About PECH
Learn more about our principles, values and approaches, as well as our commitment to help Waterloo Region reach functional zero homelessness by 2030.
The Plan to End Chronic Homelessness
The Plan to End Chronic Homelessness is a community-made plan to help Waterloo Region reach functional zero homelessness by 2030. This means very few people are without housing, and anyone who loses their housing can get help quickly.
The Plan was created by many community members, including people with lived experience of homelessness, frontline workers, community groups, advocates, and Regional staff.
Meet the people who co-created the PlanWhat our system needs
The Plan explains that to end homelessness, our system must become:
- Responsive: People with lived experience guide decisions.
- Sustainable: The system supports both the community and the workers who care for them.
- Integrated: Services work together across housing, health, and community supports.
- Inclusive and Accessible: Services are fair, person-centered, and easy to reach.
- Adaptive: The system can adjust when things change.
Acknowledging the Land and Our Responsibilities
We live and work on the traditional territories of the Anishinaabe, Chonnonton (Neutral Peoples) and the Haudenosaunee. Their deep relationships with this land long predate the arrival of settlers.
This region also lies within the Haldimand Tract, land along the Grand River that was “granted” to the Six Nations of the Grand River in 1784. These treaty promises were not upheld, and much of this land was taken or sold without the consent of the Indigenous Peoples who took care of this land.
We recognize the ongoing impacts of colonialism, including the housing instability and inequities Indigenous communities continue to face. As we work toward ending chronic homelessness, we also commit to building relationships rooted in respect, responsibility, and action.
Shared Principles for Change-Making
To help everyone work together under the Plan to End Chronic Homelessness, we follow a set of shared principles.
We aim to:
- Support leadership from people with lived experience.
- Champion human rights for all, from an intersectional lens.
- Put people’s well-being before profit.
- Improve how services and decision-making systems work.
- Make sure solutions are created with and for equity-owed communities.
- Commit to a safe Housing First approach.
Our Values and Approaches are Rooted In:
Human Rights
Everyone has the right to safe, adequate housing. People experiencing homelessness are rights-holders, and their needs and choices must guide government decisions.
Housing First
Housing First means giving people permanent housing without barriers or conditions, such as needing to be sober. People choose where they live, are included in the community, and receive wraparound supports like health care and case management.
Lived Experience
People who have experienced homelessness helped shape the Plan. They contributed to definitions, descriptions of system problems, examples of solutions, focus areas, and key actions.
"Everybody needs and deserves a safe place. It’s a human right."
—(Engagement Participant)