How widespread are the homeless/mental health/addiction issues in your city/province?

[suburbanite]

Originally Posted by Acajack

My kids and their friends (a couple of years under and couple of years over 20) are looking to be the main victims of the housing crisis, but barring some catastrophic "life derail", at this point I don't see any of them living in tents or on the streets at any point in their lives.

BTW plenty of countries in the world are nations of renters and apartment dwellers where owning property (especially spacious ones offering decent privacy) is only for the very richest population tranche.

While not necessarily desirable, we wouldn't be a global outlier if that ends up being our future.

We would be a global outlier in how our rental market functions. In developed countries like Germany where renting is the dominant method of providing housing, it is not private individuals buying individual housing units and turning them around for rent. There is clear separation between rental real estate, and "ownership real estate", which is how it was in Canada back in the 60s-80s when we built large purpose-built rental towers and housing units for individuals/families and the line between the two wasn't a complete blur like it is today.

[MolsonExport]

I am in favor of 'make work' government policies, with some kind of financial and housing allowances as rewards.. Just to keep people busy, and not so much for what they do while busy. Idle hands is the devil's work.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

almost every major intersection in London has homeless folks on the concrete median begging with signs. Mostly white with a few natives.
.

Since a few people have mentioned demographics here...

In downtown Gatineau almost all of the beggars are white, though on suburban boulevards you regularly see women with hijabs, some of them white, some of them not.

In Ottawa a very significant proportion of the homeless are Indigenous, and Black people also make up a decent chunk.

In Montreal the homeless population seems to be quite predominantly white, though a sizeable minority is Indigenous.

[Coldrsx]

A very significant percentage of Edmonton's population at risk and with visible addiction issues are indigenous.

A difficult statistic that remains with me about Downtown crime is that 2/3-3/4 of it is tied to indigenous youth gangs and or indigenous peoples at large.

Edmonton, like Winnipeg must find a different way forward for those communities; it will be both city's biggest challenge and greatest opportunity.

[kool maudit]

Originally Posted by Acajack

BTW plenty of countries in the world are nations of renters and apartment dwellers where owning property (especially spacious ones offering decent privacy) is only for the very richest population tranche.

While not necessarily desirable, we wouldn't be a global outlier if that ends up being our future.

True, but a 150-year-old country of 37 million people and 10 million square kilometres might reasonably be expected to permit more property ownership than Hong Kong or Austria.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by kool maudit

True, but a 150-year-old country of 37 million people and 10 million square kilometres might reasonably be expected to permit more property ownership than Hong Kong or Austria.

The elephant in the room I chose not to mention.

It's funny how people from abroad are often aghast at how many Canadians "live right on top of each other" when the country has so much room.

(I don't usually get into how 90% of the country is not easily inhabitable. Because of course there is still plenty of open land in southern Canada.)

I instead mention stuff like transportation and other infrastructure costs, and the fact that a lot of our best and rarest agricultural land is close to our larger cities, and if we pave it over it's gone forever.

[Nashe]

Originally Posted by Acajack

The elephant in the room I chose not to mention.
It's funny how people from abroad are often aghast at how many Canadians "live right on top of each other" when the country has so much room.
(I don't usually get into how 90% of the country is not easily inhabitable. Because of course there is still plenty of open land in southern Canada.)

I see it too. And when I talk to folks who've come from Germany and enthusiastically bought up a hobby farm barely-on-grid they act like they're in shangri-la. "I could not have this back home!"

Makes you almost wonder if there is an inherent desire for humans to not be too hemmed in. :/ Density is efficient, yes... is it good for us? I dunno.

[Harrison]

Originally Posted by Vorkuta

I see it too. And when I talk to folks who've come from Germany and enthusiastically bought up a hobby farm barely-on-grid they act like they're in shangri-la. "I could not have this back home!"

Makes you almost wonder if there is an inherent desire for humans to not be too hemmed in. :/ Density is efficient, yes... is it good for us? I dunno.

Low density might be good for most people, but is it sustainable economically and environmentally? Not at all.

[Nashe]

Ugh, deleted cuz not really on-topic.

