Community Impacts of the St. John’s Community Advisory Committee on Homelessness: 2000-2012 – A Research Report

In 2011, the St. John’s Community Advisory Board on Homelessness (CAB) celebrated ten years of collaboration in implementing its Community Plan to address homelessness in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. The CAB wanted to examine the depth and breadth of the impacts of its work over this time period. The CAB engaged Goss Gilroy Inc. to conduct the study.

The CAB was formed and has evolved primarily within the context of federal homelessness policy initiatives and related funding – the National Homeless Initiative (NHI) and the Homelessness Partnering Strategy (HPS). During the 2000-2014 period, a total of $18.3 million from these federal programs has been allocated in St. John’s to help address homelessness.

The CAB also has been undertaking its efforts in more recent years within the context of a growing framework of provincial and municipal public policies, funding and/or services to support those who experience and/or who are at risk of homelessness.

Convened in 2001, the St. John’s CAB is a 25-member multi-stakeholder committee that brings together 13 community and nine government organizations to develop and implement a series of Community Plans to Address Homelessness (Community Plans) in St. John’s. The St. John’s CAB has developed and implemented three Community Plans since inception. Each of the Community Plans has addressed four priority areas: emergency shelter capacity (including capital infrastructure, human resources and support services); increasing supportive transitional housing (including capital infrastructure, human resources and support services); outreach services to link individuals with housing and supports; and community development coordination and supports. The CAB employs a Community Development Worker (CDW) who plays a key role in implementing the Community Plan and in general supporting the CAB.

Publication Date: 
2012
Location: 
St. John's, NL, Canada