The federal government has declared that it intends to end homelessness within ten years, and one local advocate believes that is possible – if the political will is there to do so.

Doug Pawson, the Executive Director of End Homelessness St. John’s, says Newfoundland and Labrador has the ability and the resources to end homelessness; it just needs the money to ensure that the supports are in place.

He says the money available through the federal government will only flow to the provinces that sign on.

“We’re going to need the province to sign on and work with community partners to really transform the system to meet the needs.”

Pawson is pleased to see the federal government take what he calls a “really strategic systems-level approach, integrating housing, integrating health, integrating mental health and addictions supports.” Now all they need says Pawson is to sign on in order to “get the capital dollars to build the facilities and the infrastructure to achieve that lofty goal.”