In October 2024, Regional Council endorsed and approved a prioritization of work for the Plan to End Chronic Homelessness.

Ahead of this approval, Region of Waterloo staff presented a new Funding Strategy and Engagement Plan at a Community and Health Services Committee meeting.

Download council report CSD-HOU-24-019

It’s estimated that the Plan to End Chronic Homelessness will need an investment of $345 million from various sources to end chronic homelessness by 2030. This includes $177.5 million in operating funding and $110 million in capital funding. When fully funded, the Plan will prevent experiences of homelessness, and ensure that when homelessness does occur, it is rare, brief and non-recurrent.

To prioritize funding needs and to align work on the Plan, Co-creators (non-profits, grassroots groups, community leaders and advocates, individuals with living expertise, and Region of Waterloo staff) identified nine priority actions, which Regional Council approved as part of the Funding Strategy. These include updating housing and homelessness policies and frameworks, expanding winter and extreme weather responses, and more.

As part of the Region’s 2024 budget, Regional Council approved $10.2 million in net new operating funding for the Plan. This significant investment had an immediate impact on our community. Before the end of 2024, this funding supported 20 new women’s shelter beds, 18 new youth shelter beds, 44 net new supportive housing units, the addition of three new unsheltered support workers, and more. Find the complete list in council report CSD-HOU-24-019.

Regional Council approved $4.7 million as part of the 2025 budget.

Co-creators are overseeing the implementation of the Plan in the community through an “All of Community Model” and will form the Plan’s Coordinating Team in the coming months. As things progress, more updates about initiatives in 2025 and beyond will be shared.