homelessness Archives - News@91��ɫ

91��ɫ U prof available to speak to media on how to stop homelessness

egamulin — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:00:00 +0000

Co-host of world’s largest conference on youth homelessness prevention says number one reason for homelessness is a lack of affordable housing; addressing family conflict key for adolescents

TORONTO, Feb. 20, 2025 – 91��ɫ Faculty of Education professor , also president of the , says after decades of research and advocacy work, homelessness prevention is no longer being treated as a “dirty word” by the policy makers, government agencies and not-for-profits he talks to.

The concept of prevention – basic on the surface, but previously met with so much resistance – seems to finally be having its moment, says Gaetz, perhaps in part because the problem has become impossible to ignore.

“Homelessness is on people's minds. The growth in the numbers in Toronto and across Canada and the rise in encampments make homelessness highly visible, and while what we are advocating for hasn’t changed, the resistance to these ideas certainly has,” says Gaetz, who along with Melanie Redman of is next week in Toronto.

“The main reason for homelessness in general is a lack of affordable housing, but for youth in particular, family conflict plays a huge role. Half of homeless people will have their first experience of homelessness under the age of 25, so preventing youth homelessness is a crucial part of tackling the larger crisis.”

Acknowledging that the housing ‘crisis’ is actually a chronic condition that continues to grow worse, Gaetz advocates for a public-health model of prevention. This includes broad strategies that benefit society as a whole, such as widely available affordable childcare and housing, to targeting those most at risk of homelessness, with specific strategies dealing with Indigenous homelessness, interventions for those facing imminent eviction, and for those who do find themselves homeless, swift interventions to house them immediately and make sure they don’t become homeless again.

A key intervention for youth is to enhance their family connections and other natural supports.

“If we focused our efforts on preventing youth homelessness, not only would we have better outcomes for young people, but also for their families and communities, and in the long run we would have an impact on chronic homelessness,” says Gaetz.

“Currently, youth who age out of foster care, hospital patients and those being released from prison are all being discharged into homelessness in this country. This should never happen.”

Held Monday, February 24 to Wednesday, February 26 at the Westin Harbour Castle, the conference will feature researchers, service providers, experts with lived experience and thought leaders from Canada and around the world, highlighting research that showcases evidence-based solutions to youth homelessness.

With more than 500 people registered for the event, Gaetz says to his knowledge it is the largest conference hosted on the topic of youth homelessness prevention to date. Gaetz is available at the conference and beyond to speak to the media on concrete strategies communities can adopt to prevent homelessness, and youth homelessness in particular.

Why half of homeless people first experience homelessness as youth and how addressing family conflict for both youth and their families is key
The connection between foster care, criminalization and homelessness
The key evidence-based interventions that have demonstrated how to prevent youth homelessness.
Why providing homeless people with housing is cheaper and more effective than focusing resources on the shelter system
Examples from around the world of governments successfully taking action to prevent homelessness

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91��ɫ is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change, and prepare our students for success. 91��ɫ's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91��ɫ’s campuses in Costa Rica and India offer students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future.

Media Contact:

Emina Gamulin, 91��ɫ Media Relations, 437-217-6362, egamulin@yorku.ca

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Ontario’s new child welfare policy is promising, but youth leaving care need more support

suhasini — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 13:55:25 +0000

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ontario’s Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services placed a that requires youth to leave foster care and group homes once they turn 18. At the same time, the province committed to a to strengthen support for youth leaving care.

The moratorium expires on March 31, with a coming into effect on April 1. While the new policy appears promising for youth leaving care, there are some important gaps that require the Ontario government’s attention.

Aging out

The pandemic illuminated shortcomings in Ontario’s child welfare policy. High numbers of youth aging out of care face , and have .

Under these circumstances, many experience victimization and . It is clear this framework does not effectively support youth leaving care to enter adulthood on a steady footing.

The ministry’s commitment to a child welfare redesign is welcome and timely. The new policy will replace two policy directives: and .

