By Aaron Mahoney (@Mahones93 on Twitter)

Province of Alberta provides additional support to help end homelessness in Lethbridge

Sep 6, 2017 | 2:26 PM

LETHBRIDGE – $250,000 in additional money from the provincial government will help more homeless people in Lethbridge move into their own homes through Housing First initiatives.

Housing First provides the homeless with accommodation, as well as crucial wraparound support services, like rent support, mental health services, addictions treatment and employment training.

Minister of Community and Social Services Irfan Sabir was in Lethbridge on Wednesday to announce the funding, alongside East Lethbridge MLA Maria Fitzpatrick, Lethbridge Mayor Chris Spearman, and Chair of the Housing First Committee Deborah Chenery.

The funding will help leverage more access to affordable housing, and will support the work already being down by Housing First locally according to Chenery.

“We’re at the point now where we have no place else to send people, so this money will leverage hugely in our community on behalf of the people we’re working to help. It also will help our case management abilities which will increase the amount of people we’ll be able to serve,” said Chenery.

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The money was not requested by the local Housing First group, instead it was additional funds provided by the province due to a need in the area.

Sabir says all Albertans deserve support, and to be able to access  the things they need to get through tough times.

“I think it’s important, and our government believes, that every Albertan deserves to have a safe place to call home. This funding will certainly help us to do just that, and we will work with the City of Lethbridge housing department to make sure that Housing First programming is available to those who need it,” said Sabir.

The reasons for homelessness are complex and multi-faceted according to Sabir, who added many people require multiple types of support to break the cycle of chronic homelessness.

“We have increased the housing budget by $5.2 million, and we’re working with the city to implement a ten year plan to end homeless. We saw a need, we were in touch with the city department, and that’s what this funding is in response to,” Sabir continued to say.

The government is already providing $3.1 million to the city, in addition to the funding today and Sabir says they also provide $976,000 to support an additional shelter.

“But having said that we will continue to work with our community partners to make sure all Albertans have the support that they need,” concluded Sabir.

Mayor Chris Spearman says about 100 homeless people in the city will benefit from this new funding.

“As a community, we’re grateful for this urgently needed support from the provincial government to help address some pressing needs for vulnerable people in our city. Tackling, and ending homelessness locally, takes a partnership and I’m happy our provincial government has listened to us and responded with funding that will help us take another step toward achieving that goal,” said Spearman.

The City of Lethbridge will receive more than $4.1 million for outreach services this year, with more than $87 million being provided province wide.