Good morning, Mr. Chair and honourable members of the committee.
Thank you for inviting the Réseau Solidarité Itinérance du Québec to appear before the committee today.
I have been closely following the work that has been done so far, and I welcome the attention that has already been paid to issues related to homelessness prevention. Given the limited time allotted to each witness, I decided to be efficient by trying to build on the views already expressed, while also addressing some of the questions already raised. This will allow the committee members to come up with new questions, as they see fit. I was inspired by the member for Brome—Missisquoi who is here today and who mentioned that he has so many more questions.
In response to the question as to whether greater flexibility and predictability in funding would enable organizations to allocate more resources to providing direct services rather than managing administration, we would say that removing the uncertainty surrounding funding stabilizes financial management and helps retain the expertise within organizations. The alternative is to terminate a contract or lose spaces if funding is not confirmed in a timely manner.
In response to the question as to whether prevention should be regarded as a social and economic investment, our answer is that it would benefit the entire population, because it would create a social environment more conducive to improved health and well-being and would ease pressure on public services. In addition, it would promote greater social and economic participation and prevent people from having to experience the trauma of homelessness, because we've failed to provide them with a stable environment or haven't been able to support them when they needed it. Beyond the monetary costs, this is a human investment that remains relevant.
In response to the question as to whether shelters create a vicious circle that traps people in homelessness and perpetuates their problems, we would argue that shelters are the last line of defence in a system that has failed in its duty towards vulnerable people. Shelters do not perpetuate homelessness. For many, they are the first step in a long journey of navigating a system of ill-adapted and poorly connected services, rebuilding their trust in others and in society, and rebuilding their own lives after seeing their basic needs and rights repeatedly violated while they were living on the street. Shelters respond to basic needs and offer a range of services that contribute to people's social, civic, housing and economic reintegration, among others. Relying on the family or the community to provide support ignores the underlying causes and solutions by denying collective responsibility. It actually creates hidden homelessness. We must protect and assert the fundamental right to adequate housing, which must be stable, safe, healthy and not overcrowded.
In response to the question as to where the main challenge lies with respect to current funding, whether it's the amount of funding available or how it's distributed and administered, we would say that both aspects need to be addressed. We need the funding allocated to the Reaching Home program to be increased in order to ensure an adequate level of service and reduce the pressure on organizations to seek additional funding. Since homelessness is so widespread, we need to reduce the gap between the designated communities and those yet to be established. We also need greater predictability and stability in how the program is managed. Announcements need to be made in advance, project proposals need to be made public for at least a month and at appropriate times, and a response needs to be provided within perhaps two months or less.
Finally, in response to the question as to whether the goal of Build Canada Homes to build affordable housing on a large scale is a practical solution that will reverse the trend, we would say that we have recently noticed a gradual shift from the term “social housing” to “affordable housing”, which is much more vague. Furthermore, there's a lot of catching up to do on social housing. It's important to build the housing the community needs, not the housing that developers want to build. If we've missed the mark when it comes to social housing in recent decades, we can't be expected to make up for it without the proper tools. There is a cultural difference between the Housing First program and the holistic approach we have implemented. I wouldn't go so far as to credit it with all the results, far from it, but Quebec must be doing something right with our holistic approach, given that the rise in homelessness since the pandemic has been slower in Quebec than elsewhere in Canada.
It's important not to focus only on bricks and mortar and leave the provinces to handle the bulk of the support. Certain aspects of Build Canada Homes remain somewhat opaque, which is why we hope the federal government will maintain some version of the tried and true Reaching Home program, for which agreements have already been signed. It should be improved with increased flexibility and predictability when it comes to funding, aspects that have been lacking until now.
You will receive our brief shortly, which includes tables based on the Fitzpatrick typology of homelessness, references to the holistic approach aligned with the existing system in our province, as well as our proposals, which you can take into account as you prepare your recommendations.
In the meantime, I urge the committee to continue to give a broad definition of homelessness prevention the increasing prominence it deserves in discussions, as we have done since the fourth États généraux de l'itinérance au Québec, held in November 2024.
The committee has heard it before. Witnesses from across Canada have confirmed that they are working hard and trying various strategies to reverse homelessness trends.
We need to maintain the flexibility required to adapt measures on the ground based on needs. There is room for innovation, but some tried-and-tested solutions are still working very well.
Thank you for your attention. I look forward to taking any questions you may have regarding my answers.