It also outlines new requirements to prepare youth for a successful transition from care to adulthood. Taking a youth-centred, strengths-based and trauma-informed approach, the policy aims to:

“assist youth to achieve physical and emotional well-being, acquire basic life management skills and develop social networks that include connections to caring adults and the community while respecting a child’s identity characteristics and cultural connections.”

Earlier intervention, extended involvement

Currently, child protection workers initiate transition planning when youth are still in care. When they turn 18 and leave care, most youth are eligible to access CCSY. Through CCSY, youth receive financial support, health benefits, and may connect with a . These supports expire when they turn 21.

Evidence shows that to prepare youth for their transition to adulthood. Youth will now begin transition planning on their 13th birthday. Between the ages of 13 and 18, planning will focus on health, education, identity, family and social relationships, emotional and behavioural development and self-care skills.

At age 18, most youth will still be required to leave their care placements. However, they will be eligible to receive transition supports, like those available under CCSY, until they turn 23. This amounts to at least 10 years of concentrated transition support which will hopefully reduce the likelihood of them facing poor outcomes.

While prioritizing early intervention for youth, the new policy makes no mention of providing early support for families. that investigations of parental neglect — which comprise a significant proportion of reports for investigation — are often more indicative of structural issues, like poverty. And add that there is an intergenerational continuity of child welfare system involvement.

Targeted preventive supports for families could address structural issues and prevent youth from being in foster care. It would also support the ministry’s goals of family reunification and minimizing child removals. Not including familial supports is a missed opportunity.

Building supportive connections

Both the previous and new policies emphasize the importance of developing youths’ . While no age was specified previously, network building is now supposed to begin as early as age 13.

Research emphasizes . Independence is a false construct, as everyone depends on others through their lives. Youth in care need continuous support to achieve interdependence.

Ongoing social support is critically important, however, it is unclear how the new policy will improve where its predecessor fell short.

Community organizations that have developed programs that emphasize permanency and natural relationships make clear that this work is highly specialized. Helping youth to find meaningful, long-term and natural supports takes time and constant support to build and maintain these relationships.

It is likely this work will fall to child protection workers who are already overladen with high caseloads. It is difficult to see how they can meaningfully or effectively add this to their existing workload.

It is also important to question the appropriateness of tasking child protection workers with this responsibility when they are often involved in breaking familial bonds, which can both create irreparable harm to the family unit and limit workers’ efficacy when it comes to helping young people develop social networks.

Importantly, the policy requiring youth to leave their care placements at 18 remains in place. Many youth experience a loss of their social supports when they age out of care. Around . It is important to distinguish between being in care (living in foster care or group homes) and simply receiving transition supports without having stable, secure housing and a social network.

Ready, set, go

The new policy also includes the which begins targeted transition planning when youth turn 16. The program will help child protection workers to assess with youth their readiness to leave care across nine indicators. Assessment will continue at six month intervals following their 18th birthday.

The program prioritizes youth voices, remains responsive to youths’ needs and connects them with services they will need in the long-run. However, the program does not connect readiness to leave care with being housed. It is difficult to imagine how young people will be able to meet their transition goals without a stable home.

Ultimately, the policy remains silent on what will happen if youth are not ready to leave care. Will youth receive support beyond age 23 if needed? Will anyone monitor their progress after they turn 23?

But really, should anyone be ready to be independent, isolated and alone?

Aspects of the new policy require more refinement and explanation. But as a whole, the spirit of the policy is promising. There is a feeling of hope for the future. The provincial government must now invest in these programs to make good on their promise to deliver for young Ontarians.

This article was co-authored by social science Professor in the Department of Social Science, 91��ɫ, and Heather O’Keefe, Executive Director of StepStones for Youth, which supports youth in and leaving the child welfare system in Ontario. Before founding StepStones, Heather worked as a child protection worker.

This article is republished from .

