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As a Canadian charity providing supportive, permanent housing to veterans experiencing homelessness prepares to open its second project in the country, some would like to see a similar model come to Winnipeg.
Veterans’ House Canada, an Ottawa-based national non-profit organization, opened its first supportive housing project in Canada’s capital in 2021.
The Andy Carswell Building — located at the former site of Canadian Forces Base Rockcliffe — has 40 bachelor units and offers programs like addiction services, mental health supports, and employment and financial literacy help.
A grand opening event for Veterans’ House’s new Edmonton home is scheduled for next week.
There are thousands of homeless veterans in Canada, Veterans’ House says on its website. The group says people who have served in Canada’s military are more likely to experience homelessness than the general population.
Veterans’ House Canada’s executive director Alan Mulawyshyn, who spent four decades with the Canadian Armed Forces, said the Ottawa complex has housed veterans from across the country — spanning from Newfoundland to British Columbia.
“We’ve saved lives,” he said, adding he’s seen veterans overcome struggles like mental health issues and addiction to become happier people who have reconnected with family and wider society.
Alan Mulawyshyn is the executive director of Veterans’ House Canada. (Lauren Scott/CBC)
Mulawyshyn said more permanent supportive housing facilities are in the works in Victoria, Toronto and Halifax.
Cohen Rutledge, provincial executive director with the Royal Canadian Legion’s Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario Provincial Command, says he’d like to see Manitoba’s capital added to that list in time.
“It would be great if eventually something like that could come to Winnipeg,” Rutledge said, adding Veterans’ House “really hit the nail on the head” by including wraparound supports within its housing complexes.
He said we shouldn’t take a “one size fits all” approach to addressing homelessness among veterans. Some might benefit from permanent supportive housing, while others may need transitional housing or simply support with expenses like rent or bills.
“Whatever helps, I think is great to see.”
Mulawyshyn said the charity isn’t looking at building in Winnipeg just yet, as there are greater needs elsewhere. But they plan to keep an eye on local data while they wait to see what happens with a long-awaited transitional housing project for veterans in the city.
The Homes for Heroes Foundation, a Calgary-based charity that works to provide veterans with affordable homes and support, just received its first set of permits for a 25-home project in the Transcona area late last week, says president and CEO Brad Field.
Construction is expected to start in the next two or three weeks, Field says. Homes for Heroes first announced plans for the Winnipeg Kinsmen Veterans Village more than four years ago.
At a July sod-turning ceremony, Field said he expected permits would arrive “in the next couple of days.” At the time, he said the project was delayed by fundraising challenges, an environmental issue and “bureaucracy” at various levels of government.
“It’s been a little bit of a long haul in Winnipeg, but we’re finally there,” Field told CBC News on Wednesday.
Tiny homes built for veterans by Homes for Heroes in the northeast neighbourhood of Evansdale in Edmonton. (Chris Martin/CBC)
Homes for Heroes currently has veterans’ villages in Calgary, Edmonton and Kingston. It’s planning another in London.
Soon after breaking ground in Winnipeg, construction will have to pause for the winter, Field said. It is expected to pick back up after the weather warms again.
He expects veterans in need will be able to move in during summer 2027.
When construction is complete, the site will also have a resource centre, counselling rooms, community gardens and an outdoor activity centre.
Mulawyshyn said Veterans’ House, which has seen some residents move from Homes for Heroes’ existing transitional housing projects in other cities, said the charity will be watching to see what happens with the Winnipeg Kinsmen Veterans Village before it considers setting up one of its permanent homes here.
“We want to see how it goes once they’re settled and see where the need is,” Mulawyshyn said.