Alberta Liberals Launch Comprehensive Policy to Address Homelessness

The Alberta Liberals have released a comprehensive strategy to end homelessness in Alberta.

The Alberta Liberal plan will increase the supply of affordable housing, provide direct support to the hard to house, and support community plans to end homelessness.

“The Alberta Liberals believe that everybody in this province needs a home,” says Taft. “With this plan, we want to help the homeless move beyond the shelter and access the services they need to get back on their feet.”

Taft says that the current Tory approach of simply opening more homeless shelters will not address the problem.

“We need concrete policies to address the shortage of affordable and transitional housing and we need to increase mental health and addictions treatment services,” says Taft.

Highlights of the policy include:

• Creating a Director of Housing and Human Services to assist municipalities in implementing community plans to end homelessness.
• Implementing a Permanent Supportive Housing model to provide comprehensive support services for people who are chronically homeless.
• Improving outreach services to homeless people.
• Developing early intervention initiatives to prevent at-risk children and youth from becoming homeless.

Dave Taylor, Alberta Liberal Candidate for Calgary-Currie, consulted with homelessness and housing experts on the development of the policy.

“It’s time to stop turning our backs on the most vulnerable citizens in our society,” says Taylor. “With this long-term strategy, we can turn that trend around.”

The full policy can be viewed here.