News Release: April 19, 2018
BRAMPTON, ON. (April 19, 2018) – On April 24 and 25, the Region of Peel, in collaboration with the Peel Alliance to End Homelessness (PAEH) and other community partners, will lead a coordinated effort to enumerate homelessness in Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon. A Point-in-Time Count and Registry Week will be conducted to provide a snapshot of homelessness across Peel Region. This will be done as part of the first province-wide count of its kind in Canada.
Funded by the Government of Canada’s Homelessness Partnering Strategy and the Province of Ontario’s Ministry of Housing, the Region will measure homelessness once every two years starting in 2018. Trained volunteers will survey individuals sleeping on the streets, staying in shelters and short-term housing, and accessing support services across Peel. The survey will be anonymous and the information collected will be used to inform service planning and prioritize access to services.
“It is important that Peel participate in this initiative to better understand the magnitude of homelessness in our community,” said Janice Sheehy, Commissioner, Human Services, Region of Peel. “The results will be used to support the revised Peel Housing and Homelessness Plan (2018-2028): Home for All. The Plan recommends a shift to a Housing First approach to preventing homelessness in Peel.”
“Eliminating homelessness in Peel will produce enormous financial benefits, and alleviate unacceptable personal costs to those experiencing homelessness.” said Sharon Douglas, Chair of the PAEH. “As a community collaborative dedicated to creating system change, PAEH believes that an integrated approach to addressing homelessness starts with enumeration. This baseline will enable us to measure our progress, and contribute to our partnered efforts in prioritizing Peel’s most vulnerable community members.”
About Everyone Counts Peel
The Point-in-Time Count will provide an estimate of homelessness in the Region within a 24-hour period. It will offer a “snapshot” of homelessness in Peel on a single night, including vital information on the scope, demographics and needs of people experiencing homelessness.
During the Point-in-Time Count, the Region of Peel will also undertake Peel’s second Registry Week as part of the 20,000 Homes Campaign. The 20,000 Homes Campaign is a national change movement focused on ending chronic homelessness in 20 communities and housing 20,000 of Canada’s most vulnerable homeless people by July 1, 2020. The campaign is led locally by the Peel Alliance to End Homelessness.
For more information, please visit http://peelregion.ca/housing/.
Please note: Ensuring the safety and anonymity of participants is our utmost priority. Media will not be invited to accompany volunteers; however, spokespeople are available to speak to media.
Media Contacts:
Ann-Marie KoumettouCommunications Specialist
Region of Peel
289-541-8622
About Peel Region
In 2024, Peel Region marks its 50th anniversary. Peel Region works with residents and partners to create a healthy, safe, and connected Community for Life for approximately 1.5 million people and over 200,000 businesses in Brampton, Mississauga and Caledon. Peel's services touch the lives of residents every day. For more information explore peelregion.ca and follow us on X @regionofpeel and Instagram @peelregion.ca.
On December 13, 2023, the Ontario government announced that Peel Region will not be dissolved, and that Bill 112 legislation will be updated to reflect service delivery in Peel. Services for residents and businesses will continue without interruption. For updates and more information, visit Peel's transition page.
