Regional Council approves the Plan to End Chronic Homelessness

At a Regional Council meeting on April 24, Council approved the final report of the Plan to End Chronic Homelessness to serve as the Region's official plan to prevent, address and end chronic homelessness in Waterloo Region.

The final report, Navigating Complexity Together: A Roadmap to Functional Zero by 2030, is the culmination of deep, collective community-based work to respond to the growing crisis of homelessness in Waterloo Region. The report recommends 30 actions to end chronic homelessness by 2030 and is guided by seven strategic focus areas:

• Create Policy and System Accountability
• Centre Community Voices
• Build System Bridges
• Advance Equitable Housing
• Focus on Preventing Homelessness
• Change the Narrative on Housing and Homelessness
• Advocate and Collaborate for Broader Change

Regional staff also worked with The Social Development Centre (SDC) through an innovative partnership that shared insights of people with lived or living experience of homelessness directly to the project. The SDC-led Lived Expertise Working Group published the Lived Expertise Prototyping Report to complement the Plan.

Region of Waterloo staff and community presented the final report at Community and Health Services Committee earlier this month. Watch the presentation.

Download Council Report CSD-HOU-24-006

Next steps

Regional staff will work with area municipalities, co-creators, and lived experts on implementing The Plan’s recommendations in the coming months. Stay tuned for more updates as the work progresses.