As recently published government data shows that an increasing number of immigrants arriving in Canada end up in shelters or become homeless.
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) has recently published two reports describing the magnitude of the problem of homelessness across the country and showing the most vulnerable groups.
A study of shelter indicators between 2005 and 2016 revealed an “observable increase” in the number of refugees using shelters. In 2016, 2,000 refugees lived in shelters (excluding institutions that were specifically designed for refugees) — compared with 1,000 just two years earlier.
Tim Richter, president of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness, said he believes refugees have to turn to homeless shelters because of a lack of affordable housing: “Many of them are coming to Toronto in Ontario, and to Quebec, and in those communities, the rental market is just really tight and we just don’t have the capacity to house them. When you’re new to Canada, you generally won’t have the income to be able to buy a house, and there’s just not enough affordable housing options.”
Meanwhile, a second study describing the problem of homelessness in 61 locations in Canada also noted a trend in homelessness among newcomers.
According to the findings, 14% of people who were identified as homeless in 2018 were newcomers. Of this total, 8% indicated that they were immigrants, 3% were identified as refugees, and 4% as refugee applicants. The study covers not only those who use shelters, but also people living on the streets, in temporary housing for the homeless or in other people’s homes.