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Website will provide homelessness workers best practices from across Canada

roshanp — Fri, 05 Jul 2019 15:28:43 +0000

TORONTO, July 5, 2019 – A new Homelessness Learning Hub will give frontline community workers who serve people experiencing homelessness a central website that brings together best practices in the sector and offers training through online self-directed courses.

The Honourable Judy Sgro, Member of Parliament for Humber River– Black Creek, on behalf of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, today $581,379 in federal funding over three years for development of the website by the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness, based at 91��ɫ. The grant is being made through the Community Capacity and Innovation funding stream of Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy.

The COH has worked in partnership with the federal government’s Homelessness Policy Directorate, doing surveys, interviews and stakeholder focus groups to better understand the professional development needs of the sector. They learned frontline service providers and community organizations needed practical tools and resources to train staff and provide professional development.

The will offer online courses in a number of fields identified in the federal homelessness strategy, Reaching Home, as national priorities for the homelessness sector: prevention, data management, Housing First, case management, systems planning, and coordinated access. Those who are working in the homeless-serving sector are being asked to contribute their best resources to the website during the soft-launch.

The Homelessness Learning Hub will include practical, multimedia resources that are accessible to all, free of charge: factsheets, guides, toolkits, infographics webinars and more. Examples of the resources include:��

Housing First 101 – resources including practical guides for working with various populations in an effort to reduce chronic homelessness using the Housing First framework.

Priority Population: Youth – resources on working with and building programming for youth experiencing homelessness.

Systems Planning Collective Learning Modules – four modules that form a comprehensive curriculum, with resources to mobilize systems planning knowledge, hone related skills and take steps to change and improve local outcomes.

QUOTES:

“When one person is forced to live on the streets, we’re all diminished. Homelessness is a reality for too many Canadians and a challenge for every Canadian community. Through Reaching Home, we’re working with other levels of government, NGOs, Indigenous partners and communities across Canada to provide more stable housing to people experiencing homelessness and increasing support for vulnerable groups. Supporting projects like these is only the beginning and one of many initiatives that will make a real impact on the lives of vulnerable Canadians. By working together, we can reduce chronic homelessness in our communities by 50% by 2027–2028.”
– The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development

“I’m proud that through Reaching Home and the new Community Capacity and Innovation funding stream, we’re able to work with organizations like Canadian Observatory on Homelessness to develop innovative solutions that will support the homeless-serving sector. Supporting our service providers, frontline staff and communities with the right tools and resources ensures that we are equipping communities across Canada with the capacity to prevent and reduce homelessness.”
– The Honourable Judy Sgro, Member of Parliament for Humber River—Black Creek

��“91��ɫ is proud to support the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness, one of the largest research institutes of its kind in the world, dedicated to understanding the needs of homeless��people in Canada. The Homelessness Learning Hub brings together academics, policy makers, service providers and government to create safer and more sustainable housing options. The website also maximizes the impact of the work in communities across the country extending the network of those seeking to solve homelessness and sharing approaches based on evidence. We commend the federal government for their ongoing support of initiatives that mobilize knowledge around this important issue.” – Rhonda L. Lenton, President and Vice-Chancellor, 91��ɫ

��Bridging the gap between research, policy and practice is our ultimate goal here. Quality professional development resources will bring evidence-based research to the practical service level in order for us, as a sector, to move forward on national priorities in preventing and ending homelessness. – Stephen Gaetz, CEO and President, Canadian Observatory on Homelessness and Professor, Faculty of Education, 91��ɫ

91��ɫ champions new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-disciplinary programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. 91��ɫ students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world’s most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. 91��ɫ U is an internationally recognized research university – our 11 faculties and 25 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, 91��ɫ is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 300,000 alumni.

91��ɫ U's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

��The Canadian Observatory on Homelessness��(COH) is a non-partisan research and policy partnership between academics, policy and decision makers, service providers and people with lived experience of homelessness. Housed at 91��ɫ, the COH evolved out of a 2008 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council funded project called the Canadian Homelessness Research Network. Led by Dr. Stephen Gaetz, CEO & President, the COH collaborates with partners to conduct and mobilize research that contributes to better, more effective solutions to homelessness. For more information:, @homelesshub

Media Contact:
Janice Walls, 91��ɫ Media Relations, 416 455 4710, wallsj@yorku.ca

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Towards ending homelessness: New report calls for major shift

roshanp — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 10:53:56 +0000

TORONTO, April 20, 2017 – It is time to prioritize homelessness prevention, says a new report from the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness (COH).

“We would never build our health care system around the emergency department only, so why would we think this way in addressing homelessness?” says 91��ɫ professor Stephen Gaetz, Director of the COH, a national research institute based at 91��ɫ. “While there will always be a need for emergency services to help those in crisis, we need to focus on preventive strategies that address the many causes of homelessness, to reduce the number of people in Canada who experience the trauma of becoming homeless.”

The report, , calls for adoption of a model similar to preventive health care, with policies, practices and interventions that reduce the likelihood someone will experience homelessness. Homelessness prevention also includes providing those who have been homeless with support to reduce the risk that they will become homeless again.

Some innovative Housing First policies are being used in parts of Canada to help people successfully exit homelessness, says Gaetz. To complement these efforts, and to stem the flow of people into homelessness in the first place, it is time to shift direction to prevention strategies, he says, and it is a particularly good time to do so. The federal government is working on the upcoming National Housing Strategy and seems to recognize the role of prevention, and several provinces including Ontario and Alberta have homelessness strategies that they have rolled out or are in the process of rolling out.

Communities have been asking for prevention strategies for a long time, said postdoctoral fellow Erin Dej, who co-authored the report with Gaetz.

“Currently, many individuals who leave institutional or state care of one form or another do not have housing or necessary supports, and so we transfer the problem from one sector to another, rather than stopping the flow into homelessness in the first place,” she said. “We need prevention strategies that recognize that access to housing is a human right.”

A rights-based approach will require the appropriate areas of government – health care, child protection, justice and others – to be responsible for their role in preventing people from becoming homeless, according to Gaetz and Dej.

Their Framework for Homelessness Prevention outlines an integrative systems approach to prevention, addressing the structural, systematic and individual factors that lead to homelessness. It identifies roles and responsibilities in the prevention of homelessness, from the policy level where structural barriers to housing are considered, to people who work with young people that are leaving child protection systems, to those providing assistance to prevent evictions.

The Canadian Observatory on Homelessness will consult on the report for about a year to highlight successful and innovative programs and approaches from Canada and internationally. The goal is to begin a national conversation about homelessness prevention and come up with practical solutions that will really make a change, says Gaetz, and to mobilize support from all levels of government, along with a commitment to changing the way we as a country address homelessness.

The Canadian Observatory on Homelessness is a non-profit, non-partisan research institute that is committed to conducting and mobilizing research so as to contribute to solutions to homelessness.�� For more information: homelesshub.ca, @homelesshub

��is known for championing new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-discipline programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. 91��ɫ students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world’s most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. 91��ɫ U is an internationally recognized research university – our 11 faculties and 26 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, 91��ɫ is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 295,000 alumni. 91��ɫ U's fully bilingual Glendon campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.��

Media Contact:
Janice Walls, Media Relations, 91��ɫ, 416-455-4710,��wallsj@yorku.ca
Anjum Nayyar, Media Relations, 91��ɫ, 416 736-2100 ext. 44543, anayyar@yorku.ca

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Government strategy on youth homelessness must focus on mental health needs, report says

roshanp — Thu, 06 Apr 2017 10:50:33 +0000

TORONTO, April 6, 2017 – Governments must focus on the mental health challenges faced by young people in Canada in order to effectively address youth homelessness, says a policy brief released today by researchers and community groups.

