shelters for the homeless
Fact Sheet on Housing & Supports for Homeless Albertans
Fact Sheet on Housing & Supports for Homeless Veterans
Definitions


Housing First approach video.