2024 Presenters
JENN ANDERSON
Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM) of Preventive Community Services, Ministry of Seniors, Community and Social Services
Jenn began her career with the Government of Alberta in 2004 and has held a diverse series of roles for the last 20 years, ranging from frontline operations, program oversight, policy development, strategic coordination and planning. Before becoming an ADM, she was Executive Director/Chief of Staff to the Deputy Minister of Executive Council. Jenn has a Bachelor and Master of Arts in Criminal Justice and lives in Edmonton.
STEVE POMEROY
Topic: Using Data to Monitor and Inform Affordable Housing Policy and Outcomes
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Industry Professor, McMaster University, and Executive Advisor to the Canadian Housing Evidence Collaborative (CHEC); and Principle, Focus Consulting Inc,
Steve is an Ottawa based housing research consultant and part time lecturer at Carleton and McMaster. Widely recognized as one of the leading housing policy experts and thought leaders in Canada, Steve has 40 years of experience in the housing sector, working at the municipal and federal government, in non-profit development and since 1994 as a consultant and part-time academic. Since 1994 he has authored over 230 research reports and papers on housing and homeless issues. He is a frequent commentator on housing issues in various national and local media – but he doesn’t tweet!
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While CMHC published detailed data on social housing construction prior to 1995, since that time no such data is produced, leaving us in the dark about how many affordable homes were created under the Affordable Housing Framework 2002-2019. This lack of transparency and detail is now being replicated under the National Housing Strategy. How can we learn from data errors of the last two decades to do better going forward?
DR. AHMAD BONDAKDAR
Topic: How Data Can Inform Effective Interventions and Policy Decisions on Preventing Youth Homelessness? Evidence from the Housing First for Youth Longitudinal Study
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Ahmad Bonakdar, is the Senior Director of Research at the Making the Shift Youth Homelessness Social Innovation Lab, housed at York University. Ahmad’s research interests focus broadly on social equity, environmental justice, in particular at the intersection of homelessness and housing, and community-engaged studies.
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The Housing First for Youth program in Canada is a prevention-focused initiative adapted from of the Housing First model, designed specifically for youth experiencing homelessness. Based on a youth-centered approach and focusing on individual’s needs, the program prioritizes providing stable housing without preconditions and offering comprehensive support services, including mental health treatment, education, and employment support.
Using longitudinal data collected over 48 months, The Making the Shift Youth Homelessness Social Innovation Lab is currently testing the effectiveness of the HF4Y program in two urban settings in Canada: Toronto and Ottawa. This evaluation involves rigorous outcomes and developmental assessment between the HF intervention group, which receives the program’s support services, and the control group, which receives treatment as usual (TAU) services.
The interim findings of the 24-month data speaking to the program’s effectiveness with improved outcomes in housing stability, perceived social support, education, life skills, and mental health within the HF group compared to the TAU group. Specifically, data analysis demonstrates a significant increase in stable housing among HF4Y participants, with 48 out of 57 achieving housing stability. Within the first 24 months of the program, the HF4Y group averaged 68.5% of the time stably housed, compared to only 39.3% for the TAU group.
The findings suggest the need for increased funding and resources to implement and expand HF4Y programs for youth. When combined with long-term support services, HF4Y can be a successful model for preventing youth homelessness and can be replicated across communities in Canada.
EMMA WALLACE and SYDNEY STENEKES
Topic: Measuring housing insecurity in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities in Alberta and across Canada
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Emma Wallace
Emma (she/her) is the Project Manager of Community Development and Homelessness Estimations. She graduated with a Bachelor of Community Development from Acadia University and a Master of Arts in Community Engagement from the University of Alberta. She is passionate about supporting rural, remote, and Indigenous communities in their efforts to reduce housing insecurity and advocating for increased community health and wellness. Emma is committed to applying an equity and intersectionality lens to her work and personal life. In her spare time, Emma enjoys the outdoors with her dog Odie, and they enjoy biking, kayaking, and backpacking together all year long!
Sydney Stenekes
Sydney is the Director of Homelessness Initiatives at the Rural Development Network and has been managing and administering Reaching Home funding to rural, remote and Indigenous communities in Alberta since 2020. Sydney enjoys engaging with various projects and communities to learn about and respond to homelessness and has a passion for improving community well-being. Sydney completed her Master of Science at the University of Alberta, where she engaged in a collaborative research project with Kátł’odeeche First Nation. Sydney draws on her previous experience with the federal government and community-based research to help advocate and build strong relationships with communities. Sydney enjoys studying Spanish in her free time. You can also find her hiking in the mountains and playing volleyball and softball.
