City to collect homeless numbers, looking to better serve population

The City of Ottawa plans to count its homeless population, in order to increase awareness about the community's needs.
 
In collaboration with 75 partner agencies, the city will undertake a Point-in-Time Count for 24 hours, from 12 p.m. on April 19 until 12 p.m. on April 20. The city expects the count will help it develop and implement services, programs and policies that reflect the needs of its residents.

The count also fulfills provincial requirements. An amendment to the Housing Services Act in 2011 meant that, starting in 2018, all Ontario municipalities would be required to conduct local count of people experiencing homelessness every two years. 

This will also provide the federal government with a better picture of the national homeless population, to support their ongoing work in preventing and reducing homelessness across the country.

City officials said they will be visiting where people where they stay outdoors, as well as in emergency shelters, violence-against-women shelters, and at day programs, Indigenous community meals, community health centres and social service centres. The count will also take place at local hospitals, correctional centres, transitional housing and addiction and mental health treatment programs. The city's housing services has also designed walking routes that include known locations of people living on the street, in order to reach residents who do not use shelters or other services.

In order to get a complete snapshot of its homeless population, the city officials also plan to reach the hidden homeless. These are individuals and families who do not have permanent housing but are staying with family, friends, neighbours or strangers because they have no other options. Since these households may not be accessing housing supports, they are typically not included in standard statistics regarding homelessness.

Any resident who is experiencing hidden homelessness will be able to contact the city's PiT Count Command Centre at pitcount@ottawa.ca or by calling 311, to get information on locations they can access to complete the survey in person.

Participants will answer a survey about their demographics, family status and history, citizenship, health conditions, race, sexual orientation, language, Indigenous ancestry, reasons for homelessness, military service, and source of income.