The Plan to End Chronic Homelessness

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The Plan to End Chronic HOmelessness

Background

The number of people who are currently experiencing homelessness in Waterloo Region is higher than ever before.

Homelessness is a complex problem with many causes. There is no one answer. Region of Waterloo staff are working with the community to find solutions. Together, our community will co-create a Plan to End Chronic Homelessness (The Plan).

The Plan will be a roadmap for strategies, resources and timelines to end chronic homelessness in Waterloo Region.

The voice of lived expertise will be vital in creating The Plan. The creation of The Plan will be in community, by community and for community.

The Social Development Centre Waterloo Region (SDCWR) is facilitating pilot projects led by lived experts.

How can I get involved or learn more?

  • Use our Discussion Guide to host a community conversation (see the Community Toolkit section)
  • Submit a question in the Q & A portal below
  • Send an email to EndChronicHomelessness@regionofwaterloo.ca
  • Call: (519) 575-4400, extension 5008 | Deaf and Hard of Hearing (TTY): 519-575-4608
    • Interpreters are available in over 150 languages
  • Sign up to follow this project and receive regular email updates to your inbox
  • Follow on social media:
  • The community engagement survey has now closed. Thank you for your input. Survey findings are presented in the Mid-Project Key Findings Report.

The topic of homelessness may surface emotional responses or trauma for some people. As you interact with our engagement activities, please be mindful of your wellbeing and do not proceed if you feel uncomfortable. If you are experiencing emotional or mental distress, please reach out for help.

CMHA Waterloo-Wellington's Here 24/7 Helpline

  • Call 1-844-437-3247 (HERE-247), TTY: 1-877-688-5501
  • Visit here247.ca (English and French)

Multilingual Helpline Support

Background

The number of people who are currently experiencing homelessness in Waterloo Region is higher than ever before.

Homelessness is a complex problem with many causes. There is no one answer. Region of Waterloo staff are working with the community to find solutions. Together, our community will co-create a Plan to End Chronic Homelessness (The Plan).

The Plan will be a roadmap for strategies, resources and timelines to end chronic homelessness in Waterloo Region.

The voice of lived expertise will be vital in creating The Plan. The creation of The Plan will be in community, by community and for community.

The Social Development Centre Waterloo Region (SDCWR) is facilitating pilot projects led by lived experts.

How can I get involved or learn more?

  • Use our Discussion Guide to host a community conversation (see the Community Toolkit section)
  • Submit a question in the Q & A portal below
  • Send an email to EndChronicHomelessness@regionofwaterloo.ca
  • Call: (519) 575-4400, extension 5008 | Deaf and Hard of Hearing (TTY): 519-575-4608
    • Interpreters are available in over 150 languages
  • Sign up to follow this project and receive regular email updates to your inbox
  • Follow on social media:
  • The community engagement survey has now closed. Thank you for your input. Survey findings are presented in the Mid-Project Key Findings Report.

The topic of homelessness may surface emotional responses or trauma for some people. As you interact with our engagement activities, please be mindful of your wellbeing and do not proceed if you feel uncomfortable. If you are experiencing emotional or mental distress, please reach out for help.

CMHA Waterloo-Wellington's Here 24/7 Helpline

  • Call 1-844-437-3247 (HERE-247), TTY: 1-877-688-5501
  • Visit here247.ca (English and French)

Multilingual Helpline Support

  • Regional Council approves the Plan to End Chronic Homelessness

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    At a Regional Council meeting on April 24, Council approved the final report of the Plan to End Chronic Homelessness to serve as the Region's official plan to prevent, address and end chronic homelessness in Waterloo Region.

    The final report, Navigating Complexity Together: A Roadmap to Functional Zero by 2030, is the culmination of deep, collective community-based work to respond to the growing crisis of homelessness in Waterloo Region. The report recommends 30 actions to end chronic homelessness by 2030 and is guided by seven strategic focus areas:

    • Create Policy and System Accountability
    • Centre Community Voices
    • Build System Bridges
    • Advance Equitable Housing
    • Focus on Preventing Homelessness
    • Change the Narrative on Housing and Homelessness
    • Advocate and Collaborate for Broader Change


    Regional staff also worked with The Social Development Centre (SDC) through an innovative partnership that shared insights of people with lived or living experience of homelessness directly to the project. The SDC-led Lived Expertise Working Group published the Lived Expertise Prototyping Report to complement the Plan.

    Region of Waterloo staff and community presented the final report at Community and Health Services Committee earlier this month. Watch the presentation.

