Program aimed at preventing homelessness on P.E.I. relaunches with fresh funding

A program aimed at preventing homelessness on Prince Edward Island that was halted last year due to funding issues is back up and running again with support from the provincial and federal governments.

The John Howard Society’s Prevention and Diversion Fund (PDF) originated as a pilot project and was administered by the society on behalf of provincial government, but is now being run solely by the non-profit organization.

The program’s new funding still includes $100,000 from province, as well as $150,000 from the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness’ Homelessness Reduction Innovation Fund, which is part of the federal government’s Reaching Home Homelessness strategy.

Conor Mullin, president of the John Howard Society of P.E.I., said it’s “fantastic” that the group has been able to relaunch the program.

“Unfortunately the need is still pressing and still very high,” he told CBC News: Compass host Louise Martin. 

The fund provides things like damage deposits and first months' rent to help people secure accommodations, along with help paying rental arrears to assist those who may be at risk of eviction.

“This program is what we call a program of last resort,” Mullin said.

“People who find themselves at imminent risk of homelessness or people who are in a position to leave an either unsafe or unsuitable housing situation and who have exhausted all other potential avenues ... can reach out to our fund.”

He said the program also offers wraparound supports, like matching people with a case worker who can help with budgeting, education, life skills, and strategies to avoid eviction. 

Last summer, the John Howard Society said it was ending the program after demand for housing outpaced the amount of money the P.E.I. government was willing to spend.

A spokesperson for the province said in a statement at the time that it had not reduced its contribution to the fund, and that the "current concern raised by the organization stems from the loss of other revenue sources, and they have requested that the province increase its funding to offset those external shortfalls." 

The statement added that it asked for a review of the program to ensure clients were using the service appropriately. 

"Upon review, it was noted that over 40 per cent of clients to the PDF were on Social Assistance and would have been eligible for funding through existing avenues available to them," the statement read.

Mullin said Thursday that is “kind of true and not true at the same time.”