Homelessness an issue in Canada
We should all be very grateful to have a roof over our heads.
My dad said that to me once, even though it was our car that we were living in.
Believe it or not, 200,000 Canadians experience homelessness every year.
A new report, The State of Homelessness in Canada 2013, found that homelessness costs the Canadian economy over $7 billion annually including the costs of health care, the criminal justice system, social services and the use of emergency shelters.
For most people, homelessness is a short, one-time experience. However, 4,000 to 8,000 encounter long-term homelessness and another 6,000 to 22,000 find themselves homeless repeatedly over their lifetime.
So who are the homeless and why are they homeless?
The report notes that homelessness can affect anyone. However, some groups of people are at higher risk than others.
Single adult males aged 25 to 55 account for almost half the homeless population in Canada, according to statistics.
Other high-risk groups identified in the report include youth, Aboriginal Peoples, and women and families due to violence and/or poverty.
Stephen Gaetz, Director of the Canadian Homelessness Research Network and a York University Professor, says, "The State of Homelessness provides a starting point to inform the development of a consistent, evidence-based approach towards ending homelessness."
Tim Richter, President and CEO of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness adds, "The State of Homelessness also highlights where there has been some meaningful progress in Canada that proves homelessness is not an intractable problem.
"Homelessness can be solved and we have some excellent Canadian examples to follow."
Some of these examples from across the country include Vancouver's 66 per cent reduction in street homelessness since 2008; Edmonton's 30 per cent reduction in overall homelessness since 2008; Toronto's 51 per cent decrease in homelessness since 2006; Fredericton's 30 per cent reduction in emergency shelter use; and the Mental Health Commission of Canada At Home/Chez Soi Housing First project in five Canadian cities.
Some of the recommendations coming out of the report include:
- Communities should develop and implement clear plans to end homelessness, supported by all levels of government;
- All levels of government must work to increase the supply of affordable housing;
- Communities and all levels of government should embrace Housing First initiative
- Prioritizing eliminating chronic and episodic homelessness
- Ending Aboriginal homelessness should be prioritized as both a distinct category of action and part of the overall strategy;
- Introduce more comprehensive data collection, performance monitoring, analysis and research.
By Donna Donaldson, MSN Money
What do you think can be done in the fight against homelessness?
Posted by: Get Serious | Jun 26, 2021 3:37:13 PM
Nice try Donna... YOU, your dad and your mom were ALL living in the family car !!! Yup... pull the other leg while you're at it.
Posted by: Ryan Ferguson | Jun 27, 2021 2:59:43 PM
Hey Get Serious....get a life, loser.
Having lived on the verge of homelessness for a few years due to downsizing of the auto industry, I can relate to how it can happen to just about anyone. Even those of us who want to work.
I was lucky enough to take some training during layoffs that provided me with another vocation. But, I never forget how close I came to having nothing.
Credit the writer for adding the personal touch. That takes guts. Didn't see her asking for sympathy.
Even if it does get idiots like you to offer useless comments that add nothing to the discussion.
Posted by: Get Serious | Jun 28, 2021 1:16:41 AM
Heyy Fergie....... you can personal touch and kiss my "donkey". BIG DEAL... so you had a vacation before finding your vocation. Serves you right for glutting the continent with your piece of crap North American junk cars.
Posted by: Do you see that / | Jun 28, 2021 12:56:34 PM
So you nice Canadian people prefer to have your family members to have permanent vacation or at best job only from time to time on behalf of new emigrants from places like Asia . They are glutting the North American continent and as sun they come they are grouping and creating shortage of work for our citizens in this economy. They creating homelessness and ++++....
Posted by: Marg | Jun 28, 2021 6:08:15 PM
The government should provide institutional care for the mentally ill who are unable to properly care for themselves. Closing all the mental hospitals and putting the residents out on the streets was a terrible mistake. Addicts too should be in group homes under supervision. If they refuse to live there then they should be responsible for themselves.
