The Fundamental Issue of Homelessness in Canada - Case Study Example

Homeless, not helpless Introduction: Homelessness is not a new phenomenon in Canada. The fundamental issue of homelessness is the lack of housing facilities that the poor can afford. Canadians are usually very insufficiently housed and this leads to the risk of many people being homeless. Homelessness is a political and a social problem in almost any economy. (3) Homelessness refers to a situation where the people do not have a place to live, lack access of regular housing facilities. Any individual with no access to housing will be considered houseless or homeless. (3) Statistics: The Toronto reports an estimated 32,000 people homeless in Canada in the year 2004. The Toronto emergency shelters had on an average 6500 people every single night and in Ottawa the estimated people homeless were approximately 8700. The other groups estimate 10,000 people living on the streets and homeless in Montreal and around 5000 in Vancouver. The tax low income cut off (LICO) is designed to study the number of people who are substantially below the poverty line which is around 16.9% and out of this, a great proportion were particularly women and children. (2) Every year, 30,000 individuals rely on shelters for the homeless in Canada which includes a large proportion of children and single mothers. Around 60,000 tenants run the risk of being evicted and around 60,000 Canadians rely on food banks. This situation was declared a national emergency and national disaster by the Government of Canada. In 1997 2.8 million women which amounts to 19% of the total population were under the low income category and around 56% of the population was under the poverty line. (4) In general, this situation is controlled by other people who contribute to homelessness of others. (3) There are 3 categories of homelessness- Absolute homelessness Concealed homelessness People at the risk of homelessness Absolute homelessness: this is best defined as people using public shelters to sleep in. This means they sleep on the streets, at public places or in places not meant for any human habitation. (3) Concealed homelessness: under this category, people living with family or friends who cannot afford to go out and live. Without the help of their friends and families, there would also be living on the streets. (3) Risk of homelessness: some people are at a great risk of losing their house and property either by eviction, expiry of the rent/lease are termed under this category. (3) There are a number of causes for this and they are- 1. Increase in number of poor people From 1986 to 1996, the population of Canada has increased by 14% and the corresponding number of people living below the poverty line has also increased. Research study states that 30% of the Canadian population lives below the poverty line. The reasons for the increase in poverty in Canada are mainly due to economic, social and political factors. 2. Decrease in the number of low income housing units Homelessness in Canada is a relatively new phenomenon as it is a land of prosperity and high standard of living. One of the major causes of family homelessness in North America and Canada is due of the shortage of affordable and cheap housing facilities. The federal government withdrew from supporting new housing initiatives. A great direct impact of homelessness was because of the change in government policies and programs. The new housing facility was totally eliminated in the year 1993. In 1995, the government was also withdrew and revoked the social assistance provided to people to cover the cost of housing under the Canada Assistance Plan (CAP) and the federal government had cut millions of grants and sanctions provided to people through this plan. The welfare rates where also slashed down in many parts of Canada resulting in women and children forced out of their houses. The unemployment insurance to cover their basic needs was also restricted which lead to huge number of people homeless and eviction. (4) 3. De- Institionalization of Canada’s mentally ill population (1) A large proportion of homeless people are mostly affected with mental illness. Around 75% of mentally ill are single mothers and women. (5) The most common reasons for people homeless are because of low income, high cost of the rental and housing facilities in Canada, additions and family abuse The below table provides the reasons for being homeless across the region: (6) The ways to minimize homelessness in Canada Since 1976, there has been a huge growth and prosperity in Canada but the country had same amount of poverty and had witnessed unprecedented crisis of poverty and homelessness. Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation (CERA) had introduced some rules to safeguard the homeless people which include: Prohibition of the income criteria used by landlords Financial assistance to be provided to people when required CERA believes in providing the basic human rights to the violations by government. CERA has provided some basic obligations of the government and the landlord towards the Canadian citizens. 1. Prohibition of the income criteria used by landlords The landlords use the minimum income criteria to select their tenants and often disqualify the people who have low income. The government had a new regulation which would prohibit the landlords to disqualify the people based on their income and the board also warned the landlords that sever action would be taken if they continued to use the minimum income criteria for renting purposes. There are still many cases where the families in shelters are still being denied proper housing on the basis of their income criteria. 