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Rural, remote and Indigenous communities experience distinct challenges when it comes to measuring housing insecurity. Recognizing this, the Rural Development Network (RDN) has developed a community-based methodology to support rural, remote, and Indigenous communities in collecting meaningful data on housing insecurity. Since developing the methodology in 2017, RDN has supported over 70 communities in measuring and responding to housing insecurity. In 2023, RDN received funding through the Reaching Home program to conduct a provincial estimation with 21 organizations representing 45 communities across Alberta. This presentation will outline the service-based population estimation methodology employed to collect data on housing insecurity in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities, highlight examples of meaningful impact resulting from the estimation projects, and showcase key findings from the Alberta provincial estimation project. Lastly, we will engage the audience in a group discussion on how best to mobilize community-based homelessness data to advocate for increased and improved decision-making on policy, funding, and programming related to housing and service needs in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities.
MANDY ASHTON and DR. NICK FALVO
Topic: Understanding and measuring homelessness prevention at a Toronto-based multi-service agency
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Mandy Ashton
Mandy Ashton is the Director of Strategic Projects and Governance at Fred Victor. During her time at Fred Victor, Mandy has led projects including the development of the Cooling Centre Project, which has employed hundreds of people who have experienced homelessness; the successful accreditation of Fred Victor through the Imagine Canada Standards Program; proposals to operate supported housing at Kingston Road and Dunn Avenue; and the legal aspects of the amalgamation between Fred Victor and Toronto Christian Resource Centre in 2020.
Dr. Nick Falvo
Dr. Nick Falvo has a PhD in Public Policy and spent 10 years working on the front line with persons experiencing homelessness. He is Editor-in-Chief, North America, of the International Journal on Homelessness, and is the 2021 winner of the CMHC President’s Medal for Outstanding Housing Research.
His decade-long experience working on the front line with persons experiencing homelessness provides him with a deep understanding of the ‘on the ground’ factors that influence a lack of affordable housing and homelessness. His extensive research of the macroeconomic and public policy factors that intersect with those phenomena inform his analysis, and, combined with his unique capacity to ‘cut through the jargon,’ makes his work accessible to academia and the public at large.
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In light of a growing focus on the importance of preventing homelessness rather than merely responding to it, Fred Victor—a Toronto-based multi-service agency—has commissioned a research exercise looking to better understand the current debate, develop a working definition of homelessness prevention, categorize its programs according to the definition, and ultimately measure the impact of its work towards homelessness prevention. This presentation will summarize the work undertaken since March 2023. This work includes one-on-one interviews with international experts, focus groups with both service providers and persons with lived experience, an exploration of existing client-level data, and the piloting of various outcomes measures.
DR. RON KNEEBONE and MARGARITA WILKINS (GRES)
Topic: This paper presents values of the Homelessness Income Cut Off (HICO) for each of four family types in each of Canada’s 7 largest cities for the period 2015-22
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Dr. Ron Kneebone
Dr. Ron Kneebone is a Professor of Economics and Director of Social Policy research at the School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary. His published research has dealt with issues of government financing but has more recently focused on issues of social assistance, poverty reduction, domestic violence, and the economics of homelessness. He is a co-author of two undergraduate textbooks in economics and threatens to read from them if this paper does not receive a warm reception. From 2016-19 he served on the Board of Directors of the Calgary Homeless Foundation and is a former associate editor of Canadian Public Policy, Canada’s foremost journal examining economic and social policy. His current research is linking large administrative data sets to investigate how the use of food banks and how what is reported in tax records can be used to anticipate the loss of housing.
Margarita Wilkins (Gres)
Rita received her MA in Economics from the University of Calgary in 2011. She has been a research associate with The School of Public Policy since 2012. Her research focuses on the macroeconomic and socio-economic impacts of public finances, particularly the fiscal policy choices of provincial governments. Her current research analyzes the finances of provincial governments and issues relating to poverty and homelessness. Her research has been covered by national media outlets and has been published in Canadian Public Policy, The School of Public Policy Research Paper series, and by the Fraser Institute. She is the co-author of Social Policy Trends, a publication released monthly by The School, which considers a variety of issues impacting social policy choices.
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This paper presents values of the Homelessness Income Cut Off (HICO) for each of four family types in each of Canada’s 7 largest cities for the period 2015-22. The HICO is the measure of income below which an individual or family is destined to fall into homelessness even after they have exhausted efforts to minimize other expenditures. Families at the HICO are families suffering material deprivation in order to maintain their housing. Their strategies for maintaining housing are described and the savings realized by each of these strategies are quantified. The rate of growth in HICO is compared to rates of growth in the earned incomes of individuals and families living with low-income and rates of growth in income support payments since 2015. The most effective way of dealing with homelessness is to prevent from it from ever occurring. If income support is not at least as great as HICO, public policy is failing at a very fundamental level.
