Government of Canada takes action to address homelessness in the Montreal Area

October 11, 2017 Montreal, Quebec Employment and Social Development Canada

Youth homelessness is a challenge for every community in the country. The Government of Canada is committed to promoting innovation and investing in projects that give every Canadian, including youth, a real and fair chance at success.

Today, the Government of Canada announced an investment of $129,248 to the community organization Cirque Hors Piste for its project Créations collectives. The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, announced the innovative project which uses circus arts as a social intervention and reintegration tool among youth who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

Créations collectives is based on a “social circus” intervention model and aims to help marginalized youth transition to the workforce by developing skills like punctuality, discipline and time management. The Montreal organization received funding through the Innovative Solutions to Homelessness stream under the Homelessness Partnering Strategy (HPS).

Cirque Hors Piste has entered into partnership agreements with various organizations such as Cirque du Soleil and the École de travail social de l’Université de Montréal. Given its rigorous approach, the project could serve as a model for other youth organizations working in different environments; the proposed approach includes the collection of data and the implementation of an action plan for each participant.

The project is one of many to have received funding through the Innovative Solutions to Homelessness stream under the HPS. The overall funding to be allocated through this funding stream is approximately $12.75 million; $750,000 for microgrants and $12 million for contributions.

Quotes

“Because they encourage freedom and creativity while also requiring perseverance and discipline, circus arts allow at-risk youth to grow and surpass themselves both physically and socially. Créations collectives represents an alternative to the survival mode associated with homelessness and meets the recognized need to experiment, create, build self-esteem and be part of the community.”
– The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development

Quick Facts

To give more Canadians access to housing that is safe, adequate and affordable, the Government recently proposed through Budget 2017 to introduce a National Housing Strategy, supported by an investment of more than $11.2 billion over 11 years, starting in 2017-2018. It is expected that this strategy will help thousands of Canadian households in need find safe, adequate and affordable housing.
As part of the National Housing Strategy, Budget 2017 proposes a total investment of $2.1 billion over the next 11 years to expand and extend funding for the HPS beyond 2018-2019, when current funding is scheduled to end.
This investment builds on funding provided through Budget 2016 of $111.8 million over two years ($57.9 million in 2016-2017 and $53.9 million in 2017-2018). This builds on the program’s existing five‑year investment of nearly $600 million (2014-2019).
Since the launch of the HPS, nearly 35,000 Canadians who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless have benefitted from education and training opportunities; over 34,000 individuals have received help to find work. In addition, more than 6,000 new shelter beds have been created and the program has helped place over 82,000 people in more stable housing.

Government of Canada takes action to address homelessness in the Montreal Area

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