2. Financial assistance to be provided to people when required CERA believes in adequate standard of living and protects the people and fights for right of Canadian’s life, security and adequate financial assistance and basic necessities for life. (4) All homeless people have one thing in common which is to bridge the gap between adequate housing and income 3. Housing affordability: Lack of housing which is affordable even by the lower income and middle income group. The average rent in Canada for a single bedroom apartment was $ 691 in 2007. (5) The below table the different apartments and the rates in the city of Calgary. Canada requires supportive affordable housing facility options for people with mental sickness and low income earners. Around 2, 00,000 Canadians are homeless and an estimated 1.7 million families require basic housing requirement. It is estimated that one third of the population who are homeless are mentally ill and this increased to 75% of the total homeless single women. There has been a drastic increase in the number of serious mentally ill people residing in the homeless facilities. In general, there is a positive connection between the health and the housing issue. (5) The below table provides a report on number of people under mental sickness, health issues, addiction and other health illness in Canada: (6) In 2002, around 16000 families were put under waiting list for affordable housing scheme having an average income of $ 800 per month. (5) The federal Canadian government introduced NHI (National Homelessness initiative) which was a 3 year program with the association of Departments of National Defense, Health Canada, Indian and Northern Affairs, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. In the recent budgeting, the government had extended $405 million for 3 years across all the communities. Supporting Communities Partnership Initiative (SCPI) helped in the development of facilities such as hostels, food banks, counseling, health training, planning and co-ordination. The team also took public awareness session for the people on how to handle and be focused. (5) The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation had a variety of programs, schemes, initiatives, research and services such as: (a) Affordable Housing Initiative: To implement the affordable housing, the government of Canada had a $680 million for 5 years. (b) Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program ( RRAP) This program helps in improving the rental housing for low income tenants by converting the non residential into affordable accommodation. The government has also provided funding of $128 million for 3 years. (c) Shelter Enhancement Program (SEP) This program helps in improving, repairing the existing shelters for women and children. They also help in sponsoring new community shelters and second stage housing wherever required. The above 3 programs: affordable housing initiatives, shelter Enhancement program and RRAP are very critical in housing policies. The greater Vancouver region Steering committee on Homeless (RSCH) is a community that was formed with the coalition of the government and other community organization and the main aim is to eliminate and eradicate homelessness in Canada. There are also some changes in the proposal which is one percent solution campaign which provides 1% of budgets on housing and improving housing facilities. The national Housing and Homeless introduced a program in Canada which aims at: Supply: Increasing the housing supply and facilities to the low income Canadian people Affordability: provide the facilities for low income families Supports: have better supporting facilities such as loan systems Rehabilitation: the housing will be acquired and converted to substandard housing facilities Emergency Relief: To increase the amount of spending for homeless people in Canada. Conclusion: Canada requires government and non government agencies to work on long term work necessary to solve the homelessness crisis. The Canadian government should have an emergency crisis management team which will help in reducing the number of core long term homeless people. There are number of specific long-term and short term solutions and alternatives the government can have as a part of their national strategy which includes income security to all the Canadian citizens, developing alternatives, having more number of housing and policy reforms and better rent supplements for the owners. Canada can no longer have a large segment of the population homeless. A paradigm shift is required so that the country can make better economical progress. (7) Work cited 1.Calgary, Alberta; Homelessness in Canada- Street Level, 2001, http://www.streetlevelconsulting.ca/homepage/homelessnessInCanada_Part1.htm 2.The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, http://www.evangelicalfellowship.ca/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=609 3. Ulchanski, J.David, Homelessness in Canada, Raising the Roof, http://www.raisingtheroof.org/lrn-home-QandA-index.cfm 4. Challenging homelessness and Poverty as Human Rights Violation, CERA, 2002, http://www.equalityrights.org/cera/docs/tcupdate.rtf 5.The city of Calgary, affordable housing Calgary, 2008, research summary: affordable rent and home Ownership limits for Calgary, . http://www.calgary.ca/docgallery/bu/cns/homelessness/ff-04_affordable_housing_homelessness.pdf 6. The greater Vancouver Regional Steering Committee on Homelessness, Homelessness in Metro Vancouver: A comparative community Profile, 2010 http://stophomelessness.ca/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/2008-count-comparative-community-profiles1.pdf 7.Laird, Cordon, Homelessness in a growth economy: Canada’s 21st century paradox, 2007, http://www.chumirethicsfoundation.ca/files/pdf/SHELTER.pdf Read More