Province Releases Results of Stakeholder Engagement on Homelessness in Manitoba

March 25, 2022

Province is Committed to Better Supporting Those Experiencing Homelessness in our Communities: Squires

The Manitoba government has released a new report summarizing feedback on homelessness in the province that was received during recent community stakeholder consultations, Families Minister Rochelle Squires announced today.

“The Manitoba government is committed to improving our approach and better supporting people who are experiencing homelessness or are precariously housed,” said Squires. “In the 2021 Speech from the Throne, we committed to developing a provincial homelessness strategy based on consultations with Manitobans. The information the community shared with us will form the basis of that strategy.”

The consultations were held with Indigenous leaders, non-profit agencies and service providers, municipalities, the private sector and individuals with lived experience of homelessness. The information gathered in the report will help the provincial government deliver a whole-of-government approach in the introduction of a new homelessness strategy later in 2022, noted the minister.

In December 2021, Manitoba Families released a discussion paper to serve as a starting point for community engagement. The paper incorporated earlier feedback from provincial consultations on housing, mental health and poverty reduction, as well as ongoing conversations with community organizations. This winter between January and March, 32 online sessions with over 400 participants from across the province were held to solicit feedback on the discussion paper and to hear community stakeholder recommendations for strategies and actions in the areas of prevention, emergency response, housing, other services and systemic changes.

In addition to hearing from stakeholders, several agencies serving those who are or have faced homelessness held sessions to hear directly from those in the province with lived experience. In total, 90 people participated in 12 community conversations, including six in Winnipeg and six outside of Winnipeg.

Participants in the consultations expressed the urgency of the situation and the need for immediate actions to address homelessness. They advocated for a strategy based on dignity, inclusivity and respect to ensure services are meeting the needs of those experiencing homelessness. Topics covered included social housing, transitional housing with supports, emergency shelters, the role of private market rentals, service delivery, accountability and the importance of preventing homelessness.

To read the What We Heard report on homelessness in Manitoba, visit: www.gov.mb.ca/fs/homelessness/index.html.

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For more information:

• Public information, contact Manitoba Government Inquiry: 1-866-626-4862 or 204-945-3744.
• Media requests for general information, contact Communications and Engagement: newsroom@gov.mb.ca.
• Media requests for ministerial comment, contact Communications and Stakeholder Relations: 204-451-7109.

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