Homelessness is increasing. In the Halifax area, men, women, young people and increasingly families, are finding themselves without housing - a place to call ‘home’. The causes of homelessness are complex and numerous, and the solutions are community driven. This web site is about solutions: the solutions in our community.
Community Action on Homelessness works with community in advancing solutions to homelessness and the challenge some of our community members face in accessing safe and affordable housing. We envision the Halifax Regional Municipality as a healthy community for all citizens to live, work and raise families, and we are guided by our mission statement.
CAH Steering Committee Update
May 2010 marks the conclusion of Wayne McNaughton’s and Paul O’Hara’s tenure as Co-Chairs of the CAH Steering Committee. We’d like to extend a sincere thanks to both for providing the Committee with leadership through the past two demanding and eventful years.
Both have been incredible leaders throughout this time and have proven invaluable to the work of CAH since its inception in 2000. Paul and Wayne have brought their unique styles to the role of Chair, adding an extraordinary degree of passion, energy and commitment, especially Wayne’s first-hand experience of homelessness.
Thankfully, both will continue to serve on the Board and will, we hope, support our work for many years to come. (Isn’t it 'illegal' to retire in the non-profit sector?)
Since every ending marks a new beginning, we welcome our new Chair, Cindy MacIssac. Cindy is the Executive Director of Direction 180 and a Steering Committee member since October 2007. The Steering Committee and staff of CAH are looking forward to working with Cindy who, in addition to her leadership skills and passion, brings a refreshing sense of humour.
2010 Halifax Report Card on Homelessness
In the 2010 Report Card, we have been able to compare data from the previous year using indicators that monitor changes in homelessness, housing, and income, and in addition, highlight several of the key supportive housing programs in our community.
The Report Card enables us to identify pressure points in the system and develop proactive and responsive strategies. Statistics come from Statistics Canada, the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, and Nova Scotia Department of Community Services, to name a few. A panel of community leaders will discuss the findings and what it means for our community.
2009 Halifax Report Card on Homelessness
In June 2008, Community Action on Homelessness started the development of the Report Card on Homelessness to raise public awareness on the issues related to homelessness and to deliver a comprehensive set of statistics that reflect the current facts on homelessness in our community.
The Report Card documents the current state of homelessness using indicators that monitor homelessness, housing, and income. This enables us to identify pressure points in the system and develop proactive and responsive strategies. Statistics provided throughout the Report Card come from existing institutions - Statistics Canada, the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, and Nova Scotia Department of Community Services, Service Canada, along with independent research projects that Community Action on Homelessness delivered over the past year.
If you have any questions about the Report Card, please contact John Hartling, Director of Community Initiatives, 420-2186, jhartling@cahhalifax.org.
- Media coverage:
'Health & Homelessness in Halifax: A Report on the Health Status of Halifax's Homeless Population 2009'
Released October 2009.
The Health and Homelessness survey was conducted between January 13 and January 23, 2009 with the assistance of many community volunteers. Community Action onHomelessness interviewed 158 homeless people in 6 shelters and 4 other locations throughout downtown Halifax about their lives, their health and their access to health care.
The report examines the daily living conditions of homeless people in Halifax, their physical and mental health status and the barriers that they face when trying to gain access to health care.
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