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Moncton, NB, Dec. 2, 2022 - Solving complex housing issues in our current climate requires complex and customized supports to attain and maintain housing that is stable, secure, and affordable for generations to come.

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This collaboration between O Strategies and CT Labs, with support from multiple local service providers, has received funding of $248,975.00 to drive an 18-month Housing Solutions Lab entitled “Shelter in the Storm: Pathways to Generationally-Secure Housing in Southern New Brunswick.” 

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The project will examine persistent and complex housing issues and drive potential solutions as it pertains to two priority populations: women and children fleeing domestic violence, and people dealing with mental health and addiction issues in Southern New Brunswick. 

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“We are in a housing crisis and we need something beyond our conventional approaches,” Myriane Ouellette, co-owner of O Strategies said. “We are excited to have been selected since this project will allow space to convene everyone together to share their experiences, and develop collective, relevant, and responsive solutions.” 

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The proposals submitted to the Federal Government were evaluated by external representatives, both inside and outside of government, who have subject matter expertise and O Strategies was one of the 15 recipients of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) NHS Solutions Lab funding. 

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“Complex problems like housing need more than planned, top-down ‘solutions’, which rarely understand the full context of local and informal knowledge” said Bryn Ferris, Senior Solutions Lab consultant with the Lansdowne Consulting Group’s CTLabs. “Detailed knowledge of a system comes from living in it, and the lab process allows for building and testing solutions derived from lived and shared experience. We are thrilled to be collaborating with O Strategies and local supporters in this project.” The collaboration includes support from organizations such as the Greater Moncton Homelessness Steering Committee, Youth Impact Jeunesse, YMCA ReConnect, the YWCA of Greater Moncton, Ensemble Moncton, and the John Howard Society of Southeastern New Brunswick.

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“The pandemic has exacerbated historic housing insecurity trends resulting in overwhelming increases in cost, and barriers to accessing affordable and generationally-secure housing” Cory Herc, Co-Creator and Project Lead at O Strategies said. “For the next few months our priority is to speak with and directly learn from individuals with lived experience, and identify factors that we can address together to best turn the tide in favour of stable, secure, and affordable housing for the generations to come.”

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For more information, please contact:

Cory Herc

Co-creator and Project Lead

cory@ostrategies.ca

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