    Download Council Report CSD-HOU-24-006

    Next steps

    Regional staff will work with area municipalities, co-creators, and lived experts on implementing The Plan’s recommendations in the coming months. Stay tuned for more updates as the work progresses.

  • Special Council Meeting - February 6, 2024

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    In a Special Council meeting on Tuesday, February 6, Regional Council approved an allocation plan for $10.2 million in additional funding this year as part of The Plan to End Chronic Homelessness.

    Council prioritized the original Fee for Service Requests at $3.1 million at a 10 per cent reduction giving the Fee for Service recipients $2.79 million and allocating the remaining funding ($7.42 million) to the Plan to End Chronic Homelessness budget requests.

    This will accelerate the work to end chronic homelessness in Waterloo Region. A full report on the Plan to End Chronic Homelessness will go to Regional Council in April with recommendations.

    Watch video on YouTube

    Read the report (CSD-HOU-24-002)

  • Video -- Report to Community & Health Services Committee - November 7, 2023

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    Regional Staff presented an update report at the Community and Health Services Committee meeting on Wednesday, November 7.

    (External link) Watch video on YouTube

    Read report CSD-HOU-23-028

  • Mid-Project Key Findings Report

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    A Mid-Project Key Findings Report for The Plan to End Chronic Homelessness is now available. The report summarizes input received from the community and explores the current state of the Housing Stability System in Waterloo Region.

    Read the report.

  • Video -- Overlap Associates, Social Development Centre Waterloo Region (SDCWR) and Region of Waterloo staff co-present mid-project update to Community and Health Services Committee

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    The Plan to End Chronic Homelessness project partners presented an update at the Community and Health Services Committee meeting on Tuesday, September 12, 2023.

    Watch video on YouTube

  • Media release -- Share your voice: As a community, how can we end chronic homelessness?

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    Waterloo Region – The Region of Waterloo, the Social Development Centre Waterloo Region and community partners are looking for your ideas and feedback to create a plan to end chronic homelessness. There are a number of ways you can provide your input:

    Complete the online survey

    The survey is open until July 28, 2023 and is available in multiple languages online. Print copies, accessible formats and communications supports are available upon request. Visit our Engage WR website to complete the survey or to request accessible formats.

    Register for a virtual engagement lab

    Sign up for one of two 30 to 45-minute virtual group labs where facilitators will guide participants through information-seeking activities. Space is limited. Sessions will run on July 11 and July 19, 2023. Register on the Engage WR site.

    Use our discussion guide to host a community conversation

    Host a discussion with your community group, local place of worship, neighbours or family supported with our information and questions to guide your conversations and then submit your comments. All instructions and contact information are outlined in the guide. Visit our Engage WR website to download your copy from our CommunityToolkit.

    Visit our pop-up booth and chat with our street teams

    Look for us at local events across the region.

    Submit a question/comment online or by phone

    Send an email to EndChronicHomelessness@regionofwaterloo.ca

    Post a question or comment on the EngageWR page - https://www.engagewr.ca/end-chronic-homelessness

    Call: (519) 575-4400, extension 5008

    Deaf and Hard of Hearing (TTY): 519-575-4608.

    Interpreters are available in over 150 languages

    Follow @ThePlanWR on social media

    Join the conversation with #ThePlanWR and follow @ThePlanWR on Instagram and Twitter for updates.


    Read the full media release

  • Video -- Social Development Centre Waterloo Region - Video Introduction to The Plan to End Chronic Homelessness

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    Watch video on YouTube

  • Video -- Overlap Associates, Social Development Centre Waterloo Region (SDCWR) and Region of Waterloo staff co-present an update to Community and Health Services Committee

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    The Plan to End Chronic Homelessness project partners presented an update at the Community and Health Services Committee meeting on Tuesday, April 4, 2023.

    Watch video on YouTube

  • Media Release -- "In Community, by Community, for Community": Work begins on Plan to End Chronic Homelessness

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    This week at Community and Health Services Committee, representatives of the Region of Waterloo, Overlap Associates and The Social Development Centre Waterloo Region (SDCWR) presented an overview of the project to create a Plan to End Chronic Homelessness (The Plan).

    “This will be a plan created in the community, by the community, for the community,” said Peter Sweeney, Commissioner of Community Services. “We are taking a different approach to the development of this plan. It will require unprecedented collaboration. For the first time, the plan will not only be based on research, best practices and widespread community engagement but also will be co-created by those with lived expertise, service providers and community partners. There is a seat at the table for anyone who wants to be involved in finding solutions to ending chronic homelessness in Waterloo Region.”

    Read the full media release

Page last updated: 25 Apr 2024, 10:45 AM