The homeless in West ѻý are home-grown, a new survey suggests.
Two-thirds of those who took part in a questionnaire on homeless issues lived on the Westside before losing their housing, a report to council states.
“Economic instability - driven by unaffordable housing, low income, and lack of family support - remains the primary cause of homelessness, even among residents who were employed when instability began,” the report states.
Previous assessments of the extent of the unhoused population in West ѻý have been called ‘Point in Time Homeless Counts’. However, the latest such survey is called the ‘Westside Unique Identifier Count’.
No reason for the name change is given in the report.
Henluk Consulting, in collaboration with local organizations, conducted the survey, which is said to have “engaged” with 212 people. Along with people living on streets, survey respondents are said to have included “many who are typically overlooked by traditional counts, including individuals living in vehicles, overcrowded conditions, or couch-surfing”, the report states.
Based on the respondents comments, the report says there is an “increasing reliance on services for immediate survival (food, hygiene, rest)”.
Recommendations to city council include more municipal investment in programs like parenting classes and mental health services, along with a stand-alone resource services centre for homeless people.
Last year, city councillors raised questions about a planned hygiene centre for homeless people that was proposed for Westbank. Councillors said it was too close to schools, homes, and businesses, and they said West ѻý hadn't been receiving the same provincial support to address homelessness as other cities.
"The resources are there, they're in ѻý," Coun. Garrett Millsap said at a council meeting in July 2024. "But yet, they're coming to our side of the bridge.
"Until the province comes to West ѻý and provides us with resources to help with this, there's really no solution on this side of the bridge," he said. "We're inheriting ѻý's problem on this side of the bridge without the funding."
Despite the opposition expressed at the time, the city has now signalled its support for a renewed effort to establish more services for the homeless in West ѻý.