Everyone Counts: 2018 Point-in-Time Counts of homelessness taking place across Canada

GATINEAU, QC, March 12, 2018 /CNW/ - The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, today announced the launch of Everyone Counts: the second nationally-coordinated Point-in-Time (PiT) Count of homelessness. Between March 1 and April 30, 2018, communities in every province and territory across Canada will conduct a PiT count.

The PiT counts will provide vital information to participating communities about individuals experiencing homelessness, helping to identify their needs and plan community resources accordingly. The information collected will also contribute to a national portrait of homelessness and support the Government of Canada's ongoing work in preventing and reducing homelessness.

Communities can also choose to implement a joint PiT count and registry week, which helps the community to create a by-name list of individuals experiencing homelessness. This list can be used to link individuals to housing supports as part of the 20,000 Homes Campaign of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness.

Quote

"Homelessness is a reality for too many Canadians and a challenge for every community. The Government of Canada is proud to be working in collaboration with communities to conduct this second, national point-in-time count. This data is essential to helping us create a real picture of homelessness in Canada, so that we can develop effective strategies that respond to homelessness at the local level."
–The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development

These PiT counts will provide timely information on the state of homelessness in our communities today. By taking part in this nationally coordinated count, communities will be better equipped to identify local people with needs and plan out their community responses. I am proud that our government is part of this collaborative effort."
– Adam Vaughan, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Families, Children and Social Development (Housing and Urban Affairs) and Member of Parliament for Spadina–Fort York

Quick Facts

• The coordinated PiT counts are funded by the Government of Canada's Homelessness Partnering Strategy.
• The PiT counts use a common methodology and are coordinated in communities across the country.
• The Homelessness Partnering Strategy is a community-based program that aims to prevent and reduce homelessness by providing help and financial support to 61 communities, as well as to Indigenous, rural and remote communities across Canada, to help address local homelessness needs.
• As part of the National Housing Strategy, Budget 2017 announced a total investment of $2.1 billion from 2018-2019 to 2027-2028 to expand and extend the Homelessness Partnering Strategy.

Related products

Backgrounder: Point-in-Time Counts

Associated Links

Everyone Counts: Homelessness Partnering Strategy Coordinated Point-in-Time Count 
Homelessness Partnering Strategy Coordinated Canadian Point-in-Time Counts 
Understanding Homelessness and the Strategy 

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Backgrounder

Point-in-Time Counts

The point-in-time (PiT) counts are coordinated with communities across Canada through the Government of Canada's Homelessness Partnering Strategy (HPS).

A PiT count is a method used to measure sheltered and unsheltered homelessness. It aims to count individuals in a community who are, at a given time, staying in shelters or "sleeping rough" (e.g. on the street, in parks), providing a "snapshot" of homelessness in a community. PiT counts include a survey that can provide communities with information on the characteristics of their homeless population (e.g. age, gender, veteran status, Indigenous identity).

This information can be used by communities to direct resources to areas of greatest need, and to connect individuals to targeted supports to help them achieve stable housing. It can also be used to track changes in the homeless population over time and measure progress in reducing it.

In Quebec, the HPS is administered through a formal agreement that respects the jurisdiction and priorities of both governments in addressing homelessness.

Registry Week
In 2015, the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH) launched the 20,000 Homes Campaign. Communities that participate create a registry, or by-name list, of people experiencing homelessness and determine the severity of their needs in order to prioritize people for housing interventions.

The creation of this list typically begins with a registry week, when surveys are conducted with people experiencing homelessness to begin to evaluate the severity of their needs. Data collected from a registry week will allow communities to target supports and services that meet the needs of the individual, but also the community.

Homelessness Partnering Strategy

The HPS is a unique community-based program aimed at preventing and reducing homelessness by providing direct support and funding to 61 designated communities in all provinces and territories, as well as to Indigenous, rural and remote communities across Canada, to help them address homelessness.

SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada