Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy is the federal government’s community-based funding program aimed at preventing and reducing homelessness across Canada and provides funding through Infrastructure Canada to designated Reaching Home Communities.
The City of Belleville is a designated Reaching Home Community, and Hastings County is the Community Entity responsible for receiving and administering this funding in alignment with the Reaching Home directives.
To receive the funding, Hastings County is required to create an investment plan using the Community Plan template, outlining the goals and strategies to address homelessness in Belleville from 2019 to 2024, based on the federal Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy directives at the start of each funding cycle.
Indigenous Peoples not engaged, despite Reaching Home directive
The Reaching Home directives require that Community Plans describe how Indigenous partners were engaged:
Details on how the Community Plan was informed by community engagement, including how the Indigenous Homelessness Community Entity and Community Advisory Board (where the Indigenous Homelessness and Designated Communities streams co-exist) and other Indigenous partners in the community
Despite Indigenous overrepresentation in local homelessness, Hastings County chose not to involve Indigenous Peoples in creating the Community Plan, saying it wasn’t their responsibility and pointing to the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte – located outside Belleville – as the ones who provide services instead.
There are no identified priorities in Belleville’s Community plan related specifically to the Indigenous population. There is no entity that has specific responsibility for Indigenous Peoples in the City of Belleville or surrounding area that we are aware of. Services for Indigenous Peoples are available through the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte, Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory located East of the City of Belleville. Organizations within
the City of Belleville continue to support any person in need or wanting access to services.
Hastings County staff received cultural sensitivity training in 2022.
Hastings County wouldn’t have a Indigenous member on the Community Advisory Board (CAB) until 2023 and acknowledged Indigenous overrepresentation in local homelessness that same year while admitting Indigenous partners were not directly engaged in target-setting or data interpretation.
Engagement
- Included two group consultations, three key informant interviews, and an online survey.
- Included front-line workers (e.g. OPP, ODSP, CMHA-HPE), local service providers, non-profits, and community members.
Investment plan
Reaching Home Funding (est.): $1.46 million over 5 years.
Breakdown for 2023–2024:
- Housing Services – 30%
- Prevention & Shelter Diversion – 21%
- Support Services – 20%
- Capital Investments – 6%
- Data/Coordination (CCI) – 19%
- Administration – 4%
Community-wide outcomes
Hastings County will track the four core federally mandated outcomes. At this time, no additional outcomes are identified by the community. The Community Advisory Board will revisit additional community-wide outcomes when the Homelessness Individuals and Families Information System (HIFIS) is implemented in the community. Once baseline data is collected through HIFIS, the community may review and determine additional community wide outcomes.
Coordinated Access System
- Map and analyze all local homelessness services.
- Identify entry points and assessment tools.
- Develop governance models and waitlist procedures.
- Implement the HIFIS (Homeless Individuals and Families Information System) with training.
RFP was released August 22, 2019, with a closing date of September 24, 2019. It is anticipated that the Contract Award and project start will be October 31, 2019.
Other homelessness funding
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