Another year, another record-breaking homeless count in Vancouver.
Statistics released Wednesday by the City of 麻豆传媒映画showed 2,223 people were counted as homeless over a 24-hour period in March鈥�1,609 classified as sheltered and 614 unsheltered.
Homelessness has reached an all-time high in Vancouver, as results from this year鈥檚 homeless count revealed Wednesday. Photo by Dan Toulgoet
鈥淚t鈥檚 horrendous,鈥� said COPE Coun. Jean Swanson, who was clearly moved when she spoke to reporters after hearing the results of the count at a city council meeting.
The 2,223 counted in March is an overall increase of 42 people from last year鈥檚 count, which recorded 2,181 people as homeless in Vancouver.
That was an all-time high.
Counts conducted over the last five years have shown a steady increase in the number of homeless in the city, jumping from 1,746 recorded in 2015 to this year鈥檚 2,223.
In 2005, it was 1,364.
Homeless statistics for Vancouver. Image courtesy City of Vancouver
The increase in homelessness came despite the opening of 528 units of temporary modular housing across the city since last year鈥檚 homeless count in March.
The total number of modular housing units built under a program funded by the provincial government is now at 606. City staff said 503 of the tenants who moved in were previously homeless.
The hope from city staff and politicians in 2018 and prior to the count this year was the addition of modular housing would translate to fewer people counted as homeless.
Mayor Kennedy Stewart told the Courier in March that 鈥渁ll our hopes are really pinned on the temporary modular housing. I鈥檓 hoping that makes a difference.鈥�
Asked Wednesday to explain the increase in homelessness 鈥� despite the addition of modular housing 鈥� Stewart pointed to findings of the count that revealed 331 people had been homeless for six months or less when surveyed by volunteers in March.
Another 208 said they had been homeless for six months to a year, and 490 said they were homeless between one and five years, which accounted for the biggest number of homeless.
鈥淭he devastating impact would be so much worse without the modular housing,鈥� said the mayor, who added that he was grateful for the $66 million in funding from the provincial government for the modular housing.
The 52-unit modular housing building on Kaslo Street is known as Sarah Ross House. It opened last summer. Photo by Dan Toulgoet/麻豆传媒映画Courier
B.C. Housing Minister Selina Robinson told the Courier in an emailed statement that 鈥測ears of inaction by the previous government have left many people in 麻豆传媒映画and throughout B.C. experiencing or on the brink of homelessness.鈥�
Robinson said the 606 modular housing units have had an impact on the lives of people who were previously homeless, despite the increase in homelessness in the city.
鈥淭his year鈥檚 count shows a seven per cent decrease in street homelessness in the city 鈥� an indication that our strong actions and partnerships with local governments are starting to make a difference,鈥� Robinson said. 鈥淲e know there is more work to do.鈥�
The minister said her government continues to talk to the City of 麻豆传媒映画about the potential for additional supportive housing 鈥� 鈥渁nd we have brought the federal government into these discussions.鈥�
Stewart was direct in his response to reporters who asked how the city will eventually turn the tide on homelessness, calling out Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his government.
鈥淚t all depends on the prime minister,鈥� he said, when asked whether he was hopeful next year鈥檚 homeless count would show a decrease in the number of people without a home.
鈥淚f the prime minister comes through with his investments, I think we could probably see a dent, especially if there鈥檚 some [money] in modular housing.鈥�
Added Stewart: 鈥淩eally it comes down to: Is the prime minister going to put his money where his mouth is? That鈥檚 it, for me. I think the province is really doing a lot, and you see what we鈥檙e doing here 鈥� we鈥檙e doing a lot. Now it鈥檚 time for the third level [of government] to come in.鈥�
Since he became mayor, he said, the federal government has committed a total of $300,000 towards two housing projects in Vancouver.
That limited funding has come despite Jean-Yves Duclos, the federal minister responsible for housing, announcing in 麻豆传媒映画in 2017 a $40-billion, 10-year national housing strategy that aims to reduce chronic homelessness by 50 per cent in Canada.
A city staff presentation on the results of the homeless count showed how homelessness increased despite the city鈥檚 outreach team working with 4,749 people since 2013 to secure housing.
A breakdown of how many of those 4,749 people were previously homeless was not immediately available, but staff said the city鈥檚 outreach team works with people who are either without a home or at risk of homelessness.
The staff presentation also showed the city continues to approve and open new affordable homes. The mayor said to keep pace with the growing homelessness, an estimate of 1,000 units of housing per year geared at low-income people is needed.
鈥淎ll the units that are being built for people making $15,000 a year or under are all built by government,鈥� Stewart said. 鈥淭hose for $30,000 a year or under are by government. Those making $50,000 a year are all by government and mostly us and provincial [government]. Not much from the feds.鈥�
The findings of this year鈥檚 count revealed much of what previous counts have shown 鈥� that the majority of homeless are men between 25 and 54, with many living with a medical condition or illness (44 per cent), mental health issue (44 per cent), a physical disability (38 per cent), or a combination.
Findings of homeless counts shows where people last had a home before becoming homeless. Image courtesy City of Vancouver
A total of 81 per cent of 1,183 homeless people who agreed to a survey said they were living in 麻豆传媒映画when they lost their home. Of the 19 per cent who weren鈥檛 living in Vancouver, 41 were elsewhere in Metro Vancouver, 72 in other parts of B.C. and 70 outside of B.C.
Asked about addictions, 31 per cent of 1,156 surveyed said they had no addiction, 38 per cent said they had an addiction to cigarettes and 33 per cent an addiction to opioids.
Another 29 per cent had an addiction to methamphetamines, 22 per cent to alcohol, 21 per cent to marijuana and 14 per cent to cocaine.
The data also showed 404 people had multiple income sources but still couldn鈥檛 afford rent. A total of 42 per cent were on income assistance and 31 per cent on disability benefits.
The overrepresentation of Indigenous homeless people was a continuing trend, making up 39 per cent of the total homeless population, despite Indigenous people accounting for two per cent of the city鈥檚 overall population.
That figure was based on surveying 1,255 Indigenous people who agreed to be interviewed by volunteers in this year鈥檚 count. A total of 46 per cent were considered unsheltered and 34 per cent sheltered.
The number of Indigenous women counted as homeless climbed 20 per cent over last year鈥檚 count, said Claire Marshall, a director of Lu鈥檓a Native Housing Society, who joined city staff in presenting results to council.
Drivers of homelessness were consistent with previous findings of 麻豆传媒映画counts:
A low vacancy rate, the loss of single-room-occupancy hotel units such as the closure of the Balmoral and Regent hotels, high rents at some of the hotels, overall rising rental rates, substance abuse issues, young people aging out of foster care, traumatic life events and chronic poverty.
