Mr. Speaker, the response is as follows:
a) The federal funding provided under the homelessness partnering strategy, HPS, favours the development of transitional and supportive housing and increases the focus on interventions to help individuals acquire long-term stable housing conditions.
b) No. Funding under the HPS focuses on the same 61 designated communities as under the national homelessness initiative, NHI, and the supporting communities partnership initiative, SCPI, component.
c) Communities have been asked to assess progress on their community plans. These assessments were expected by June 2007. They are now being asked to update their community plan and priorities for fall 2007.
d) Not applicable. See the response to c).
e) Community advisory boards are responsible to organize consultations with stakeholders for the identification of the plan priorities. This remains unchanged for the HPS.
f) No changes have been identified to date to the number or allocation of staff and program facilitators to deliver the new Strategy.
g) The homelessness partnering secretariat developed a transition strategy that provided program guidelines for the implementation of the HPS and the close-out of the NHI so that everything was in place to avoid disruption of services in communities. Communities received funding for projects to ensure the continuity of essential activities for the homeless population.
h) The HPS is administered in the same manner as the NHI; it is a community-based program that is delivered at the local and regional levels with direction from national headquarters.
i) Funding will not be transferred to provinces or territories; it will be delivered in the same manner as the NHI.
j) Organizations will be invited to submit proposals that will meet the needs and priorities of the community as established in their community plan, and are consistent with the HPS’s terms and conditions.
k) In response to consultations with communities, organizations and stakeholders who have expressed a need for more long-term housing, the HPS is targeting 65% of its funds toward transitional, supportive, and other forms of long-term housing facilities and related services. This is a guideline with flexibility exercised to respond to community needs.
l) The development of the HPS was informed by: the formative and summative evaluations of the NHI; externally-funded research; NHI-funded research; best practices from across the country; international models; and the views of stakeholders. Comments and suggestions from NHI funding recipients, community organizations, all levels of government, private and not-for-profit sectors, and interest groups were received during the January 2005 consultations, and the September 2006 national stakeholder roundtable. A significant amount of correspondence has also been received from individuals and organizations.
m) See answer to question l).
n) i) funding recipients; ii) community groups; and iii) municipal and provincial governments involved in the development of HPS? See answer to question l).
o) Organizations will be invited to submit proposals that meet the needs and priorities of their respective communities, as established in their community plans, and are consistent with the HPS’s terms and conditions.
p) All recipients that were provided funding under the NHI will be eligible to submit an application under the HPS. Communities are expected to undertake transparent calls for proposals processes.
q) Communities will have the discretion of recommending the appropriate number of projects that can be funded under their allocation to meet their needs.
r) The HPS has a policy directive on “Enhanced Financial Controls” to ensure transparency and probity in the administration of contribution agreements. All recipients of less than $350,000 in funding will be subject to Human Resources and Social Development Canada’s project monitoring. All recipients of $350,000 or more will have a clause in the contribution agreement that will require an external audit. The frequency of the audits is determined by the length of the agreement. Funds for these audits are included as an eligible cost in the contribution agreement.