Mr. Speaker, homelessness looks different in the North than in southern Canada. Homelessness is less visible here, but just as distressing. Our harsh winter temperatures force the homeless indoors where they wind up couch surfing, moving between the homes of family and friends for two or three days at a time. They arrive late, leave early, and spend their days walking around. They struggle with addictions. They hide from local housing organizations so their hosts don't suffer the consequences such as increased rent or renovations for housing an extra person. It's a hard life.
The statistics on homelessness are unreliable and vary widely. For example, the City of Yellowknife estimates their homeless population at 150, while The Homeless Hub, the Calgary think tank, and the Yellowknife Homelessness Coalition would estimate the number of people who access Yellowknife shelters at over 900 per year, almost five per cent of the city's population. A lot of people from small communities migrate to Yellowknife when they are homeless, meaning they may have even less support from family and friends. Because the homeless have no permanent address, they can't be easily counted. This makes it difficult for governments to assess the size of the problem or to adequately address it. The Northwest Territories Housing Corporation has introduced Northern Pathways to Housing, a program to partner with three smaller communities to operate transitional housing. That's three communities out of 27, Mr. Speaker. Clearly, the GNWT underestimates the size of the homelessness problem.
In Fort Providence, five per cent of the population equals 40 people. This is the number of homeless estimated by a new notforprofit group called the Community Advancement Partnership Society, or CAPS, which has formed in Fort Providence. Their goal is to fund the construction of a multiplex with seven single-bedroom units to provide the Housing First for those who need it the most. The Housing First report has been used successfully by the City of Medicine Hat, which launched the program in 2009 to provide small permanent apartments to homeless residents. Six years later, they have housed 885 homeless adults and children and are nearing their goal of eradicating homelessness. Mayor Ted Clugston makes financial sense. You can actually save money by giving somebody some dignity and giving them places to stay. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to complete my statement. Mahsi.
---Unanimous consent granted
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi, colleagues. Fort Providence CAPS is using some creative approaches to raise funds, including an online crowdfunding campaign on GoFundMe.com and a “chase the ace” funding campaign, which works a lot like a payday pool and is becoming a popular way for charities to raise funds. It could take three years or more for CAPS to achieve their funding goal. In the meantime, there are homeless people needing assistance. Fort Providence needs support from the GNWT in the form of transitional housing, income support, and addictions treatment to lift the homeless up and help them turn their lives around. The Housing First approach has proven successful in reducing homelessness and saving program dollars in communities across North America, including Saskatoon, Medicine Hat, and Montreal, to name a few. When is the GNWT going to get on board and make this program available to every small community in the Northwest Territories that needs and wants it? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
