It's time for Regina to follow the lead of communities like Medicine Hat and develop a strategy to end homelessness.
We can do this.
The first step is putting aside jurisdictional finger pointing and recognize that homelessness exists in our backyard, in our neighbourhood, in our city. Yes, funds are needed from the province and the federal government, but the City of Regina needs to show leadership and develop a strategy. Since getting elected I've made this issue a priority, and have made meeting anti-poverty community and advocacy groups a priority. This has included the YMCA, which administers Housing First funding, the YWCA, Carmichael Outreach, and the Street Culture Project. The consensus is clear: a blue print is required for how we can and will eliminate homelessness.
Right now, Regina doesn't have a clear plan on how to do this. We need to take the work of the Mayor's Housing Commission a step further and craft a strategy that includes a meaningful timeline, a list of community groups, and maps out the resources necessary to confront this challenge.
Find out more about an effective model here, at the Medicine Hat Community Housing Society webpage.