Announcing the
PATH Process: An Indigenous Community-Grown Journey
The PATH Process was co-created by Indigenous communities from coast-to-coast-to-coast, alongside the National Indigenous Homelessness Council, to meet a national call for change.
Through the PATH Process, we honour stories and strengths, build relationships – not reports, and make housing decisions with heart, not just data.
What is the PATH Process?
The PATH Process (Personalized Assistance To Housing) is an Indigenous-led, community-grown way of supporting people who are experiencing homelessness. It reflects Indigenous values, voices, and ways of being in the work of walking with people on their housing journey.
PATH was developed to support Coordinated Access Systems under the Government of Canada’s Reaching Home Program. It responds directly to the Reaching Home Directive:
“A common, unified assessment process must be applied across all population groups in the community… Gathering information to gain a deeper understanding of people’s housing-related strengths, depth of need, and preferences, including through the use of a common assessment tool(s) to inform prioritization for vacancies in the Resource Inventory.”
PATH is not a test, a checklist, or a score. It is a process. A conversation that builds trust between a trained support worker, called a Path Walker, and the person they are supporting. Together, they talk through the person’s story, strengths, and the things getting in the way of finding and keeping housing.
PATH helps communities prioritize housing in ways that are relational, trauma-informed, and grounded in culture. It can be used with individuals, couples, or families of any age.
It is not about forms. It is about listening deeply.
It is not about ticking boxes. It is about walking together in a good way.
The PATH Process Is Unfolding in Phases
Phase 1: May 2021 to December 2023
This phase focused on building the foundation of PATH. At first, we used the words “assessment tool.” But through conversations with Indigenous partners, we knew that language didn’t fit. PATH isn’t a clinical or check-box tool. It’s a process. A way of showing up with care, listening deeply, and walking alongside people.
During Phase 1, communities shaped the early PATH framework and confirmed that PATH should work across all parts of a Coordinated Access system, from access and triage to prioritization and housing matching, but always in a way rooted in Indigenous knowledge and relationships.
Phase 2, Part 1: January 3 to September 30, 2025
This phase focuses on getting ready to test PATH in real time. We’re tailoring and digitalizing the PATH Process, training frontline staff, and beginning implementation in four pilot communities:
- Kjipuktuk/Halifax, Nova Scotia (East)
- Winnipeg, Manitoba (Central)
- Vancouver, British Columbia (West)
- Whitehorse, Yukon (North)
We’re also walking alongside Cowichan, British Columbia and Thunder Bay, Ontario, two preparation communities who are customizing the PATH Process locally. With funding, they’re expected to begin full implementation in the next phase.
Phase 2, Part 2: October 1, 2025 to March 31, 2027
This phase is funding dependent, and Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC) is currently reviewing the submitted proposal. Phase 2, Part 2 will:
- Continue supporting pilot communities already using PATH
- Welcome Cowichan and Thunder Bay as new pilot sites
- Help more communities come on board
- Build a long-term sustainability plan for a future national rollout
The PATH Process is being developed in phases, and the project is funded by the Government of Canada’s Reaching Home Program
PATH in Action
When someone needs housing and support, a trained Path Walker sits down with them. Not to fill out a form, but to listen.
This guided conversation helps:
- Understand the person’s story and strengths
- Identify barriers getting in the way of housing
- Guide relational, culturally grounded next steps
Communities then use this understanding to prioritize housing and wraparound supports based on people’s real stories and needs, not just data points.
PATH Process Pilot Locations and Preparation Sites
Learn more about each pilot location and preparation site by clicking the pins on the map.