The by the ��, based at 91��ɫ, and , calls on federal, provincial and territorial governments to implement youth homelessness strategies that recognize marginalized and homeless youth are at higher risk of mental health challenges, poor quality of life, and suicide.�� The found that 85 per cent of young Canadians who are homeless are experiencing a mental health crisis, 42 per cent reported at least one suicide attempt, and 35 per cent reported at least one drug overdose requiring hospitalization.

“Rather than invest in prevention and rapid re-housing, our response to youth homelessness has been to wait until young people face acute crises before we do something. It is time to change our approach,” said Stephen Gaetz, 91��ɫ Professor and Director of the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness. “This is an opportunity for the Canadian government to become an international leader in addressing youth homelessness.”

Adverse childhood experiences such as abuse, systemic problems including barriers to accessing services, and structural issues such as racism often combine to worsen the mental health of youth experiencing homelessness. LGBTQ2S and Indigenous youth experiencing homelessness report markedly poorer mental health and face numerous barriers to accessing supports.

“Youth homelessness is an equity issue. All youth, regardless of their identity or poverty, deserve access to safe, affordable, and appropriate housing and health care. These are human rights, said Kaitlin Schwan, Postdoctoral Fellow at the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness. ��“The fact that Indigenous youth across Canada disproportionately experience homelessness and poor mental health demands an urgent response from all levels of government.”

Federal and provincial governments have made significant investments in homelessness and mental health recently. The federal government announced a 10-year, $5 billion dollar investment in mental health services earlier this year and most provinces and territories have now established new mental health transfers with Ottawa. The policy brief calls on the federal government to implement a youth homelessness strategy with a special focus on mental health and wellness, and for provincial and territorial governments to implement more targeted strategies.

“With this new federal investment in mental health, communities across Canada are positioned to make real progress on this issue. The key will be ensuring services are coordinated and communities set real, measurable targets for progress,” said Melanie Redman, Executive Director of A Way Home Canada.

The policy brief outlines six recommendations for federal, provincial, and territorial governments:

Develop and implement strategies to prevent and end youth homelessness, supported by targeted investments;
Invest in systems integration to address the mental health needs of youth experiencing homelessness;
Prioritize and invest in program models that focus on prevention and rapid exits from homelessness for youth;
Adopt a youth-centered approach to addressing youth homelessness, grounded in human rights;
Ensure that all strategies and program responses address the unique needs of diverse youth experiencing homelessness; and
Develop a national research strategy focused on youth homelessness, and invest in knowledge development and data management, in order to advance an integrated systems response to youth homelessness.

The Canadian Observatory on Homelessness is a non-profit, non-partisan research institute that is committed to conducting and mobilizing research so as to contribute to real and sustainable solutions to homelessness.

A Way Home Canada is a national coalition dedicated to preventing and ending youth homelessness in Canada. We inspire and enable communities and all levels of government to organize, plan and implement strategies to address youth homelessness in a coordinated, measurable and impactful way.��

Media Contact:
Janice Walls, Media Relations, 91��ɫ, 416-455-4710, wallsj@yorku.ca

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Results of the first ever National Youth Homelessness Survey released today

roshanp — Thu, 17 Nov 2016 12:32:54 +0000

OTTAWA, November 17, 2016 – The Canadian Observatory on Homelessness at 91��ɫ, A Way Home Canada and Home Depot Canada Foundation today announced the results of the first ever National Youth Homelessness Survey in Canada. According to this ground-breaking new survey, Youth homelessness can begin as young as age 13, and if not addressed can lead to years on the streets.

“So many youth have their first experience of homelessness in their early teens, and our research shows that once on the streets things really go downhill,” said , director of the at 91��ɫ. “If we don’t address youth homelessness early, we will be dealing with chronic adult homelessness in the future.”

National Youth Homelessness Survey

More than 6,000 youth don’t have a safe place to sleep every night, making youth homelessness one of the most urgent social issues in Canada. finds that understanding the causes and conditions of youth homelessness are vital to implementing the right supports to help create successful futures and break the cycle of youth homelessness.

