Homelessness in Canada – The beginning of the end?

The forces creating homelessness are stronger than those aimed at ending it, says David Hulchanski, a researcher and professor who investigates the factors affecting homelessness in Canada.

Hulchanski studies the history of homelessness and says that until the 1980s, homeless people in Canada were mostly housed, although they lived in flophouses, rooming houses and cheap rental buildings. He says changes in public policy allowed the loss of this lower-cost housing and did little to address rising costs, making a small problem explode into what is now called homelessness.

“This is a poor summary for a host of problems. What does a refugee claimant have in common with a 50 year old Calgarian man?” Hulchanski asks. He says many people who end up in the same shelter need different types of help, but are lumped together under the broad umbrella of “homelessness.”

There are three main causes and solutions to homelessness, says Hulchanski. He believes homelessness occurs when people begin to have issues with housing, income or support services, including those for health and addictions. “Of course, each person who finds her/himself without housing has a unique story to tell, but in the end each story has to do with one or more of those three issues,” he says. The solution? According to Hulchanski, it’s more affordable housing, appropriate support services and a minimum level of income that people can live on.

Hulchanski was a keynote speaker at “Growing Home: Housing and Homelessness in Canada,” a conference that was hosted by the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Social Work.

John Graham, social work professor and co-organizer of the Growing Home conference, considers Hulchanski to be Canada’s leading social housing expert. He says, “Few scholars have been as effective as David Hulchanski in deploying rigorous research to social advocacy and social change. We are honoured that a scholar of David's caliber spoke as a keynote at our conference.”

As far as future directions go, Hulchanski believes homelessness in Canada could be ended within five years. He says, “There will always be some people who struggle with housing or support services, but there needn’t be so many.”