On its first full day in office, the new Wynne administration made an important housing commitment: Ontario’s Deputy Premier and Health Minister Deb Matthews announced that the province will pick ongoing funding for the innovative At Home / Chez Soi project on mental health, homelessness and housing. Using the housing first approach, the At Home project has successfully housed 240 formerly homeless people with mental health issues in Toronto. The project was launched by the Mental Health Commission of Canada using funds from the federal government, but the federal funding was due to expire at the end of March – which threatened the housing stability of the project participants. Hundreds more formerly homeless people have been successfully housed through the housing first approach in pilots in several other parts of Canada, where sustainable funding remains in question.
The National Film Board’s Here at Home initiative provides a rich set of insights into the At Home / Chez Soi project.
Reports and other research tools on At Home / Chez Soi here.