[casper]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I think the one unifying reason for the homelessness crisis is that some people have great difficulties in coping with the complexities of modern life.

In the old days, if you had a low grade mental illness, or if you were poorly educated, or if you generally had difficulty dealing with stressful situations, you could still get by with a menial job (manual labourer etc), and could get housing in a boarding house. The work kept you busy, and your room in the boarding house kept you off the street. You may still have had a relatively meaningless existence, but you were invisible and were out of trouble.

Nowadays, untrained manual labour jobs don't exist any more. Low level employment still exists in fast food etc, but rooming houses don't exist anymore, and the low wages are not enough to pay for even a bachelor apartment. Life is also a lot more complex these days than it used to be. Everything is online, and everyone needs a cellphone, and at least enough computer literacy to learn how to use apps and to pay your bills and apply for jobs online. This can be difficult if you have poor literacy, poor command of the English language, or if you have a stress/anxiety disorder. Nowadays, it is difficult to find people to give you first hand assistance. You are expected to do everything yourself.

This expectation of self sufficiency in turn makes thing even worse. If you have poor coping skills in the first place, and you have nowhere to turn for help, this will only increase your stress and anxiety levels. To deal with this heightened anxiety, you turn to drugs and alcohol, which makes things worse, and increases the likelihood of homelessness, petty crime and panhandling. It is a vicious cycle.

We need to provide these people with borderline coping skills and stress/anxiety disorders the resources necessary to remain productive in society. A boarding house can be something like an assisted living facility. We need these more than we need low income apartments (if you ask me). We also need to maintain at least some basic manual labour jobs for the marginalized so that they are able to survive. Finally, we need to provide the addicted with both short term and long term support for their addictions. We need to send them to drug treatment centres (even against their will), and once they have dried out, return them to halfway facilities in their home towns while at the same time supporting their reentry into the workplace, and support groups so they can form friendships with other people with similar troubles that they can relate to.

And, as for the drug pushers, no kid gloves treatment for them! I would support a "two strikes and your out" principle. If you are caught pushing even just a second time, then you are removed from society for at least 20 years. Maybe not a jail, but special work camps in the woods sounds about right. These people are the true bain on our existence.

I think that is an important aspect of what is going on.

The family support network also does not exist to the same extent that it did in years past.

Portugal de-criminalized drugs. They view addiction as a medical issue not a criminal issue. I think we need to go the same direction. As for the people selling the stuff, well that is still illegal and should be treated the same way as man-slaughter.

We should be able to go a non-profit the community and basically say, we will hire you to hire those on the street and give them jobs doing janitorial or other low complexity work. Over time they can build up skills and transition into something more complex or with a high tempo.

The problem with working at McDonalds or other similar positions is these are fairly high temp jobs. Someone recovering from addiction is not going to be able to work at that speed.

Here in BC we contract out family counseling, drug addiction counseling to community based non-profits. I know one of them here in Victoria opened a coffee shop. The key goal was to give teens that were at risk that first job they could put on their resume to provide to a future employer they were employable. We need more of that.

[Maldive]

With apologies in advance to innsertnamehere and other locals.... downtown Hamilton, a city I visit about every 2 weeks or so (have friends there, family nearby and grew up 15 minutes away)... might qualify (per capita) as one the country's most tragic urban human nightmares ("all of the above" described in the thread title).

Somewhat bewildering, all around the newish police HQ (where friends live nearby), it's impossible to walk a block without encountering someone who a) clearly needs help b) is tripping on meth or other, and/or c) folks screaming/threatening each other (often in the completely destroyed new park that I think might be the city's largest homeless encampment). Never seen/heard anything quite like it in this country or elsewhere in decades of travel.

The soundtrack of downtown seems to largely consist of paramedic sirens (or fire response), screaming, crying and every known expletive echoing for blocks around.

And yes, I love James Street North, the waterfront, the escarpment waterfalls and Locke Street.... but it seems The Hammer's social net is getting hammered full of holes.

[Acajack]

Reading the posts on here, and yet... the rejuvenation of Canadian inner cities continues unabated. Now, they never declined like those in the US did, but a lot of urban neighbourhoods in Canada had gotten a bit dog-eared in the 80s and 90s, before springing back to life in many cases in the first part of the 2000s.

