November 15, 2002

KINGSTON, ONTARIO —Youth at risk of homelessness will gain increased support from Kingston Home Base Non-Profit Housing Inc.  The Honourable Peter Milliken, Member of Parliament for Kingston and the Islands, welcomed the announcement of $30,000 in funding under the Youth component of the Supporting Communities Partnership Initiative (SCPI), of the National Homelessness Initiative (NHI), by the Honourable Claudette Bradshaw, Minister of Labour and Federal Coordinator on Homelessness.  This funding will help Kingston Home Base Non-Profit Housing Inc. purchase a building to increase the availability of transitional and supportive housing available to young people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. 

"I would like to commend Kingston Home Base Non-Profit Housing Inc. for their ongoing commitment to addressing the needs of young people at risk of homelessness," said Mr. Milliken. "This project will help to ensure that the youth being served will receive the necessary support to make the transition towards a healthier and more fulfilling life."

The Government of Canada contribution will help Kingston Home Base Non-Profit Housing Inc. purchase the former Sisters of Providence building at 301-303 Sydenham Street.  An additional eight transitional beds will be made available to youth in need as well as increased accessibility to support services.  Youth between the ages of 16 to 24 years old who are at risk of homelessness will benefit from this project. 

“Home Base Housing would like to thank their federal partners for helping us to develop this transitional housing program for the young people in our community.  We're seeing a real collaboration between the federal government, private business, the faith community and concerned individuals who are all doing their part to finding constructive and sustainable solutions which reduce homelessness,” said Tom Greening, Executive Director.   

Since the National Homelessness Initiative was launched in December 1999, the Government of Canada has supported 74 projects to alleviate homelessness among youth in Ontario.  The National Homelessness Initiative is working towards making a difference in addressing homelessness by encouraging the development of local solutions to this issue.  

Funding for the project is part of the Government of Canada's $753 million National Homelessness Initiative. Under the Initiative, the Government of Canada is providing

$59 million to programs for youth to address homelessness. This includes a number of initiatives under Canada's Youth Employment Strategy, such as the Youth Internship program, that provides unemployed, under-employed and out-of-school youth with the opportunity to acquire meaningful work experience and transferable skills. 

Funding for the Initiative was provided for in the December 2001 federal Budget and is built into the existing fiscal framework. 

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For more information on the Government of Canada’s National Homelessness Initiative, visit our web site at www.hrdc.gc.ca/homelessness 

For more information, contact:

Bob Howsam, Government of Canada  (416) 954-7810

David Klug, Minister Bradshaw’s office  (819) 953-5646

Tom Greening, Kingston Home Base Non-Profit Housing Inc. (613) 542-6672