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HomelessnessPremier's Task Force on Homelessness, Mental Illness and Addictions Premier Gordon Campbell has convened a Task Force to address the challenges of homelessness, mental illness, and addictions in British Columbia communities. It is chaired by the Premier, and includes seven mayors from across the province and three provincial Ministers. The Task Force is working to provide better co-ordination of resources in communities and to develop innovative strategies to give people with addictions and mental illness the opportunity to move from temporary shelters to long-term, stable housing. Overall, government will provide an additional $48 million over the next three years for emergency shelter programs, housing and support services for people who are homeless. Incremental funding is allocated among the following ministries that provide these programs and services: Community, Aboriginal and Women's Services, Health, Human Resources and Children and Family Development. In response to the immediate concerns raised by the Task Force in October 2004, the province is spending an additional $2.8 million in 2004/05 and over $5 million annually beginning in 2005/06 to increase emergency shelter capacity across the province by 153 beds to a total of 864 beds, provide 198 additional cold/wet weather beds for a total of 395 beds, keep cold/wet weather beds open for an additional month over the winter, provide reserve funding for additional beds in the event of extreme cold weather, and funding for shelters to purchase equipment and supplies. Additional funding of $0.55 million annually has also been allocated to provide for an additional 19 beds for youth under 19 years of age, increasing the available number of provincially funded youth beds by 37 per cent. In December 2004, the Task Force announced that additional provincial funding would be provided for four housing projects in Vancouver, Surrey and Nanaimo. These projects will provide shelter and support services for people who are homeless. Other projects are being developed for the communities of Victoria, Kelowna, Prince George, and New Westminster. Budget 2005 provides incremental funding of $29 million to support the construction and ongoing operation of these projects and related support services. Breaking the Cycle of Homelessness Despite support for more than 800 emergency shelter beds and 2,600 housing units targeted towards individuals who are homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless, homelessness continues to be an issue for communities around the province. The provincial vision is to break the cycle of homelessness by providing adequate and appropriate housing and support services. The goal is to assist people to move beyond temporary shelter to more secure housing, to gain greater self-reliance, and to achieve appropriate employment. Recent research indicates that the most effective approach for assisting persons that are homeless or at-risk of homelessness is the continuum of care model that emphasizes the delivery of supportive housing and integrated, coordinated support services.
This approach envisions better integration of existing services, enhancement to narrow gaps in the continuum, and new services promoting self-reliance. The goal is to provide housing first and then to surround the individual or family with the necessary supports and services to assist them in moving beyond temporary shelter to more secure housing. The government has worked to address homelessness by building strong partnerships with the federal government, local governments and the non-profit housing sector around this issue. Under the Affordable Housing Program Agreement signed in 2001, which included $88.7 million in federal funding, the province will provide $29.7 million annually to subsidize the costs of 3,900 units built under the Provincial Housing Program, the Independent Living British Columbia Program and the Community Partnerships Initiatives funding stream. As well, the federal and provincial governments have committed $42 million each ($84 million combined) for affordable housing under the second phase of the Affordable Housing Program Agreement. This year the provincial government is spending $164 million on subsidized housing; the highest level of funding ever in British Columbia.
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