“The findings will lead to more effective plans, strategies and interventions at the national, regional and local levels to prevent and end youth homelessness in Canada,” said Melanie Redman, Executive Director of A Way Home Canada. "From conception, this critical piece of research was a collaborative effort between The Home Depot Canada Foundation, researchers, service providers, and most importantly, youth with lived experience.”

In the past three years, The Home Depot Canada Foundation has helped more than 300 community partners ensure more homeless youth have access to housing that is safe and supportive, established a thought leadership advisory council, worked with youth who have lived experiences, and supported new research to better understand the circumstances and needs of homeless youth in Canada. In recognition of the successes of its original $10 million contribution in 2013, The Home Depot Canada Foundation also announced today it will double its investment. Adding an additional $10 million investment over the next two years toward helping prevent and end youth homelessness, bringing the total to $20 million by 2018.

“We are proud of the work we’ve done and access to this unprecedented data demonstrates how much more we must do,” said Jeff Kinnaird, chair of the board, The Home Depot Canada Foundation and president, The Home Depot Canada. “By focusing our efforts on organizations that provide safe, stable housing, life skills development programs and research initiatives, we can help build brighter futures for homeless and at-risk youth across Canada.”

You can download a copy of the full report here:

About 91��ɫ
��is known for championing new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-discipline programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. 91��ɫ students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world’s most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. 91��ɫ U is an internationally recognized research university – our 11 faculties and 26 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, 91��ɫ is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 295,000 alumni. 91��ɫ U's fully bilingual Glendon campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

About The Canadian Observatory On Homelessness
The Canadian Observatory on Homelessness is a non-profit, non-partisan research institute that is committed to conducting and mobilizing research so as to contribute to real and sustainable solutions to homelessness. For more information, please visit:

About The Home Depot Canada Foundation
The Home Depot Canada Foundation is committed to putting an end to youth homelessness in Canada. On any given night, more than 6,000 young people are without a place to call home, making youth homelessness one of the most urgent social issues facing Canadians today. Through The Orange Door Project initiative, the Foundation has pledged $20 million by 2018 to support renovation and repair projects and programs that provide vulnerable youth with access to safe, stable housing and support services. For more information, please visit:

About A Way Home Canada
A Way Home Canada is a national coalition dedicated to preventing, reducing and ending youth homelessness in Canada. We inspire and enable communities and all levels of government through a framework to organize, plan and implement strategies to address youth homelessness in a coordinated, measurable and impactful way. By strengthening families and building the assets and resilience of youth, we can help young people avoid homelessness and make a healthy transition to adulthood. For more information, please visit:

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Media contact:
Chris McCluskey, Sr. Consultant, Environics Communications, 613-388-3683, cmccluskey@environicspr.com

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State of Homelessness in Canada report: Additional $1 a week per Canadian could end homelessness

roshanp — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 12:13:18 +0000

OTTAWA, October 20, 2016 – Homelessness in Canada remains at crisis levels, but for the first time in more than 25 years, there is hope, according to the released today in Ottawa by the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness and the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness.

The report presents recommendations to the Government of Canada for the upcoming National Housing Strategy and shows not only how homelessness could be eliminated, but that ending homelessness is achievable and affordable.

“It’s great to know that Canada is coming back to a National Housing Strategy,” said , director of the at 91��ɫ. “This is an opportunity to correct more than 25 years of inadequate investment, which has led to our current affordable housing crisis. It is also an opportunity to end homelessness in Canada once and for all."

“We agree with the government’s National Housing Strategy objective to ensure all Canadians have safe, decent and affordable housing,” says , president of the . “But we must act most urgently for those for whom a lack of housing can be a matter of life and death – people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.”

The report recommends an investment of $4.474 billion in 2017-2018 or $43.788 billion over a 10-year period, representing an annual increase of $1.818 billion more than the federal government is projected to spend on affordable housing in 2017-2018. That is only an additional $50 per Canadian annually or less than a $1 per week to prevent and end homelessness in Canada. It’s worth noting that homelessness currently costs the Canadian economy over $7 billion per year.