Posted by: lauren | Jun 29, 2021 1:12:53 PM
Yup, it is true to the ones who go through the ordeal of trying to be not disturbed by the presence of whom? a reporter in cognito? a photo graphing ad campaign by a 200 dollar a pic in new york? or does the Govi in canada speak to see funding handed out for gazzeeter reports other than numbers that can be used in other benifits to use for the cut backs and drawn up ideas for a better tommow? or am i on some elese page for knowing too less about who we think we are on blending in for a better commerce and closing building exchanges on the strips? get real canada, i am sorry to confuse the stats for many in my words, I prepared my self for the conservatives as well as the famly power houses of the house of lords we call it, well maybe not that far, but hey no jobs, living in car, on the streets vs a home, crime is up, crime is down, the prisons are full, yet again there not, taxes are up, so are land deals, the ones who buy the things to make the dollar spin rouind and round? most of the equal pay outs in spending, but as we see choices to brighten the look, changes in the way the world looks at how we run a country, let alone be mayor for one day, well or even the president at that matter, say can i bring my kids to work day? or does comparison cause friction of this levels of having, then not having? is the conservative kind well in there numbers banking on the morels of others or stats in cognito? see to feel my self better, i strap a sony camera strap around my neck, pretending i have a place to go after, so of course the knowledge of seperations is not socially inscripted to be the less in how others feel of the chance environemts that taken place by economics and the power house of the industry causing the needs to rekindle the wants of product abvailblilites, but for who? ones who have more to divide the extra house hold income. oh nwell i am homeless now, my comments banned me for life, i tresspassed on the homeless for a times tee square off on news night for a dollar at the mercy of the poor, and me to cash in on the plight to re-beuatyfy the area for a footbal stadium in winnipeg? we heard the less were going to beg for a ticket, the scalpers for sales on sold out tickets vs the ones in the way asking the crowd 100 dollars or a quater for a slight differance in the way presentation occurs to getting a ticket, or a quarter as for I being there in the units sold under my feet, the hotels that the govi closes deals for, wait let me rephase this, the indiviual closes the realasate for the govi to buy the old hotels, the project clean up in down towns bid? to clean up? the invovlments to a book on the desk, leaves investigators to say no, link, so both two of whom it may be, tax free enterprises, a incentive to sweeten the deals on the other side of law, or wait may be the law them selfs, want a part of the fabuous life styles of being an offical, owning a company and then what taxes can become book marked as the motive? no enemies in the homeless, we see on the screen flick two homeless cra....sies.. the advocate to these devils of provada wording, to davici code, to many others who need two, one to drive and the other to clean up, is this main street by the way? or am i on role of misfortunate events to perfect to over state the circumstances to many ideas in this planned event, want more? see how any one would be a new comer to a isolated walk, and the brand name officlas who are indeed new, well now the crowns can peice the causes of anger, why a homeless blame game, or the nutty professors who thaought so too, to a bad scene in corruption departments of a shining new dime, and slaming to move a truck or car in the way, seem brother hood oabvious, so media campaign on the poor and how unfortunate the wrong choices they make, seems the invovlments to persue the moments of charity just added up to a clean up campaign and know one seen this one coming. Pyscic from mars....
Posted by: Matt | Jun 30, 2021 1:14:13 AM
Lauren: I can never get back the time I lost trying to read that. Shame on me.
Posted by: Suzanne | Jun 30, 2021 7:59:03 AM
Do you see that: Do you seriously lack that much knowledge? In order to immigrate to A LOT of countries INCLUDING Canada. You must have a skill to bring here or a business that can sustain you and your family. Also, you must have enough money to support your spouse and/or family members for at least six months in the case that you don't start making money right away.
Now, you are making yourself sound like a fool. Don't worry; skilled immigrants do now want your little shoveling miner's job or your burger flipping hours. Go back to school, get educated, get hired, or start a viable business that creates jobs.
You should be ashamed to call yourself a Canadian with your lack of knowledge!
Posted by: jphn | Jun 30, 2021 11:04:55 AM
they could be culled!!!
Posted by: Matt | Jun 30, 2021 11:12:50 AM
Suzanne: Your exceptionally poor English, and lack of cohesive thought is identical to the ramblings of Lauren. Keep flapping those lips, I'm willing to bet you are one in the same.
Hey, at least you understand what you're jabbering on about.
Posted by: Sylvia | Jun 30, 2021 1:11:03 PM
Suzanne do you know Tim Horton's brings many Philippines' to Canada to work in their stores at a rate $3 more per hour than their Canadian team members, also paying their flights, housing costs, etc!
Posted by: Nilda | Jun 30, 2021 11:57:52 PM
Since around 2008 we see a huge increase in street homelessness in Montreal. They come from all over Canada. The perception is that Montreal is very tolerant towards them, unlike some other cities. May be that explains, at least part, the reduction in those cities??
Posted by: homeless homo | Jul 30, 2021 10:15:03 PM
I'm homo homeless and proud of it. I will eat dink penis for 20 and I like it. Please give me your dink and some money I want to have aids and my penis is friend. Please help this is not a penis joke.