From: Infrastructure Canada

NationTalk: Infrastructure Canada – Edmonton, Alberta — The work to end Indigenous homelessness in Edmonton will be bolstered by an investment of more than $6.9 million, as announced today by the Minister Randy Boissonnault and Joanne Pompana, Director of the Red Road Healing Society.

The Red Road Healing Society (RRHS) is the newest Indigenous Community Entity under Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy. Through their initiative, Restoring Home Fires, they are delivering programs and services to Indigenous children, youth, adults and families experiencing homelessness or are at imminent risk of homelessness.

Supporting the needs of the most vulnerable people in Canada is one of the Reaching Home Strategy’s goals. The funding announced today for RRHS’s Restoring Home Fires is being used to address Indigenous homelessness in Edmonton through safe, supportive, reliable, and stable housing in the city while also recognizing the need for emergency, supportive and transitional spaces.

The Red Road Healing Society is a not-for-profit resource centre that provides professional social, educational, legal, and health services in the West end region of Edmonton. Founded in 1997, the RRHS supports and creates change for children, youth, adults, and their families. The Government of Canada is committed to preventing and reducing homelessness across the country in urban, Indigenous, rural, and remote communities. This funding for this initiative comes from the Indigenous Homelessness stream of Reaching Home.

Everyone deserves a safe and stable place to call home, but far too many Canadians face the daily unacceptable reality of homelessness. The Government of Canada and its partners recognize the collective responsibility to develop and deliver community plans with clear outcomes that address local priorities designed to meet the needs of specific populations.

Quotes

“Investing in the Red Road Healing Society’s Restoring Home Fires initiative is how we bring the National Housing Strategy to life. This $6.9 million will help some of the most vulnerable in our community by bringing more accessible housing to Edmonton. We will always work with Indigenous partners, community leaders and organizations, to address and reduce homelessness across the country.”

The Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages and Member of Parliament for Edmonton Centre, on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

“No Indigenous person should be houseless on their own land. This requires meeting the housing needs of our community today.”

Indigenous Community Advisory Board, Red Road Healing Society

Quick facts

• Reaching Home is a community-based program aimed at preventing and reducing homelessness across Canada. This program provides funding and support to urban, Indigenous, territorial and rural, and remote communities to help them address their local homelessness needs.
• Funding under this program is allocated to 64 Designated Communities (urban centres), three territorial capitals, 30 Indigenous communities, and rural and remote communities across Canada. The program also makes funding available to Indigenous partners to support distinctions-based approaches to homelessness services.
• Through identifying and documenting persistent barriers, successes and challenges, the Action Research on Chronic Homelessness initiative will pilot strategies for ending chronic homelessness that can be adapted for use across Canada.
• Through Reaching Home, the Government of Canada has committed nearly $4 billion over 9 years to address homelessness. This includes investments announced in Budget 2021 and Budget 2022.

Associated links

• Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy
• Canada’s National Housing Strategy
• Infrastructure Canada – Funding Delivered under the Investing in Canada Plan

Contacts

For more information (media only), please contact:

Micaal Ahmed
Communications Manager
Office of the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
(343) 598-3920
micaal.ahmed@infc.gc.ca

Media Relations
Infrastructure Canada
613-960-9251
Toll free: 1-877-250-7154
Email: media-medias@infc.gc.ca