The Supporting Communities Partnership Initiative (SCPI), established in 1999, is the centrepiece of Canada’s homelessness strategy. It is a community-based approach that brings together a variety of partners to find local solutions to addressing local homelessness issues.

The SCPI aims to:

• alleviate the hardship of those without shelter by increasing, for example, the number of beds available in shelters;
• coordinate programs and initiatives that address homelessness;
• strengthen and broaden collaborative partnerships;
• facilitate community efforts to build capacity and sustainability; and
• develop a base of knowledge and understanding of issues related to homelessness.

Over the next three years, the Initiative will also invest in transitional and supportive services to help homeless people become more self-sufficient.

The SCPI helps 61 communities across Canada plan and implement comprehensive local strategies to alleviate the challenges faced by homeless people. Of the 61 communities, 10 large urban centres have significant homeless populations. These centres are Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Hamilton, Toronto, Ottawa, Montréal, Quebec City and Halifax.

Although homelessness exists across the country, the challenges associated with it are quite different from one community to another. As a first step, local service providers, community organizations, and other stakeholders, including youth and Aboriginal people, develop a Community Plan that identifies current community resources and gaps in service, and establishes priorities for helping the homeless in their community. The SCPI model is designed to be flexible, so that communities can develop responses that reflect local conditions.

SCPI funding is available on a shared basis with a 50 per cent matching requirement from non-federal sources, including private and not-for-profit agencies, municipal and provincial governments. Matching funds can be cash or in-kind contributions.

In three years, through community partnerships, the Supporting Communities Partnership Initiative (SCPI) has succeeded beyond expectations.

• Under the SCPI, 61 communities across the country have developed community plans to address the specific issues facing those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless in their communities.

• More than 7,000 new beds have been created.

• Approximately 563 shelter facilities are receiving funding for building improvements or renovations.

• More than 331 support facilities, such as food banks and soup kitchens, are being set up or improved.

• In addition to the Government of Canada investment in this initiative, $555.9 million has been contributed by other partners.

• More specialized services have been developed to help youth and urban Aboriginal homeless persons, two of the fastest growing groups that are facing the challenges of homelessness. This includes facilities such as shelters serving homeless youth.

• Hundreds of partnerships have been forged across provinces and territories to help fight homelessness.

The United Nations has recognized Canada for its efforts to address homelessness. The Supporting Communities Partnership Initiative was nominated as a Best Practice in the UN-Habitat 2002 International Awards. The Awards recognize initiatives that have made outstanding contributions to improving the quality of life in cities and communities around the world.

For more information on Canada’s homelessness strategy, visit:
www.homelessness.gc.ca