Housing and Homelessness in Canada in Canada,

Housing and Homelessness in Canada

In Canada, there is a problem with homelessness. While that is certainly not unique to the country, it is a significant issue which has to be addressed in order to facilitate changes that can lower the number of homeless people in the country. The majority of these people live in the larger cities and do have some access to resources, but the problems with homelessness have still kept growing in complexity and size over recent years. The demographics of the people who are most often seen as homeless are changing, as well, putting younger and more vulnerable people on the streets. There are estimates that 0.5% of the population does not have a home at all, and some believe that those estimates only represent about 1/2 of the actual population of homeless people throughout Canada (Fortin, 2008). Part of the problem with not being certain how many homeless people are in the country is that the definition of homeless has changed in recent years (Koyama 2002; Margaret, et al., 2001).

While the term now means that these people have no home to go to at night, it used to also mean people who were more transient, but who still had a place to live while they were in the area (Fortin, 2008). For example, it could be used to refer to people who did seasonal work and migrated to where the work was each year. While they were not, technically, homeless (as defined by not having a place to live at all), they were homeless in the sense that they had no permanent residence (Fortin, 2008). Depending on how one decided to define homeless, they could fit that description. Now that more people are not using the homeless term for people who are transient but do have a place to stay, the numbers are becoming a bit more accurate. They are more likely to reflect true homelessness, as defined by people who have nowhere to live, and must use shelters or sleep on the streets.

Homeless Families and Youth

Among the most significant problems for people in Canada today is that it is not just single men who are struggling with homelessness. Instead, there are many families and youths who are also living on the streets (Gaetz, et al., 2006; Hulchanski, 2009). Women and children make up the fastest growing subset of the homeless, putting some of the most vulnerable members of the population at risk for all sorts of issues and problems (Hulchanski, 2009). Women and children are generally not able to defend themselves as well as men, and they are also at risk for assault and other crimes when they stay at shelters, because not all shelters are closely monitored or properly staffed (Gaetz, et al., 2006). There is a stigma to being homeless that haunts many of the people who fall into that category, and as such many of them are afraid to ask for help (Fortin, 2008).

This is especially true for women who are trying to take care of their children, because they do not want the children to be taken away if they cannot care for them and provide them with a home. Additionally, youths who end up on the street because they were asked to leave their home or because they chose to leave it may not think anyone can help them or would be willing to do so (Fortin, 2008). The other concern for them is that, if they left home willingly, they may think that they are not deserving of help or must not ask for help, as it would be "weak" of them to do so (Fortin, 2008). When they feel that way, they end up not getting any assistance to protect them from the risks of living on the street, putting them at significant risk of robbery, rape, assault, and other crimes.

Because youth and families are a seriously large group in the homeless community and that group is growing, it is easy to see that something must be done for these people. As they struggle to get services they need and have trouble getting out of the issues they are mired in, they are finding that they are not getting the help they could really use (Hwang, 2001; Koyama, 2002). There are several reasons for that, and several reasons that people end up homeless. With families that end up that way, the most significant reason is a lack of income and/or an inability to pay the rent or a house payment (Frankish, Hwang, & Quantz, 2005). There just is not any money left for anything. These families may have one or more people out of work, or they may have a large number of children. No matter what their circumstances, they simply cannot afford any type of housing. While that is something often seen with families, it is also something that is seen with youth.

These young people do not have the funds for a place to live, and they do not have the education or skills to get a job that pays them well enough to secure a place to live (Koyama, 2002). That can easily prevent them from getting out of the cycle of homelessness and moving into something better. Additionally, many of these youths and families who are homeless suffer from mental illness, so they are not always able to hold down secure jobs and maintain a home where they can stay for a long time (Koyama, 2002). They may have schizophrenia, or they may struggle with other problems like anxiety and depression, or one of the affective disorders. Even one or two people in a family who have mental health issues can mean the family is at a higher risk for becoming homeless (Margaret, et al., 2001; Murphy, 2000). While it can be hard to help these people, it is clear that more needs to be done for them. The number of homeless people continues to grow and has also started to spread out from the inner cities and become a problem for the suburbs, as well.

Social Reform in Western Society

Western society has long been focused on the idea of social reform (Fortin, 2008). Taking people who are troubled and struggling and providing them with resources to better their lives is an important part of this reform. That is how welfare programs come about, and how governments and countries decide to help their citizens by providing them with low or no-cost housing, medical benefits, and even money (Fortin, 2008). With that in mind, however, it is important to also consider that the money for these benefits has to come from somewhere, and that somewhere is taxes. That is a serious concern for social reform, because there are only so many tax dollars to go around, and there are more homeless people every day (Fortin, 2008). Instead of giving these people handouts, they should be getting information and skills that can help them get jobs and support themselves.

