The Issue:
Homelessness in Vancouver
2017 Homeless Count in Metro Vancouver. Prepared for the Metro Vancouver Homelessness Partnering Strategy Community Entity. Burnaby, BC: Metro Vancouver.
B.C. Non-Profit Housing Association and M.Thomson Consulting (2017).
"A total of 3,605 people in the Metro Vancouver region were identified as homeless on March 8, 2017. Of those, 1,032 were unsheltered and 2,573 sheltered. Among the sheltered, 256 individuals stayed in Extreme Weather Response (EWR) shelters. With shelters across the region operating at capacity, those staying in EWR shelters would likely have been counted on the street were the EWRs not operating.
The majority of the sheltered homeless population included 2,050 people staying overnight in homeless shelters, transition houses and safe houses while another 267 people with no fixed address stayed in hospitals, jails and detox facilities. Not counting EWR clients, the unsheltered homeless population included 1,032 people living outside and/or staying temporarily with others (couch surfing) and using homelessness services on the day of the Count.
The largest homeless population was found in Vancouver, with 2,138 people, and Surrey with 602 people. Region-wide, 828 more people were identified as homeless in 2017 compared to 2014, representing a 30% increase in homelessness and the highest number since 2002 when the first Metro wide count occurred. Homelessness increased in all communities, except on the North Shore, between 19% (Burnaby) and 142% (Delta/White Rock). The highest absolute increases occurred in Vancouver (335), Surrey (199) and Langley (114)."