The Homeless Hub
The Homeless Hub is a web-based research library and information center launched in 2007 to address the need for a single place to find homelessness information from across Canada.
With over 30,000 resources and growing, the Homeless Hub research library is the largest library of homelessness-related resources in the world.
10 Things You Should Know About Housing and Homelessness
Written by Micheal Shapcott at the Wellesley Institute this is a ‘must read’ for anyone who wants to understand the policy and jurisdictional issues related to housing and homelessness in Canada. Read Report
Homelessness in Metro Vancouver
Below are some recent studies about homelessness in the Greater Vancouver region. They are of varying lengths and cover a range of subjects. Much more information and research material is available on the websites of the Greater Vancouver Regional District, Vancouver Coastal Health, Fraser Health, and some individual area municipalities.
SFU Study: Housing and Supports for Adults with Severe Addictions and/or Mental Illness in British Columbia.
In 2008, a research team from the Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health & Addiction in the Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University published a study on Housing and Supports for Adults with Severe Addictions and/or Mental Illness in British Columbia. Their findings on the high cost of not housing people with mental illness and/or additions, is consistent with research carried out previously in British Columbia and elsewhere. Read Report
Metro Vancouver 2008 Homeless Count
Data from the 2008 Homeless Count, conducted by the Regional Steering Committee on Homelessness, indicate that homelessness continues to be an issue throughout the region. All sub-regions in Metro Vancouver found more homeless individuals in comparison to 2005 Count results.
A 24-hour snapshot count conducted on March 11th, 2008 indicates that 2,592 individuals were found to be homeless in the Metro Vancouver region. This number represents a 22% increase in homelessness over the 2005 count data and a jump of 131% since 2002. Read Press Release, FAQs, Executive Summary, Full Report.
The Regional Homelessness Plan
The Regional Steering Committee on Homelessness developed and oversees the implementation of the Regional Homelessness Plan for Greater Vancouver. The Regional Homelessness Plan is titled Three Ways to Home to reflect the three components of a comprehensive solution to homelessness: affordable housing, support services, and adequate income.
Read Summary (111 KB PDF) Read Report (1.8 MB PDF)
Vancouver Coastal Health: Mental Health Supported Housing Study
This one page report summarizes some recent studies carried out by Vancouver Coastal Health on the use of hospitals by people who are homeless. The studies confirm findings elsewhere that hospital stays decline dramatically when people are provided with supportive housing. Read Report (136 KB PDF)
City of Vancouver’s Homeless Action Plan
Homeless Action Plan, City of Vancouver, June 2005. This 66 page report outlines what actions the City, other levels of government, the community, and business can take to address the urgent problem of homelessness in the City of Vancouver. It identifies what changes are needed so that the 1,000 or so street homeless have stable housing and the number of people at risk of homelessness is reduced. Read Report (748 KB PDF)
Shelter Planning Group: From Shelter to Home
From Shelter to Home – Greater Vancouver Shelter Strategy 2006 – 2015, prepared by the Shelter Planning Group, May 2006.
This 74 page paper was prepared in response to the 2005 Greater Vancouver Regional Homeless Count. It outlines a 10 year strategy aimed at meeting the on-going emergency shelter needs of the Greater Vancouver region. Read Report (420 KB PDF)
Homelessness in British Columbia
There are four volumes in this major study on homelessness commissioned in 2001 by the Province of British Columbia. They can be accessed on the Government of BC website, links provided below. These volumes describe homelessness in BC; review the relationship between homelessness and the health, criminal justice and social service systems; examine government policies in Canada; and estimate the cost of homelessness to governments.
Volume 1 Homelessness – Causes and Effects: A Review of the Literature. Read Report (272 KB PDF)
Volume 2 Homelessness – Causes and Effects: A Profile, Policy Review and Analysis of Homelessness in BC
Read Report (704 KB PDF)
Volume 3 Homelessness – Causes and Effects: The Costs of Homelessness in BC
Read Report (448 KB PDF)
Volume 4 Homelessness – Causes and Effects: Background Report – A Profile and Policy Review of Homelessness in the Provinces of Ontario, Quebec and Alberta
Read Report (344 KB PDF)
Sheldon Chumir Foundation: Shelter – Homelessness in a Growth Economy: Canada’s 21st Century Paradox
Shelter – Homelessness in a Growth Economy: Canada’s 21st Century Paradox, a report for the Sheldon Chumir Foundation for Ethics in Leadership. Written by Gordon Laird and released in May 2007, this report estimates that taxpayers funded a decade of relative inaction on homelessness that cost nearly $50 billion. Read Report (2.5 MB PDF)
On October 15th, as a part of SFU’s City Program, journalist Gordon Laird presented findings from his recent report Homelessness in a Growth Economy: Canada’s 21st Century Paradox. Read his Power Point presentation. A podcast of this event will be available soon. Thanks to the Vancouver Foundation for co-sponsoring this event.
View Presentation (6.0 MB PDF)