New funding improves supports for homeless in Edmonton

Thursday, June 8th, 2017 4:06pm

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The Harm Reduction chalkboard at Boyle Street Community Services. (Photo: boylestreet.org)

The province is providing $1.7 million for maintenance upgrades to facilities across the province and to improve homelessness supports in Edmonton.

The funding includes a $250,000 grant to the City of Edmonton to partner with the Edmonton Police Service and 11 community agencies to identify service gaps and explore an integrated community wellness approach for homeless people with complex needs.

“By working together with community partners and other levels of government, we can make a difference in the lives of those who are experiencing homelessness," said Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson. The plan needs to be submitted to the province by Feb. 28, 2018.

Boyle Street Community Services also receives a grant of $250,000 to devise a business case to redevelop their facility in order to deliver a cross-section of existing and potential new services. The business case must be completed by Dec. 31, 2018.

Capital maintenance and upgrading funds, totalling $456,986, were allocated to Edmonton organizations Hope Mission, Operation Friendship Seniors Society and Urban Manor Housing Society to ensure the facilities are operating in a safe, healthy manner.

This represents only a small portion of the $1.2 million which is being provided province-wide to address health, fire and safety risks in 17 adult homeless shelters in seven communities. The remaining upgrade funding will be announced at a later date.