Human Resources committee  Thank you for the question. It isn't really just a resource question in the response to the context of this meeting. I think we are learning so much, and with complete vulnerability and humility, we have a lot more to learn. I would say that one of the things we really need to do nationally is that when we make something important nationally and when programs and national plans and studies get institutionalized in terms of expectations, we will respond.

Human Resources committee  It's certainly a growing problem and one that is important to really, fully understand. Mr. Swain mentioned the aging out of care concerns that contribute to long-term experiences of homelessness. We've participated in and supported Native Counselling Services of Alberta's production of a video really specifically about hidden homelessness and indigenous youth.

Human Resources committee  I think it's a really important principle that supports the need for indigenous-led organizations doing the work. Data sovereignty is important. I think a lot of reports and research cite information about other people that they didn't participate in providing. There are organizations in Canada that have really been evolving and leading in that space, largely with the national emphasis on data and how important it is.

Human Resources committee  Again, the most important thing is that it's indigenous led and shaped from the beginning. I think there are steps that organizations, in partnering with indigenous organizations, should be complying with so that the entire structure, when we're collecting data, is indigenous led and informed.

Human Resources committee  Homeward Trust focuses a lot on data and numbers. I will confess that a lot of our focus is on those in our community who wouldn't even qualify for the CERB at this point, because it did require pre-employment, etc. Having said that, one of our experiences during the pandemic heightens the fact that we don't know what we don't know.

Human Resources committee  Currently, we do administer the Reaching Home funding. Throughout the pandemic, there have been some allocations to be really heightening our response specifically during the pandemic. One asterisk or caveat I would put on that report is that at the time we were celebrating a 45% reduction in our homeless numbers in our community.

Human Resources committee  Currently, yes.

Human Resources committee  There's real strength to the way the program is delivered. It is really important to underscore that. It focuses on community-led decision-making and engages the community advisory board structure. Often we find it's difficult to have a really consistent systems and coordinated approach when there's a lack of coordination, and the Reaching Home program really drives that.

Human Resources committee  I think we are all absolutely exhausted by this pandemic, and it's very concerning and, quite frankly, scary. We have numerous outbreaks in our projects right now. However, we've learned a few things and I think that some of those things can be a bit of a silver lining, in that we are rolling out resources much more quickly and effectively and are able to make decisions in a much more compressed time frame.

Human Resources committee  I tried to allude to it in my opening remarks, but I really do believe that we have some exceptional leadership in organizations that have been in a “hurry up and stand still” situation—certainly prior to the national housing strategy and currently with the expectation that there is going to be another specific indigenous urban, rural and northern component to that, but it's not happening fast enough.

Human Resources committee  We certainly have. We work very closely with the City of Edmonton and have submitted a number of projects already under RHI—certainly exceeding the original and block allotment for the city of Edmonton. Within that context we have targets in all of our projects, and we anticipate that specific projects will be indigenous-specific.

Human Resources committee  Interestingly in Alberta, we have independent operators outside of our social housing portfolios and we have a few hundred units within the community, the social housing historical allotment that was originally funded back in the 1970s through the then CMHC program. We have other organizations that have independently developed approximately 100 additional units.

Human Resources committee  That's correct. We do have some duplex and fourplex housing, but primarily we're focused on multi-unit housing.

Human Resources committee  Thank you very much, and good afternoon. It's great to be invited back as a witness for this committee and its important role. My name is Susan McGee. I am the chief executive officer of Homeward Trust Edmonton. We are a community-based organization using a system-planning approach to end homelessness in Edmonton.