Addressing homelessness is a complex challenge that requires strong partnerships across all levels of government and with local service providers. In Abbotsford, our approach is guided by our Homelessness Action Plan, which includes key initiatives aimed at improving housing access, service coordination, and long-term solutions.
Last week, Mayor Siemens and City staff met with the Director General and staff from Community Engagement and Service Delivery (Operations) from Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC) — the federal department that is responsible for the Reaching Home program — to discuss the implementation of a Coordinated Access System for our community, which is part of the City’s requirements for our Reaching Home grant funding. The discussion focused on how the City is working together with other municipal, provincial and federal partners to deliver a truly community-led approach.
Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy, launched in 2019, is a community-based program aimed at preventing and reducing homelessness across Canada. This program supports the goals of Solving the Housing Crisis: Canada's Housing Plan and the National Housing Strategy and provides funding and support to urban, Indigenous, territorial and rural and remote communities to help them address their local homelessness needs.
Through Reaching Home, the federal government is investing more than $13.8 million, from 2020-2021 through 2027-28, in Abbotsford to fund homelessness services, emergency responses and housing solutions, including the development of a Coordinated Access System.
A Coordinated Access System is a centralized intake and referral system that matches people experiencing homelessness with the right services and housing options. Coordinated Access enhances:
- Efficiency: Streamlining access to housing and support services
- Collaboration: Aligning service providers, outreach teams and government agencies
- Data-driven planning: Improving service tracking and long-term resource allocation
Abbotsford is working closely with HICC, the Province, BC Housing, and local service providers to integrate Coordinated Access with other homelessness response initiatives, including:
- Community Homelessness Information Application (CHIA): A digital tool for real-time coordination among outreach workers
- Emergency Weather Response: Additional funding and shelter space during extreme weather
Beyond Reaching Home, Abbotsford’s Homelessness Action Plan includes a broad range of initiatives aimed at reducing homelessness and improving community well-being, which you can read more about here.
The City of Abbotsford is committed to strengthening partnerships across all levels of government to create effective, community-driven solutions for homelessness. Meeting with HICC this week was an important step in advancing our Coordinated Access System and strengthening collaboration to ensure better service delivery and housing outcomes.
Abbotsford City Council
