Advocates anticipate this year's Metro Vancouver Homeless Count will be higher than previous years'
Advocates are predicting this year's Metro Vancouver Homeless Count will be higher than previous years' due to lingering impacts from the pandemic, job losses and inflation.
Rachael Allen, a spokesperson for Union Gospel Mission, says based on what the organization is hearing anecdotally about food and housing insecurity, she’s predicting there will be more people experiencing homelessness once the results from the count are published.
Allen said UGM can’t keep up with demand for shelter space.
“All of last year in 2022, we were nearly at full capacity almost every single night and on average, we had to turn away about six people every single night because we didn’t have space for them,” she told CTV News.
Stephen D’Souza, the executive director of Homeless Services Association of B.C. said his group is also anticipating a larger number of unhoused people.
“Despite a lot of work being done by local governments, provincial governments and federal governments, it really hasn’t met the need in the community,” he said.
The association will be leading this year’s count, which is set to occur March 8. The last count was done in 2020, prior to the pandemic, and showed 3,634 people experiencing homelessness in Metro Vancouver, with Black and Indigenous people overrepresented relative to their share of the general population.
The Homeless Count provides a 24-hour snapshot of homelessness, and both Allen and D’Souza are aware it doesn’t provide an accurate picture of the crisis. The count often fails to take into account the region’s hidden homeless population, which can include youth, trans people, and women fleeing abuse.
“Oftentimes, they’re in situations where they’re maybe couch-surfing or sleeping in their car or in other hidden ways that make it difficult to connect with them,” Allen said.
In addition to recording how many people are experiencing homelessness, a survey is also conducted to record demographic information such as health and race-based data. Allen said 2020 was the first time the count recorded racial data.
D’Souza said the association is currently looking to recruit up to 1,200 volunteers to take part in the initiative. Once the count is completed, he said results will likely be published by late summer or early fall.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Baby boom amongst nurses leads to maternity ward closure in Listowel, Ont.
The emergency room at Listowel’s hospital is open today, but come summer, their obstetrics unit will be temporarily closing its delivery rooms.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.