News Detail

The following is taken from the Alliance to End Homelessness web site:

On February 27, 2007, the Alliance to End Homelessness released the third annual Report Card on Ending Homelessness in Ottawa and for the first time, provided grades in four areas: housing, income, homelessness and length of shelter stay.

“The number of people experiencing homelessness showed a small increase over the past year. We have to ask why the numbers aren’t going down when service agencies and concerned community members are working so hard to help people avoid losing their homes in the first place and helping homeless individuals and families move from emergency shelters into housing,” says Mary-Martha Hale, Chair of the Alliance to End Homelessness.

“The missing pieces are clearly significant actions to improve low income supports and create affordable and appropriate housing. Policy makers need to do their part for real progress to take place.” Hale said.

Tim Aubry, from the Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services at the University of Ottawa, reports that,
“compared to 2005, there were increases in the number of single men and women, youth and children who experienced homeless in Ottawa in 2006,” According to Aubry, “on the positive side, there was a decrease in 2006 in the number of families who were homeless and the average length of stay in emergency shelters.”

Links to the full report are provided below.