In March of 2009, the Provincial Government released A Plan for Alberta, Ending Homelessness in 10 years. The Alberta Plan emphasizes a Housing First model of ending homelessness, a client-centered approach that removes all pre-conditions to being housed. In this model, priority is placed on providing affordable, safe and permanent housing quickly, with minimal requirements for homeless persons beyond signing a standard lease agreement. The Plan for Alberta is described as a comprehensive, “coordinated and sustainable approach to ending homelessness” (Government of Alberta, Housing and Urban Affairs, 2009). All community projects within Alberta requiring provincial funding are required to fit within the outlined parameters of this over arching Plan for the Province. The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB) Plan to End Homelessness aligns with the Alberta Plan in its emphasis on housing first and the belief that housing is a basic human right.

The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo Plan entails a fundamental change in how the issue of homelessness is addressed operationally as responders move from managing homelessness to ending homelessness. To achieve this end, the Plan has five goals which outline actions to build community support for Housing First. These goals are as follows, education – to build support to end homelessness using the housing first approach, secondly, change management – to successfully transition local systems to housing first, thirdly, prevention – develop a service system to prevent homelessness, fourthly, re-housing – rapidly re-house the current homeless individuals, and fifthly, provision of supports – to provide supports for housing stability. In addition to presenting these goals, the report articulates outcomes and indicators to monitor and evaluate progress achieved.

Implementing Housing First in the community requires a purposeful strategy. The Homelessness Initiatives Strategic Committee vision is that our regions collaborative support system will prevent homelessness and provide the necessary supports and resources to end homelessness by 2020.