“The good news is we know what to do to solve homelessness: targeted affordable housing investment, community systems planning, Housing First, prevention and federal leadership will get us there,” said Gaetz. “And importantly, we also know solving homelessness will be far cheaper than ignoring it.”

Modern mass homeless in Canada is primarily the result of shrinking federal investment in housing beginning in the 1980s. ��As homelessness in Canada has grown, the face of homelessness has changed. What began as a phenomenon primarily impacting older single men now includes women (27 per cent of the homeless population), seniors (24.4 per cent of shelter users), and youth (18 per cent of the homeless population). Indigenous Peoples are 27 to 33 per cent of shelter users and are 10 times more likely to use homeless emergency shelters, yet only represent only 4.3 percent of the Canadian population.

State of Homelessness in Canada: 2016 key recommendations:

Adopt a national goal of ending homelessness with clear and measurable outcomes, milestones and criteria
Renew and expand Homelessness Partnering Strategy focusing on Housing First, prevention and building coordinated homelessness systems
A new federal/provincial/territorial framework agreement that defines local leadership on homelessness and housing investment
Targeted strategies to address the needs of priority sub-populations including youth, veterans and Indigenous peoples
Retain and expand existing affordable housing stock
Implement a National Housing Benefit
Affordable housing tax credit
Review and expand investment in affordable housing for Indigenous peoples

Homelessness by the numbers:

35,000 Canadians are homeless on a given night. 235,000 Canadians are homeless at some point every year.
In the last 20 years Canada's population has grown more than 30% but federal funding for affordable housing has dropped more than 46 per cent. This has meant at least 100,000 units of affordable housing were not built.
Today over 1.5 million Canadian households live in core housing need, with over half of those households living in extreme core housing need (living in poverty and spending over 50 per cent of their income on housing).
There has been a steady decline in the number of Canadians using shelters in the last 10 years. In fact, in 2014 there were almost 20,000 fewer people using emergency shelters than in 2005
While there are fewer people using shelters, but those that are using them are staying longer.
The national occupancy rate – how full shelters are – increased by more than 10% between 2005-2014
Most shelter stays are brief with youth and adults staying on average 10 days. But for seniors (50+) and families, the average length of stay is twice as long

The complete State of Homelessness in Canada 2016 report is available here:

is known for championing new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-discipline programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. 91��ɫ students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world’s most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. 91��ɫ U is an internationally recognized research university – our 11 faculties and 26 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, 91��ɫ is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 295,000 alumni 91��ɫ U's fully bilingual Glendon campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

The Canadian Observatory on Homelessness is a non-profit, non-partisan research institute that is committed to conducting and mobilizing research so as to contribute to effective solutions to homelessness.

The Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness leads a national movement of individuals, organizations and communities working together to end homelessness in Canada.

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Media Contact:

Michael Powell, Impact Public Affairs, 613-233-8906, mike@impactcanada.com

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Media Advisory: Report on state of homelessness in Canada to be released Oct. 20

roshanp — Wed, 19 Oct 2016 12:39:53 +0000

OTTAWA, Oct. 19, 2016�� - The Canadian Observatory on Homelessness at 91��ɫ and the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness will release the report Thursday at a media conference in Ottawa.

Who: Tim Richter,��President of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness

Stephen Gaetz, Director of the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness at 91��ɫ

Erin Dej, Canadian Observatory on Homeless, Post-Doctoral Fellow

What: The Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness and 91��ɫ’s Canadian Observatory on Homelessness will release the State of Homelessness in Canada: 2016 Report. It features an updated look at the face of homelessness in Canada as well as recommendations for the federal National Housing Strategy.

