The City of Regina continues to chip away on a plan to end homelessness.
A team of experts have been hired to come up with a solution. They say shelters aren't the answers. The homeless should go straight into permanent housing.
"Housing First is one of the only evidence-based interventions that has overwhelming proof that it actually ends homelessness, so we're absolutely going to have a focus on enhancing the Housing First responses,” said Alina Turner, consultant.
A committee of 20 community leaders has been formed to draft a plan. However, only two are from First Nations groups. That promptly drew criticism.
"Well I think it's a much needed plan definitely and when they mentioned the Indigenous leadership aspect of it, as you can see when they did the speeches, they indicated who all was involved. It paints a very different picture,” said Delora Parisian, Eagle Heart Centre.
People move in and out, and back in again at homeless shelters in Regina. Now, the City wants to put a stop to the cycle of homelessness.
"I hope we'll have an action plan at the end that will say this is how we'll get there, what needs to be done, not an academic study, but a blueprint or action plan of what we have to do,” said Michael Fougere, Mayor of Regina.
Those working on the homelessness plan don't want to let another winter go by without a solution. They plan to have draft proposals ready by June with implementation set for the fall.
-With files from Wayne Mantyka