I am wondering though if the growing urban mayhem won't put a dent in that at some point, or even reverse the tide?

So far it doesn't look like that is happening. But momentum often takes a bit of time to turn around.

When it does, it's especially hard to turn it around again if it goes from positive to negative.

And sometimes you don't see it coming.

I don't see the level of stuff going on remaining inconsequential forever - it's getting quite a bit beyond the usual "urban colour" you expect living in a city.

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Reading the posts on here, and yet... the rejuvenation of Canadian inner cities continues unabated. Now, they never declined like those in the US did, but a lot of urban neighbourhoods in Canada had gotten a bit dog-eared in the 80s and 90s, before springing back to life in many cases in the first part of the 2000s.

I am wondering though if the growing urban mayhem won't put a dent in that at some point, or even reverse the tide?

So far it doesn't look like that is happening. But momentum often takes a bit of time to turn around.

When it does, it's especially hard to turn it around again if it goes from positive to negative.

And sometimes you don't see it coming.

I don't see the level of stuff going on remaining inconsequential forever - it's getting quite a bit beyond the usual "urban colour" you expect living in a city.

Ground zero (location denoting the natural city centre) in London is also ground zero for the junkies and beggars. I feel a lot of sympathy, but it is very off-putting, especially when I am downtown walking about with my family. I hate to say it, but I sort of wish that the city would clear them out of the downtown core (which currently is beyond saturation with the down and out, dampening the fledgling revival of our city centre).

[goodgrowth]

I think about how a lot of homeless go around picking up recycling containers and whatnot for the money. This just says to me that they will do forms of work on their own...they just might not be able to work in a regular job.

It sounds ridiculous but I wondered if municipalities could put prices on other things that would allow the homeless to be productive and make some money.

Like if the municipality used special garbage bags for it's municipal bins and gave a $5 fee(just pulling this number out of my head) for returning a full bag or something I suspect garbage bins would never been overflowing again..

Things like this would cost money but I'd argue it could be win win in a lot of ways.

[Architype]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I think the one unifying reason for the homelessness crisis is that some people have great difficulties in coping with the complexities of modern life.

In the old days, if you had a low grade mental illness, or if you were poorly educated, or if you generally had difficulty dealing with stressful situations, you could still get by with a menial job (manual labourer etc), and could get housing in a boarding house. The work kept you busy, and your room in the boarding house kept you off the street. You may still have had a relatively meaningless existence, but you were invisible and were out of trouble.

Nowadays, untrained manual labour jobs don't exist any more. Low level employment still exists in fast food etc, but rooming houses don't exist anymore, and the low wages are not enough to pay for even a bachelor apartment. Life is also a lot more complex these days than it used to be. Everything is online, and everyone needs a cellphone, and at least enough computer literacy to learn how to use apps and to pay your bills and apply for jobs online. This can be difficult if you have poor literacy, poor command of the English language, or if you have a stress/anxiety disorder. Nowadays, it is difficult to find people to give you first hand assistance. You are expected to do everything yourself.

This expectation of self sufficiency in turn makes thing even worse. If you have poor coping skills in the first place, and you have nowhere to turn for help, this will only increase your stress and anxiety levels. To deal with this heightened anxiety, you turn to drugs and alcohol, which makes things worse, and increases the likelihood of homelessness, petty crime and panhandling. It is a vicious cycle.

We need to provide these people with borderline coping skills and stress/anxiety disorders the resources necessary to remain productive in society. A boarding house can be something like an assisted living facility. We need these more than we need low income apartments (if you ask me). We also need to maintain at least some basic manual labour jobs for the marginalized so that they are able to survive. Finally, we need to provide the addicted with both short term and long term support for their addictions. We need to send them to drug treatment centres (even against their will), and once they have dried out, return them to halfway facilities in their home towns while at the same time supporting their reentry into the workplace, and support groups so they can form friendships with other people with similar troubles that they can relate to.

