Main Street Project is very pleased to learn of the province’s new plan, ‘Your Way Home,’ intended to address the homelessness crisis in Manitoba.
As an organization on the front lines supporting people experiencing homelessness, Main Street Project is optimistic that what has been shared to date will lead to an overall improvement in the work we do and our ability to move people into housing that provides supports to keep people housed long term.
We are also thrilled to learn Tessa Blaikie Whitecloud has accepted the role of Senior Advisor on Ending Chronic Homelessness to move this work forward. Tessa is an effective and well-respected community leader with many years of experience participating in and leading collaborative work in this sector. We have worked collaboratively to bring the shelter sector together over the past few years to ensure strong coordination and advocacy for our community members.
From our work in this sector, we know that investments in housing are long overdue, and it is a relief that our current government is making these much-needed investments to move this work forward. Housing is the solution to homelessness. It was also reassuring to hear the government speak to housing that meets the needs of the people, including 300 units of social housing to start. We know from our work with marginalized people that housing needs to be tailored to the unique needs of the people accessing it, and that meaningful connections with people to support them on their housing journey is necessary for success.
To that end, we are also very pleased to hear about investments in the outreach and casework supports needed to help move people from encampments in a good way, and to support them so they are successful in their housing. Main Street Project knows how essential and intensive it is housing people who are chronically homeless which involves outreach casework teams with the foundations of relationship building centered on compassion, trust, dignity and respect for each person’s human rights. These person-centered approaches help people succeed in and keep their housing.
As an organization with five decades of critical outreach work in Winnipeg, we are looking forward to learning more about the plan and its implementation, and how the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s 94 Calls to Action, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP), and the Federal Housing Advocate’s review of homeless encampments guides this important work in housing people in a good way.
The cooperation amongst governments and internal departments working towards concrete housing solutions and the social supports required is long-overdue and will have a direct impact stabilizing people living unsheltered in Winnipeg. We look forward to learning more and are eager to being a part of this life-saving collaborative work.
Please reach out to us with questions or concerns: admin@mainstreetproject.ca