Root Causes Of Homelessness

Every person who has found themselves homeless at any point could point to numerous reasons why they ended up on the streets.

The causes of homelessness are usually intertwined with one another. Anyone could find themselves looking for shelter, regardless of their background or life experience. Homelessness is usually the combination of several factors.

The latest figures from the Government of Canada’s Homelessness Partnering Strategy (HPS) from 2016, estimates 235,000 experience homelessness every year. That number increases when you add those who live with family and friends but do not access emergency shelters.

The number of individuals that are homeless on a given night is estimated to be 35,000.

Lack of low-income housing

Many urban centres in Canada have seen a significant increase in housing prices and rents over the last several years. The City of Toronto itself has acknowledge that affordability was the most significant barrier for people living in shelters.

Around 9,000 people are said to be homeless in a city in the midst of a construction boom. There has been more of a coordinated effort from the federal and provincial levels to build more subsidized housing units but it does not go far enough.

Systemic problems

Systemic problems are problems that stem from proble