Homelessness in Regina: Current Situation and Solutions from Other Communities

Abstract

This report was prepared for Carmichael Outreach, a community-based organization that provides housing and support services to citizens of Regina. Objectives of the report are to provide an overview of the city's housing and homelessness situation (e.g., available housing, number of homeless individuals, barriers that homeless individuals face, and available support services) and to examine successful housing strategies of other municipalities. Several Canadian municipalities including Moncton, Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver have successfully housed homeless individuals by using the Housing First approach. With the Housing First approach homeless individuals are first housed and then given support services as needed. The use of this approach is supported by reports and research literature across North America. Research indicates that the Housing First approach is more successful at housing homeless individuals and more cost-efficient than the traditional Continuum of Care approach.