DR. MATT PARKER and JESSE DONALDSON
Topic: Leveraging LLMs in Social Sector Decision-Making for AI-Enabled Upstream Solutions to Homelessness
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Dr. Matt Parker
Dr. Matt Parker leads HelpSeeker’s technical team, bringing vast expertise in data science, AI, and product development, essential to the organization’s achievements. Instrumental in devising privacy and security frameworks, his background in structural biology underpins his exceptional analytical skills and leadership capabilities, now as EVP of Innovation & Technology. Previously at AltaML as Health Sector Lead, he spearheaded health AI initiatives and project management. Parker’s multifaceted career, spanning business development and technical advising, positions him as a pioneering force in complex systems analysis. Beyond professional accolades, he is celebrated for his commitment to leveraging technology for social betterment and being a doting parent known for appreciating a good dad joke.
Jesse Donaldson
Jesse Donaldson, Executive Vice President, brings a wealth of expertise in strategic systems planning and social innovation, particularly in employing AI to tackle homelessness. By integrating social expertise and ethics principles with advanced AI techniques, Jesse is at the forefront of creating inclusive, culturally sensitive solutions that address complex social issues. Her leadership in translating complex data into actionable insights aligns with the innovative goals of projects spanning complex social issues and sectors, promoting sustainable, data-informed interventions for social change and community well-being.
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This presentation will feature learnings from HelpSeeker’s Sago project, building on the Compass initiative funded by the Digital Supercluster. The presentation will showcase how to leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI)—notably Large Language Models (LLMs) and Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG)—to revolutionize decision-making in the social sector. It focuses on upstream solutions to prevent homelessness, employing adaptive ontologies and evolving knowledge bases tailored to tackle root causes directly. This approach equips practitioners with dynamic data, enabling the formulation of preventive strategies over reactive measures, thus promoting sustainable community well-being.
Focusing on important features such as bias reduction, the presenters will outline how systems planners can use LLMs to translate complex data into actionable intelligence, empowering professionals to foresee and address future challenges proactively. Our learning has implications for an AI-enabled upstream methodology, advocating for preemptive actions against complex social challenges, thereby marking a paradigm shift towards sustainable solutions. This initiative not just serves as a data tool but as a conduit for lasting change, supporting the creation of resilient communities where preventive measures are prioritized.
By integrating AI in ethical and effective ways, we can set a new benchmark for technology’s role in fostering upstream solutions within the social sector, significantly advancing the pursuit of sustainable social health and equity. This project embodies a forward-thinking approach, positioning systems planning practitioners at the forefront of innovation in tackling homelessness through informed, strategic interventions.
ALISON SMITH
Topic: Homelessness prevention; rent banks; international comparison; qualitative research
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Alison Smith is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Toronto Mississauga. Her teaching and research interests relate to Canadian politics, complex policy making, homelessness governance, and the history of housing policy. Her recent book, Multiple Barriers: The Multilevel Governance of Homelessness in Canada was published in 2022. She presently is working on two SSHRC-funded projects regarding housing in homelessness in Canada, including one on homelessness governance in suburban, mid-sized, and northern communities; and a community-engaged collaboration studying the operation and effectiveness of rent banks as a tool of homelessness prevention.
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In the landscape of homelessness prevention in Canada and internationally, eviction prevention is recognized as an important emergency-level strategy for keeping financially precarious households from losing their dwelling (Gaetz and Dej 2017; Mackie 2022). One tactic under this eviction prevention strategy is a rent bank: emergency funds allocated to people at-risk of losing their homes due to a sudden ability to pay their rent or because they have fallen into rent arrears.
Despite their role in eviction prevention, there has been little comparative research to better understand how different models of rent banks function and to assess their ability to keep households stably housed. Additionally, homelessness prevention research typically focuses on single jurisdictions; we propose a novel methodology of engaging with rent bank service providers internationally to capture the comparative and contextual value of interventions. Through over 30 semi-structured interviews with service providers we have gathered an international evidence base for promising practices in emergency rental assistance.
In this presentation, we will share initial results from our collaborative research project between the University of Toronto and the Old Brewery Mission, a large homeless service provider in Montreal. We will present different models of rent banks in Canada, the US, and Europe; their respective political contexts; their perceived effectiveness; possibilities for innovation; and discuss how rent banks fit within a broader homelessness prevention typology. By comparing these different models, we propose a broader conversation on eviction prevention, including evidence-based and tangible solutions to preventing homelessness
SAM ELLIOTT
Topic: Building your Data Capabilities in the Social Sector
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Sam Elliott, CDMP is an experienced full-stack data scientist, who believes data should strive to best reflect reality and that the quantitative & qualitative should work in tandem. Currently leading the Data & HMIS teams at Calgary Homeless Foundation, he joined the organization in 2020 and has been serving as Director, Data & Analytics since February 2022. In previous roles, he worked in the start-up sphere leading analytics implementation efforts and helping to grow companies. He is a Certified Data Management Professional and currently serves on the National Homelessness Data Advisory Committee.
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This presentation is about an approach for building and growing your data capabilities over time. It will highlight the typical problems organizations face, and the step-by-step approach for solving them. A key emphasis throughout the presentation will be the need to build tools & processes which horizontally scale across data domains. Calgary Homeless Foundation examples will be used throughout to show this approach has worked for us.