‘Functionally zero’ homelessness achieved in the Hat

By COLLIN GALLANT on June 3, 2021.

cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant

Local officials say the effort to end homelessness has been recognized as the only place in Canada that meets a newly developed national standard to be certified to have “functionally zero” homelessness.

The drive in Medicine Hat to reduce the number of people living on the street or without stable housing began in 2009, at which point local administrators set goals for how the “end of homelessness” would be measured.

On Tuesday, officials with the national strategy to resolve the issue said a pan-Canadian standard has been developed, and considering recent data Medicine Hat is the first community among 36 involved in the effort to meet the definition.

“This is a huge milestone in the movement to end homelessness in Canada,” said Tim Richter, president of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness, which is promoting the Built for Zero Canada campaign.

It invited housing and social sector agencies from across Canada to a Wednesday morning virtual meeting where it made the announcement.

“Being the first isn’t easy, and Medicine Hat has really shown us the way,” said Richter. “They pioneered most of the strategies that are standard across Canada today.”

Agencies in cities involved track those who have or are currently experiencing chronic homelessness, and when that number is three individuals or fewer for a period of at least three months the figure is considered functionally zero, since new individuals become known as time goes on.

Medicine Hat has approached that level several times over the past decade, but since late 2020 has maintained it up until present.

That leads to a certification that they are “functionally zero,” chronically homeless people in the community.

Jaime Rogers, manager of the Medicine Hat Community Housing Society, said her group met its own definition of ending homelessness in 2015, that being that individuals are connected with housing supports within 10 days.

“At the time there wasn’t a national standard to work with,” she said. “Through perseverance, progressive change … Medicine Hat has become a community willing to take on the systems, engage in difficult conversations and move towards finding a successful outcome for those within the vulnerable community.”

Since 2015, Medicine Hat Community housing has worked with between two and 12 individuals considered chronically homeless at any given time, and has provided housing supports for 1,300 individuals, including 350 with chronic needs, since 2009.

Mayor Ted Clugston says their work has become a “beacon to the world” by declaring an end to homelessness locally.

“It was a very bold step because there was no definition and we were criticized, frankly, because some people see undesirables and assume they are homeless,” he said. And that’s an unfair term … we need to start thinking of others in terms of success.”

Other administrators say the result is impressive and should drive other communities to develop strategies and act.

“It’s a huge number for a community the size of Medicine Hat,” said Marie Morrison, a director with Built for Zero Canada. “We are trying to create a tipping point by proving that it can be done, and it should be the expectation of every community.”

“Built for Zero” is supported with funds from private sponsors and the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, and some provincial governments in Canada. Other member cities in Alberta are Edmonton, Red Deer and Fort McMurray, 28 are located in Ontario, including Toronto, Ottawa and Hamilton, and two community’s are in B.C., Penticton and Kelowna.

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