Describe the State of Homelessness in Vancover, Canada (Essay Sample)

The state of Homelessness in Vancouver, Canada
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Introduction
Homeless in Canada is a worrying trend. A number of statistics gained from hostels, emergency shelters, government reports, and a number of advocacy groups indicate that the number of homeless people is increasing rapidly. According to such reports, the composition of homeless persons has changed from being “derelict” old persons to predominantly young persons, with majority of them being women and children (Austen and Pauly, 2012). A significant number of Canadians are homeless with majority of them living in poor shelters, which has the possibility of threatening their safety, health and overall dignity. Bassuk and Geller (2006) argue that even though Canada is recognized as one of the first class economies, the severity of homelessness in Canada has been recognized by international observers as being a problem that warrants urgent solutions. Vancouver has the highest number of homeless persons in Canada. A report released by The National Shelter Study did indicate that the number of homeless persons in the city of Vancouver is worrying and needs urgent attention. This article reviews the nature of homelessness in Vancouver, causes of the problem and solutions to the problem of homelessness in Vancouver.
Nature of homelessness in Toronto, Canada
In 2013, the Homelessness Partnering Secretariat of Canada released “HYPERLINK "http://homelesshub.ca/resource/national-shelter-study-2005-2009"The National Shelter Study: Emergency Shelter Use in Canada 2005-2009”. Shockingly, Toronto came out as the city with the highest number of homeless people (Bridgman, 2003). As of 2012, more than 5086 individuals in Toronto were homeless. As of now, the number of homeless persons in Toronto has risen to unimaginable standards. It argued that Toronto attracts populations, such as HYPERLINK "http://digitaljournal.com/article/355601"LGBT youth who come to a large city to find safety in their sexual orientation identity as well. It for this reason and many others that the number of homeless persons in Canada is lately turning out to be a worrying trend, not only to the government, but also other stakeholders across the country (Laird, 2007).
Reasons for someone becoming homeless vary from individual to individual and can include family breakdown (divorce/separation or even being thrown out), exit from the child welfare system, military history, eviction, mental health or drug addiction issues, loss/lack of job, lack of sufficient income, low rate of welfare, government benefits or salary and disaster (natural, house fire). In a significant number of cases the causes are systemic (lack of income or lack of affordable housing) versus an individual behavioral cause. In Toronto, Canada, it is argued that the number of individuals who lack homes is much greater than the number of emergency shelter beds in the city of Toronto (Bridgman, 2003).
Some of the reasons for someone turning to be homeless vary from person to person and can include family breakdown such as divorce/separation or being thrown out to exit from the child welfare system, military/veteran history, eviction, mental health or addictions issues, loss/lack of job, lack of income, low rate of welfare, government benefits or salary and disaster (natural, house fire). In a significant number of cases, Bassuk and Geller (2006) argue that the causes are systemic (lack of income/lack of affordable housing) versus an individual behavioral cause among others.
Causes in homelessness in Vancouver, Canada
According to the HYPERLINK "http://lookoutsociety.ca/images/2014-Metro-Vancouver-Homeless-Count.pdf" \t "_blank"2014 Metro Vancouver Homeless Count, there were more than 2,777 people homeless in Vancouver. Many reasons account for this. Issues such as poverty coupled with the high cost of housing rank are some of the leading causes of homelessness in Vancouver. According to Bridgman (2003), the high cost of housing is especially high in Vancouver, compared to other cities across Canada. A recent cost of living survey that was conducted by the Economist Magazine did indicate that Vancouver is one of the most expensive cities to live in.
There are many causes to this phenomenon. First, cases of poverty and the high cost of housing did rank as the leading causes of homelessness across Vancouver. More than half of the populations across Vancouver are classified as poor. Majority of them cannot afford some of the basic needs needed for everyday survival (Gaetz, 2010). In addition to this, addiction and lack or no income were some of the issues or factors that have led to homelessness in Canada. In fact, when asked to give some of the reasons as to why they had no permanent homes, more than 47% of respondents reported that low income, high rents and addiction to drugs and alcohol were some of the contributing factors to their homelessness (Evans, Collins and Anderson, 2016).
Family and relationship breakdowns are other cases that make a significant number of populations across Vancouver become homeless. Surveys carried out in a number of places across Vancouver did find out that more than 18% of family and relationship breakdowns did lead to a significant number of people becoming homeless (Laird, 2007). The rates of divorce and family breakdowns caused by other reasons are high in Vancouver. Such reasons have made a lot of people to become homeless in many places across Vancouver (Bassuk and Geller, 2006).
Apart from the above, mental illness were some of the causes that made a lot of people ending up in streets across Vancouver. Recently conducted surveys did indicate that a significant number of people having mental issues did find themselves in streets either by their own or being neglected by their family members. In fact, recent surveys conducted in many places across Vancouver did indicate that a lot of family members were not willing to accommodate their mentally disturbed family members with the same reports indicating that a huge number of families were open to sending their immediate mentally disturbed members out to the streets (Austen and Pauly, 2012).
Other issues or causes of homelessness in Vancouver were identified as issues related to abuse or lack of safety in addition to problems related to new immigrants who cannot find their ways once they settle across Canada. Lack of safe surroundings or places to safely inhabit without any form of disturbance are some of the issues that have led to rising numbers of homeless people in Vancouver. Abuse, mainly originating from close family members is some of the reasons that make a lot of people to become homeless in Vancouver (Bassuk and Geller, 2006).
Other causes identified include public policy of housing lack of government finding or simply put as the lack of the federal in providing housing to the homeless population in Vancouver coupled with other structural factors made of economic and societal issues that affect opportunities for a huge number of people to get access to affordable housing (Bridgman, 2003). Moreover, system failure across Vancouver, such as the failure to early accommodate abandoned children, people leaving mental institutions, correctional facilities or immigrants lacking a way forward once they arrive in Vancouver are other causes of homelessness in Vancouver, Canada (Evans, Collins and Anderson, 2016).
Solutions to homelessness in Vancouver, Canada
There are many solutions that have been proposed to ending the problem of homelessness in Vancouver, Canada. However it is important to note that ending homelessness, whichever the place is not an easy thing to do, because at the end the day, the fact remains that the vast majority of the world live in utter poverty. However, there are a number of steps or solutions that have been proposed to ending homelessness in Canada. One of the proposed solutions is conducting trade fairs for the homeless where the homeless population are assembled and asked on what they perceive as the some of the greatest reasons that make them end up streets (Evans, Collins and Anderson, 2016).
Secondly, it has been argued that if welfare rates are raised, there will be few people spending cold nights in the streets of Vancouver. A report conducted by the Greater Vancouver Regional District did show that the average rent for a bachelor apartment in Vancouver did stand at $678 per month (Laird, 2007). Bryant (2003) asserts that majority of homeless populations in Canada rely on welfare and it is cheaper and more humane to help such people pay their rent as opposed to rescuing them if they fail. Raising welfare rates in addition to minimum wages may keep a lot of people out of cold Vancouver streets.
Third, by the federal government providing housing facilities to the homeless people across Vancouver, the problem will be highly reduced. It is argued that housing the homeless persons is a far cheaper option as opposed to letting them roam in the streets since it’s in the streets where many crimes occur, especially the ones caused by homeless persons (Bryant, 2003). That put aside, by the federal government finding ways of housing the homes persons roaming the streets of Vancouver, the problem will be highly reduced.
Closely related to the above, once the government finds housing facilities for the homeless people, it can go ahead and provide job opportunities to such people in order to make them busy in addition to earning an income and eventually keeping them off the streets. It will be useless to provide such people with houses and leav...