Feds promise money to address homelessness, toxic drugs – Municipal World

The federal government has proposed to allocate new funds to tackle the growing challenges of homelessness and drug overdose through the 2024 budget.

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland tabled the budget in the House of Commons on April 16. The budget was largely focused on the housing and affordability crisis and was geared toward addressing the concerns of younger Canadians worried about the cost of living.

In her speech unveiling the budget, Freeland said it was about ensuring “fairness for every generation.” Freeland added that the government was investing to “kickstart the construction” of more rental apartments and affordable housing.

Budget 2024 proposes to provide $1 billion over the next four years for Reaching Home, the federal government’s homelessness strategy. That money is meant to “stabilize funding under the program” and “support organizations that do vitally important work across the country to prevent and reduce homelessness.”