Homelessness in Vancouver

Homelessness is a social crisis that has been rapidly accelerating in the Canadian city of Vancouver, British Columbia, over the last decade.[1] According to the United Nations, homelessness can either be relative or absolute. Absolute homelessness describes people living in absence of proper physical shelter.[2] Relative homelessness describes people living in poor conditions of health or security, including an absence of both personal safety and steady income despite having physical shelter to reside in.[2] As of 2023, roughly 2,422 people in Vancouver are subject to one of these types of homelessness, or are transitioning between them.[3][4]

Homeless individuals in the Downtown Eastside

Homelessness as a social issue in Vancouver originated from federal funding cuts to affordable housing.[5] After market housing increased, the cost of housing became one of Vancouver's main causes of homelessness, alongside lack of income. The homeless population in Vancouver is subjected to high amounts of crime-related victimization. There have been several approaches to reducing the homeless population in Greater Vancouver by the city and other organizations. Beginning in 2020, the rate of homelessness in Greater Vancouver has greatly increased, with a 32% increase documented between a three-year period from 2020 to 2023.[6] British Columbia, as the only province without a deadly winter season (in southwestern coastal areas), sees many migrate from other provinces.[3]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Berti was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Hwang was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Metro2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Vancouver, City of. "Homeless Count". vancouver.ca. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Gaetz was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "32% jump in Greater Vancouver homeless population in three years: count - BC | Globalnews.ca". globalnews.ca. Retrieved April 10, 2024.