And, as for the drug pushers, no kid gloves treatment for them! I would support a "two strikes and your out" principle. If you are caught pushing even just a second time, then you are removed from society for at least 20 years. Maybe not a jail, but special work camps in the woods sounds about right. These people are the true bain on our existence.

^ Insightful. I think some rooming houses, houses sub-divided into room/apartments do exist (at least here in Vancouver), although not as many as years ago, and they likely cost as much as a bachelor apt. should. We also have SROs out here, but they are a nightmare if not maintained properly.

As for the drug pushers - yes - put them in Gulags.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by Hali87

Halifax seems to have mostly been spared the fentanyl-and-meth-related issues prevalent in many other cities. On the other hand, homelessness has increased dramatically, shelters are overwhelmed, and this year the city has designated 4 specific parks for makeshift tent cities. There have been several unauthorized tent cities over the last few years (including one a couple blocks from my house) and the city has tried to build their own shelters but they took about 10x longer to build than expected, don't actually house many people, and don't seem like they could be politically sustainable for more than a few years due to their locations. The Catholic Church has built a bunch of huts on church properties throughout the city for homeless people to sleep in. Things will continue to get worse before they get better.

Out of curiosity, how exactly would things ever "get better"?

I'm pretty convinced this is just a new reality that everyone will have to adapt to. Rents are just not ever going back to the cheap levels of a few years ago.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Ground zero (location denoting the natural city centre) in London is also ground zero for the junkies and beggars. I feel a lot of sympathy, but it is very off-putting, especially when I am downtown walking about with my family. I hate to say it, but I sort of wish that the city would clear them out of the downtown core (which currently is beyond saturation with the down and out, dampening the fledgling revival of our city centre).

Freaky how in so many cities the problems seem to have gone from a level 2-3 to a level 6-7 in just 2-3 years.

[Hali87]

Originally Posted by lio45

Out of curiosity, how exactly would things ever "get better"?

I'm pretty convinced this is just a new reality that everyone will have to adapt to. Rents are just not ever going back to the cheap levels of a few years ago.

In the case of Halifax, a few things would need to happen IMO:

- There needs to be more shelter space. Currently there is nowhere near enough and the stock has been decreasing, not increasing.

- There needs to be a dramatic increase in the overall housing stock available. The scarcity is its own problem, and it is also driving prices up significantly. Ideally, the proportion of straightforward new buildings with no/few frills and small units would be higher.

- The universities need to build significantly more on-campus housing. The military bases really should build more housing as well.

- There should be more efforts to get un/der-employed people involved in the construction process, since ironically there is a labour shortage as well.

[Blitz]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Ground zero (location denoting the natural city centre) in London is also ground zero for the junkies and beggars. I feel a lot of sympathy, but it is very off-putting, especially when I am downtown walking about with my family. I hate to say it, but I sort of wish that the city would clear them out of the downtown core (which currently is beyond saturation with the down and out, dampening the fledgling revival of our city centre).

I've lived in downtown London for several years and it has indeed gotten a lot worse. You get to know each of their tendencies over time though and they're all harmless (even the ones loudly screaming at the sky while walking around in circles). But I get how it can be off-putting.

I believe Windsor may have a bylaw against panhandling on medians so you rarely see that happening there. But yeah, you see it all over London. Windsor has had two right-wing mayors for the past 20 years...the city even tried introducing a bylaw banning panhandling in general but it was met with constitutional challenges.

[casper]

Originally Posted by Hali87

In the case of Halifax, a few things would need to happen IMO:

- There needs to be more shelter space. Currently there is nowhere near enough and the stock has been decreasing, not increasing.

- There needs to be a dramatic increase in the overall housing stock available. The scarcity is its own problem, and it is also driving prices up significantly. Ideally, the proportion of straightforward new buildings with no/few frills and small units would be higher.

- The universities need to build significantly more on-campus housing. The military bases really should build more housing as well.

- There should be more efforts to get un/der-employed people involved in the construction process, since ironically there is a labour shortage as well.

Every student gosling spot and military housing spot proves an affordable option to someone that needs it and frees up market housing for someone else. It is a win win.

For those living on the street they needs are modest. Getting them into a 200 sq ft apartment with support if they need is a step up from.what they have now.