Improving the understanding of homelessness in London
A Canada-wide research project aimed at getting data on homelessness from communities across the country made a stop in London, Ont. on Tuesday.
“So we're here giving our preliminary results on a study trying to find more accurate ways of knowing how many people in the entire country of Canada are truly homeless and who [they are],” said Dr. Cheryl Forchuk, assistant scientific director at Lawson Health Research Institute.
With funding from the Government of Canada, the research project is collecting data surrounding the homelessness situation and how it differs from city to city.
“It's very important for governments to understand the extent of the problem, as well as community agencies, because funding follows the numbers, right? If we underestimate the size of a problem, we're [going to] under find the solution to the problem,” said Forchuk.
Since January 2021, the team has collected data from 28 distinct communities with homelessness challenges. They have visited a variety of community shelters and organizations to meet with those with lived experience, as well as service providers.
“And if we don't know who is homeless, we can’t direct our services to the population that needs services directed for them,” added Forchuk.
Jesse House and Victoria Satov experienced homelessness for two years during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“When you're out there, you're just finding a way to survive to get through the next day and then the next day and then keep going,” said Satov.
Meanwhile, House spoke of the need for alternatives to the shelter system and told CTV News London, “We camped our entire [homeless] because we were afraid of COVID, we were afraid of being in the shelters. They need to make places like alternatives, like the camping is what helped us.”
Craig Cooper is the director of housing stability services at the City of London and said, “Part of the challenges we're seeing is the gaps in data. It's very difficult then to go to counsel or go to government or chat with community about what the real situation [is]. We can see what's going on in the street, but we can't really quantify it.”
Cooper believes this project will give a better picture of homelessness in the community and how to better address people’s needs.
“Having access points and understanding how we can connect with those folks and Have people feel comfortable to connect to this system is a real key consideration as well,” he said.
The first six forums have been scheduled in communities across Ontario, including Thunder Bay, North Bay, Kingston, Chatham-Kent, London and Brantford. These will be followed by future forums in various locations across Canada.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
On federal budget, Macklem says 'fiscal track has not changed significantly'
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canada's fiscal position has 'not changed significantly' following the release of the federal government's budget.