A drop in the number of people experiencing chronic homelessness has earned the City of Stratford's social services department recognition from an organization spearheading the effort to help communities end homelessness.
Built for Zero Canada, part of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness, highlighted the efforts in Stratford, St. Marys, and Perth County to successfully reduce the number of people experiencing chronic homelessness by 10 per cent below the local baseline, for three consecutive months.
"The recognition is big for ourselves, and our partners at United Way Perth-Huron, Optimism Place and CMHA Perth Huron," said John Ritz, homelessness and housing stability supervisor with the city's social services department.
Ritz told StratfordToday that the city's social services department wants to share their successes simply because they are working towards an end goal of ending homelessness.
That extends to the neighbouring communities, as the city's social services department is the provincially-designated consolidated municipal service manager, responsible for administering social services in the city, county and town of St. Marys.
Ryan Erb, executive director of United Way Perth-Huron, said the news is exciting because it is a difficult thing trying to end homelessness.
"We are one of a few communities making the announcement. A lot of organizations work collaboratively, all kinds of people are involved in this.
"We are happy to be part of the conversation."
Built for Zero supports communities to end homelessness, including Veteran homelessness, and partners with communities on a data-driven approach, which the city uses to identify the number of people living in chronic homelessness.
Numbers often fluctuate due to several factors, but a baseline number of 145 people living in chronic homelessness was used as a starting point and the figure dropped by at least 10 per cent for three consecutive months, Ritz said.
Over a longer study period, Ritz noted, from November 2019 to February 2023, there was a reduction of 30 people experiencing chronic homelessness, or 21 per cent.
As of last month, that figure sits at 128 people experiencing chronic homelessness, Ritz said.
Erb said more people become homeless everyday but it speaks volumes that the community is reducing the numbers.
The recognition underscores significant progress towards the priorities of the City of Stratford's 10-year housing and homelessness plan.
"There is still a lot of work to do," Ritz said. "But we do want people to know we are moving in the right direction."
