Homelessness
Homelessness is becoming an increasingly popular way of living in Canada. When people think about "homelessness", they tend to picture an aged handicapped mad man with a red, raged face, a wine bottle on one hand and a pack of drugs on the other. That was perhaps an exaggerated image of a homeless person, however, that is what most people have in mind about the homeless. People think they are the ones who do not contribute to society at all, or that they are elderly people that are cast out of society. Apparently, that is only the partial truth. According to research, the homeless population is now changing from mostly frail older men to mainly young men, following by an increase of teenagers, women and children. By 1990, the average age of people living on the streets were 29 yrs old, with 80% of them found able-bodied people who did not abuse the use of alcohol or drugs nor do they have serious mental issues. The traditional Canadian stereotype of the homeless as "bums" or "drunken Indians" are evidently changing.1
Statistics shows that a random night in the year of 2000, there are approximately 35,000 and 40, 000 sleeping on the streets or shelter in Canada. The broader the definition of 'homelessness' the larger the number will be. The above number was given in its most limiting terms. 2 Up to 10,000 people are homeless in Montreal and Toronto, 5000 in Vancouver, and around 1000 to 2000 in Edmonton, Calgary, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Hamilton, Saskatoon and Regina.3 These numbers does not include the tens of thousands who live in poorly maintained, over-crowded housing. 4
It was reported by social action agencies that the number of homeless Canadians was between 100,000 and 250,000, out of a total population of 28 million in the late 1980s. The Canadian Council on Social Development used the shelters across the country to conduct a one-night count of persons in January 1987, resulting the following statistics: With 61% men, 27% women and 12% children, there are a total of 7,751 people in total who sought shelter that night. During that time, Canada had 472 facilities that are capable of sheltering about 14,000 individuals a night.5
Homelessness is becoming an increasingly popular way of living in Canada. When people think about "homelessness", they tend to picture an aged handicapped mad man with a red, raged face, a wine bottle on one hand and a pack of drugs on the other. That was perhaps an exaggerated image of a homeless person, however, that is what most people have in mind about the homeless. People think they are the ones who do not contribute to society at all, or that they are elderly people that are cast out of society. Apparently, that is only the partial truth. According to research, the homeless population is now changing from mostly frail older men to mainly young men, following by an increase of teenagers, women and children. By 1990, the average age of people living on the streets were 29 yrs old, with 80% of them found able-bodied people who did not abuse the use of alcohol or drugs nor do they have serious mental issues. The traditional Canadian stereotype of the homeless as "bums" or "drunken Indians" are evidently changing.1
Statistics shows that a random night in the year of 2000, there are approximately 35,000 and 40, 000 sleeping on the streets or shelter in Canada. The broader the definition of 'homelessness' the larger the number will be. The above number was given in its most limiting terms. 2 Up to 10,000 people are homeless in Montreal and Toronto, 5000 in Vancouver, and around 1000 to 2000 in Edmonton, Calgary, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Hamilton, Saskatoon and Regina.3 These numbers does not include the tens of thousands who live in poorly maintained, over-crowded housing. 4
It was reported by social action agencies that the number of homeless Canadians was between 100,000 and 250,000, out of a total population of 28 million in the late 1980s. The Canadian Council on Social Development used the shelters across the country to conduct a one-night count of persons in January 1987, resulting the following statistics: With 61% men, 27% women and 12% children, there are a total of 7,751 people in total who sought shelter that night. During that time, Canada had 472 facilities that are capable of sheltering about 14,000 individuals a night.5
