A small group in Saugeen Shores is calling on Bruce County Council to collaborate more to address homelessness.
The group, called United Housing for All, presented to council during this week’s meeting, sharing what they’ve learned through their research.
Susan Brown, who is a member of United Housing for All, shared that “Estimates are that over 80% of Ontarians who experience homelessness are experiencing hidden homelessness, including couch surfing.”
Hidden homelessness also includes finding other forms of shelter, including sleeping in tents or staying with family members.
The idea for them to form the advocacy group stemmed from the first-hand experiences of those around them.
The group has looked into all available resources, and well as speaking to Saugeen Shores Police, staff members from Bruce County, and the YMCA.
“We’ve been pouring over other resources available to us, things like the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness.”
The Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness is a national group that advocates for resolving the issue of homelessness in Canada.
The CAEH shared information in a webinar in February 2022, which showed that based on their findings:
– 85% of people experiencing homelessness are only homeless due to poverty and a lack of affordable housing
– Homelessness in Canada costs over $7 billion per year and affects at least 235,000 people
– 99% of Canadians know that housing/homelessness is a problem and 1 in 4 Canadians are
worried about paying housing costs in the next month. This applies to people of all age
groups.
