First announced on June 11, 2018, Reaching Home replaces the existing Homelessness Partnering Strategy, and will continue to support communities’ efforts to prevent and reduce homelessness in Canada. Reaching Home supports the goals of the National Housing Strategy, especially the reduction of chronic homelessness nationally by 50% by 2027–28. Through Reaching Home, the Government of Canada is reinforcing its existing community-based approach by delivering funding directly to municipalities and local service providers. The Government will also expand the program’s reach to up to six new communities through an open and transparent process which is currently underway.

The Government will continue to work with communities to develop and deliver data-driven systems with clear outcomes. This new outcomes-based approach, along with the removal of all Housing First investment targets, will keep decision making at the local level and give communities greater flexibility to address local priorities and achieve results for the most vulnerable within their communities. Communities will also have three years to introduce coordinated access systems to prioritize those individuals most in need of housing and support services. The Government is committed to supporting communities through this transformation by providing tools and access to training and technical assistance.

A transition period is in place to ensure service continuity as communities implement the new elements of Reaching Home. Key components of Reaching Home:

• Outcomes-based approach
• Coordinated Access system
• Homeless Individuals and Families Information System
• Increasing the understanding of homelessness
• Addressing Indigenous homelessness
• Addressing homelessness in the territories
• Addressing homelessness in rural and remote areas
• Expanding the program’s reach

https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/funding/homeless.html