They should also be able to be helped by mental health services, as problems in that regard are the reason why many of them are homeless (Murphy, 2000). If people continue to be homeless they do not add anything to society from a financial standpoint, but they do cost a lot of money over the years. By spending some money on them now to get help for them and teach them what they need to know, there will be a return later -- and for a longer period of time -- because they will be more productive (Murphy, 2000). As they get jobs and support themselves they no longer take any money from the government. They also give money to the government, in the form of taxes that they pay on their income. While some mental health issues are simply too severe to overcome, many of the people who are homeless due to mental health problems can be helped (Murphy, 2000). It can be difficult to get these people to come in for treatment, though, and many of them will say that they cannot afford this. Some of them also do not realize that they are "sick," and that there is something that can be done to help them lead a better, healthier life.

Generally, Western society has focused on social reform through programs like welfare. This offers money to people who fall below a particular "poverty line" when it comes to the amount of income they have based on how many people are in their family (Hulchanski, 2009). These people can get free medical benefits, and if they qualify they can get money each month and a debit-style card that will allow them to buy most food items for free every month up to a specific dollar amount. Of course, these kinds of systems can also be misused. People can lie about their income, sell their food benefits for cash, and misuse the money they are given for basic necessities (Hulchanski, 2009). Another serious problem with the current system in the West is that it focuses too much on handing people money but does nothing to help them learn to make money on their own. They can struggle to get back out of the system once they are in it, as well.

Additionally, the food card and medical benefits, along with the meager amount of money some people receive, is not enough to pay rent or a house payment (Murphy, 2000). People are still "stuck" with being homeless even if they are receiving other benefits. While the government cannot be expected to simply give these people homes, there should be something more that can be done to help them find housing. Living in a shelter can be dangerous and risky, and can also cause people to get sick and develop diseases or conditions that they then cannot afford treatment for (Murphy, 2000). That can just make their problems worse, instead of giving them the opportunity to have some help and begin to better their lot in life. No matter what they are offered in other benefits, the most important thing for them is not to be homeless, and that is a harder issue to tackle.

Social Programs

There is a public housing program in the Northwest Territories (NWT), but it is not for everyone. It is designed to help people by providing them with affordable housing that is suitable and adequate for their needs (Murphy, 2000). While the housing that is offered by the NWT Housing Corporation is not "fancy," it can certainly be safe, warm, and dry -- which is what is needed and desired by the majority of people who are currently homeless. Of course, there are guidelines that have to be met for people who want to qualify for this type of housing (Murphy, 2000). If people make too much money, they cannot qualify. Some people choose to be homeless, as well, and those people would avoid signing up for housing even if they were able to qualify for it, because they do not want to have the responsibility of a home. Social programs cannot help those who do not want to be helped by them (Murphy, 2000). They also cannot help a number of people who "fall through the cracks."

These are people who want to have a home but who cannot afford it, yet they make too much money to qualify for the housing help. While that might sound far-fetched, there are many people in that predicament (Murphy, 2000). Many people who are homeless, either by misfortune or by choice, have jobs and some form of income. It may not be enough to pay a house payment, but they may be able to rent or eventually buy if they have some assistance. However, not being able to get that assistance because they make too much, yet still not having enough to get something on their own, can be hard on a person's self-esteem and can lead them to give up when it comes to trying to get away from being homeless (Fortin, 2008; Frankish, Hwang, & Quantz, 2005).

Social Class and Status

Another significant problem with homelessness in Canada is that social class and status is often tied to home ownership (Fortin, 2008). People who have homes are often seen as being "above" those who rent, and people who cannot afford to do either are not looked upon favorably. Some people take pity on them, but most people seem to find them to be a nuisance, or they choose to look the other way because they do not want to be reminded of the many ways in which so many people struggle (Frankish, Hwang, & Quantz, 2005). Those who have more social status may donate to charities to help the homeless, but it is unlikely that they are actually out on the streets, attempting to help the less fortunate. Of course, that is also a generalization. Some of the people with higher social status may do exactly that, in an effort to make things better for their fellow man. No matter whether they help or not, however, people who more money and those who belong to a higher social class are viewed differently -- and more favorably -- by nearly all of society.