When: 11am, Oct. 20, 2016

Where:�� Charles Lynch Room,
Room 130-S of Centre Block
House of Commons
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The Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness leads a national movement of individuals, organizations and communities working together to end homelessness in Canada.��

��is known for championing new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-discipline programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. 91��ɫ students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world’s most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. 91��ɫ U is an internationally recognized research university – our 11 faculties and 26 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, 91��ɫ is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 295,000 alumni 91��ɫ U's fully bilingual Glendon campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

Media contact:

Michael Powell, 613-233-8906, mobile: 613-797-7313, mike@impactcanada.com

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Time is right for federal government to invest in youth homelessness, says new brief

roshanp — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 14:57:43 +0000

TORONTO, April 11, 2016 – In a policy brief released today, the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness at 91��ɫ, in partnership with A Way Home, is calling on the new federal government to invest $16.5 million annually to support communities to plan and implement strategies to end youth homelessness by 2026.

There are some 35,000 to 40,000 homeless youth in Canada between the ages of 13 and 25, which represent 20 per cent of the entire homeless population. The federal Homelessness Partnering Strategy was renewed in 2014 for five years ($119 million annually) with a focus on Housing First, but there was no targeted funding or strategy for youth homelessness. In the recent Federal budget (2016), the government increased the allocation to the Homelessness Partnering Strategy by over $50 million in each of the next two years, creating an opportunity for a new investment in ending youth homelessness.

"The causes and conditions of youth homelessness are different than those of adult homelessness and this is important to recognize if we are to help these youth," says 91��ɫ U Professor Stephen Gaetz, director of the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness (Homeless Hub) which released the policy brief, "."

While communities are able to use some of their federal funding to address youth homelessness, this for the most part goes to fund emergency services and supports, such as shelters and day programs. "While emergency programs are of course needed, this isn't enough, as it doesn't help prevent or reduce the problem," says Gaetz.

"Few communities have comprehensive plans for dealing with youth homelessness and without strategies communities are only managing the issue, not dealing with the causes or developing ways to eliminate it. Communities need resources to shift direction."

The federal government, which has indicated it is interested in supporting youth and young adults, needs to reinvest not only in communities, but should also engage the provinces and territories in implementing more comprehensive strategies to address youth homelessness. Ontario has signaled that youth homelessness is one of its key priorities and Alberta is the first in Canada to develop and implement a comprehensive youth homelessness strategy.

The investment should focus on community planning, program intervention, including prevention and strategies to help youth exit homelessness, support for Indigenous youth and leadership from the federal government.

"This is important because the federal investment in homelessness in general has declined by $92 millionsince 1999 to $119 million, while the former annual $20 million to target youth homelessness was dropped in 2003," says Gaetz. "In comparison, the US spends C$343 million to address youth homelessness. To match that based on population, Canada would need to spend $37.85 million on youth homelessness."

Negative impacts of homelessness include:

Increased risk of exploitation, violence, victimization, physical and sexual abuse
Greater involvement with the police and justice system
Disengagement from school and difficulty obtaining employment,
Stress, depression, anxiety disorders and suicide
Increased use of substances to cope

There is now a real opportunity for the Government of Canada to take the lead and work with community partners to address youth homelessness in a much more strategic and effective manner. With a renewed investment, new opportunities can be created for youth, including housing stability, resiliency, prevention of homelessness, as well as access to education and jobs.

"The time is right for a renewed federal investment on youth homelessness," says Melanie Redman, executive director of A Way Home. "Together with government we can support communities to craft and implement comprehensive strategies to prevent and end youth homelessness. We can also support evidence-based program models and promising practices that focus on preventing young people from becoming homeless in the first place."

As Gaetz says, "There is enough research now that points to the very real possibility of ending youth homelessness."

��is known for championing new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our 52,000 students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-discipline programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. 91��ɫ students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world's most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. 91��ɫ U is an internationally recognized research university – our 11 faculties and 24 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide.

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Contact Info:

Dr. Stephen Gaetz
Director, Canadian Observatory on Homelessness
Professor, Faculty of Education, 91��ɫ
416-668-7321
sgaetz@edu.yorku.ca

Melanie Redman
Executive Director, A Way Home
647-502-4114
mredman@awayhome.ca

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