What is a ‘Duty to Assist’?
A Duty to Assist is a “human rights approach to homelessness prevention that involves a legal duty for authorities to make ‘reasonable’ efforts to end a person’s homelessness or to stabilize their housing” (Homelessness Hub). Modelled off the Housing (Wales) Act 2014, the creation of a Duty to Assist legislation in Manitoba would make homelessness prevention a statutory responsibility of the government.
Prior to moving this model forward at a structural level, it must be explored within communities what Duty to Assist means to a diversity of lived and living experience experts, service providers, and community members.
Winnipeg Launch
In October 2024, in Winnipeg, an event was held that aims to do just this; to explore within a Winnipeg-based context:
- What are the pathways and systems that may lead to youth/young adults experiencing homelessness?
- What would homelessness prevention and intervention look like within a duty to assist model?
- What solution-focused changes and improvements should be reflected in legislation that would prevent intergenerational experiences of homelessness?
- What reasonable, minimum steps or actions are required to move this model forward?
This report is a summary of findings from the 2.5-day event held in October 2024, in Winnipeg.
