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Alberta announces new council focused on preventing homelessness

EDMONTON – Premier Alison Redford has announced the creation of a new council that will work to prevent homelessness in Alberta.

The Alberta Interagency Council on Homelessness will replace the Alberta Secretariat of Action on Homelessness and will focus on making long-term changes that will prevent homelessness.

“I extend my gratitude to the secretariat members who made the 10-year plan to end homelessness a reality,” Redford said in a statement Thursday. “They understood that ending homelessness was the right thing to do for economic, social and ethical reasons and their work provided the foundation for our current and future success in ending homelessness.”

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The announcement was made at Government House in Edmonton in front of more than 50 representatives of social service organizations and municipal leaders.

The 33-member council will be co-chaired by Red Deer-North MLA Mary Anne Jablonski and former Edmonton YMCA president Franco Savoia.

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“Eliminating homelessness is a complex task and community ownership is vital to achieve successful outcomes,” Human Services Minister Dave Hancock said in a statement.

“By moving from the Alberta Secretariat to the IAC, we are recognizing the key role played by community partners and agencies in collaborating with government to build on early success and take the 10-year plan to the next level.”

More to come …
 

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