Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a Return to Oral Questions asked by the Member for Great Slave on October 13, 2022, regarding Homelessness.
The current data count for homelessness in the territory are from 2019 and show that a total of 1,585 Northwest Territories residents have experienced homelessness at some time in their life. In April 2021, the Homelessness Hub Yellowknife conducted a point in time count and found 312 individuals experiencing homelessness in Yellowknife.
The NWT has only done counts as part of specific projects, and we do not currently have a systematic collection of data on this population to allow us to track the population over time. Not only does this make it difficult for me to tell you how many NWT residents are impacted at this point, but it also means that I do not have the data on how long individuals remain homeless and what kinds of housing solutions they move into. As social departments have worked together, they have noted the need for better data collection to support the work of these clients.
It was recently reaffirmed by meetings with my colleagues from provinces/territories at the recent Ministers of Housing meeting, that the issues we are facing in the NWT are being faced in all jurisdictions of Canada. We have learned that there are a variety of approaches being taken in other jurisdictions, ranging from taking innovative approaches to collaborative program and services delivered for vulnerable populations to changing the architecture of government departments. All efforts recognize that improving access to programs and services is required to meaningfully address homelessness.
Similar to other jurisdictions, the Government of the Northwest Territories' response to homelessness has been challenged by unclear lines of accountability, a patchwork funding sources, an ad hoc policy approach, and a lack of dedicated human resources. Homelessness is a multifaceted challenge that requires a wholeofgovernment approach.
Announcements from the federal government on the Reaching Home Strategy have identified a territorial funding stream of $43 million to address the causes of, and solutions to, homelessness in the Northwest Territories.
The Reaching Home Strategy was designed to support the goals of the National Housing Strategy and to reduce the chronic homelessness, nationally, by 50 percent. The City of Yellowknife is receiving a total of $6 million over five years for homelessness programming. Reaching Home also currently provides funding to the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, Deline Got'ine Government, and the Tlicho Government.
In addition to the Reaching Home funds, I am pleased to be able to say that some of the projects funded under the National CoInvestment Fund from Canada are also targeted to supporting vulnerable populations. Examples of this are included in Yellowknife, an additional 21 units under construction at Lynn’s Place and the renovation of 41 units at Spruce Bough, and the creation of 14 units at the Family Support Centre in Hay River. These projects are just the beginning of some of the investment that will benefit the vulnerable persons across the Northwest Territories.
Homelessness is a very complex issue and truly to make change we do need to work closely with other social envelope departments to generate solutions and develop clientcentered and focused approaches. That necessary collaborative work is now underway. We believe taking a bit more time will provide us with the opportunity to develop a more cohesive wholeofgovernment approach.
As noted in a response to a question earlier, this sitting in the House I have committed to providing a strategy regarding homelessness on or before April 1, 2023. This will allow the strategy to represent the intergovernmental nature of responding to homelessness instead of focus just on the Housing NWT's response.
We also recognize that engagement with our partners, including nongovernmental organizations, Indigenous governments, and community governments, will be necessary to further advance work on this issue. I expect that this engagement will continue and further inform work during early this summer. As you have heard myself and my colleague speak in this House, we recognize that addressing homelessness is more than just Housing NWT or Health and Social Services responsibility and therefore our strategy must focus on a multifaceted response. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker
Thank you, Minister. Returns to oral questions. Minister responsible for Health and Social Services.
