Sir: Homelessness is a social crisis that has been plaguing communities within Canada for decades. Although Chatham-Kent does not experience a large problem with absolute homelessness, our citizens suffer from temporary/episodic homelessness where short-term solutions are required.
A common misconception within our society is the notion that the issue does not exist within a community unless you visibly can see individuals sleeping on the streets. However, there is a growing trend known as hidden homelessness where people stay with friends, family, or in their cars. One study revealed that nearly one in 10 Canadians have experienced a form of hidden homelessness within their lives.
Although this problem is widespread, it has become a problem that is often swept under the rug. A growing trend within our society is to blame the victim, and these ideologies are used to justify a lack of support from citizens, as many people are angered about the idea of their taxpaying dollars funding housing initiatives. However, the costs to support Housing First initiatives are far less than the tax dollars spent on hospital beds, provincial jails, and homeless shelters.
There are a variety of reasons why individuals become homeless, and it affects all ages, gender, and races. Structural barriers continue to oppress people on a daily basis preventing individuals from receiving the help, health care, and support they deserve. For instance, shelters that require individuals to abstain from drugs and alcohol fail to examine the barriers in place that are preventing these same individuals from receiving the necessary treatment for addictions.
A study in 2012-2013 revealed an estimated 590-629 individuals and families within our community experienced homelessness within that year. Chatham-Kent has taken important strides towards eliminating the problem within our community through the development of a homelessness committee, a men’s shelter recently opening, an after-hours phone line for emergencies, and through a Housing First (social housing) approach. Yet, one service gap would be the lack of a family shelter. Families are ripped apart as men are on their own to find overnight stay, while the women and children can go to the women’s shelter. It is no wonder there are high rates of hospital visits and involvement with the criminal justice system as men are on their own to find shelter and warmth.
I believe there is a cost-effective solution to homelessness, but it requires the awareness and compassion of society’s citizens. We need to encourage macro level changes on the government and policy level in order to tackle homelessness.
As previously mentioned, some citizens may oppose these preventative initiatives with the mindset of “this is not my problem, so why do I need to fund the solution.” Yet, their tax dollars are already paying for the reactive responses of expensive hospital visits, community shelters, and jail/policing costs, so why not attack the problem and in turn, eliminate other social problems that are a direct result of inadequate housing?
I hope we can be allies to promoting social change, rather than hinder the process.
Lindsay Vandermeer
Chatham-Kent
