Canada’s homeless population has been estimated at somewhere between 150,000 (Pye, 2005) and 300,000 (Laird, 2007). While statistics have been hard to establish due to a lack of political interest, we can assume that a number between these estimates represents a close approximation of the scale of the tragedy. Homelessness is a global problem of major proportions that threatens our ability to maintain a civil society.
In their excellent book, Criminalization of Mental Illness Risdon Slate and W. Wesley Johnson (2008) point out that a lack of publicly funded mental health treatment options and the closing of mental health hospitals has been a major contributing factor in increasing numbers of people ending up on American streets. They further note that more than one half of the those living on the streets are veterans suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), some 336,000 individuals.
In addition to mental health issues, people end up on the streets due to a myriad of complex and interconnected social and political issues. (An excellent review of these issues in Canada can be found in Jack Layton’s book Homelessness: How to End a National Crisis). Among the issues are poverty, low paying or poorly paid work, paucity of affordable housing, criminal justice responses to social problems and a lack of social support. Perhaps the common thread in these factors is the fact that there has been a trend toward support of public policies that continue to promote exclusion rather than inclusion. The Canadian federal government’s recently announced plan to increase prison spaces and to impose minimum sentencing are two examples of such policies.
The policies that have been enacted to address the issues of poverty and homelessness thus far have increased rather than decreased the costs to the Canadian taxpayer. Prisons, emergency services, shelters, overuse of the health care system (emergency room visits) and policing are costly alternatives. In an excellent article, “Million Dollar Murray“, first appearing in the New Yorker magazine in 2006, Malcolm Gladwell enumerated these costs at $1M US over a 10 year period for a single individual. One excellent example of the cost savings that can be gained by investing in a more socially responsible program is the Oaks Managed Alcohol program in Ottawa Canada, which has saved an estimated $3.5 M CAN to the City of Ottawa in one year.
The Waterloo Region, through its STEP Home program has been successful in ending homelessness for 50 individuals and preventing persistent homelessness for another 100 (Committee Report, 2010). One of the projects that was brought online this year was Supportive Housing of Waterloo, a 30 unit apartment building that provides permanent housing and support staff to assist people in living independently. The project is based on a housing first model, with a harm reduction approach to health-related issues. While projects such as SHOW and Sunnyside Supportive Housing are great first steps, they are not sufficient remedies to homelessness. At present, for example, since funding for these projects comes from rents, people must either be registered with the Ontario Disabilities Support Program (ODSP) or Ontario Works (OW). Because these income rates are quite low, people can find themselves squeezed for rent and unable to maintain their housing. Also, there is no option for those who live on the street and are not receiving either ODSP or OW, given they would not be able to cover the rents.
In order to make substantive changes in the problem of homelessness it will be necessary to make a shift in our thinking about the problem. One thing that I am struck with as I meet folks at SHOW and the Out of the Cold Program is how very close we all are to the possibility of becoming marginalized. I reflect on the fact that I am able to live where I do because I have the support of family, friends and my community. I am lucky enough to have a decent job that allows me to live well. All of that could be taken away in an instant should I lose my job, face a health crisis, become alienated from family and friends, and have my dignity stripped away from me by policies that exclude and further isolate me.
What can be done to effect real changes in policy? Here are some links that have a lot of information about the issues so that we can push for real change:
