The individual selected to guide the Manitoba government’s efforts on homelessness is stepping down from the role after a tenure of 10 months. Tessa Blaikie Whitecloud announced on Thursday that she will assume the position of president and CEO at the Collaborative Housing Alliance Real Estate Investment Trust. Blaikie Whitecloud, formerly the CEO of Siloam Mission, was specifically chosen to serve as the premier’s senior adviser as part of the NDP government’s initiative to eradicate chronic homelessness within a seven-year timeframe, starting in January.
She was hired at a salary of $177,000. Prior to this role, Blaikie Whitecloud had over a decade of experience in the homelessness-serving sector, with her most recent position being CEO of Siloam Mission. The real estate trust stated in a news release that Blaikie Whitecloud will commence her new position on December 1. She mentioned that accepting the new role would have posed a conflict of interest with her provincial responsibilities, necessitating her departure as a provincial adviser.
Established last year with $10 million in provincial funding, the trust aims to address funding deficiencies for transitional and affordable housing projects. Recently, the fund received a $5 million investment from True North Sports & Entertainment and a $2 million investment from Paul and Anne Mahon via the Mahon Family Foundation.
During the announcement of the trust’s primary private-sector investment, Blaikie Whitecloud emphasized the project’s objective of transitioning individuals out of shelters and encampments by creating additional housing supply to free up space in transitional housing. She relayed that the province’s homelessness strategy has successfully provided housing for 100 individuals from encampments.
Blaikie Whitecloud commended Homelessness Minister Bernadette Smith for her visionary approach and strong industry relationships. She characterized her involvement with the province as primarily focused on establishing operational procedures. In response, Smith praised Blaikie Whitecloud’s leadership in uniting partners and steering the homelessness strategy in the right direction.
The NDP government has faced scrutiny for its progress in curbing homelessness in Manitoba. Encampments in various parts of Winnipeg remain a prominent concern, with a recent report from End Homelessness Winnipeg indicating a record count of 2,469 individuals experiencing homelessness during a street census conducted last November.