I Count - York Region's Homeless Count

Stories About Homelessness

Hidden Homelessness - Olivia and Grace

Hi, my name is Olivia and this is my daughter Grace. I’m a single mom, who grew up exposed to many different kinds of abuse – verbal, physical, and sexual. When Grace was born, looking after her was the most important thing. But, because I was suffering from anxiety and depression, it was hard for me to work a full-time job, and everything became really overwhelming. I was trying to be the best parent I could, but had a lot of childhood trauma myself that hadn’t been dealt with. When we lost our house, I didn’t know where to go. The safest place I could think of was to sleep in our car, hidden away in parking lots or at the back of buildings where no one would see. It felt awful having to expose my daughter to this new way of life. We rely on food banks and other support programs around to survive day by day. We’ve got a place to sleep now at night, and hope to have our own space again soon.

In York Region, Olivia and Grace count.

Hidden Homelessness - Jamie

Hi, I’m Jamie and I’m 18 years old. I grew up in an abusive home, and rarely feel safe anywhere. I’ve been in and out of the hospital, and have tried staying in group homes, but it’s all really scary. I don’t have many friends, and have tried to commit suicide a couple of times. The few friends I do have let me sleep on their couch when I have nowhere else to go. I attend some drop-in programs, and stay in public spaces for as long as I can during the day. Sometimes, I’ve stayed up all night sitting in fast food restaurants to stay safe and keep warm.

In York Region, Jamie counts.

Hidden Homelessness - John

Hi, my name is John and I didn’t grow up in this area. I moved here from another province a few years ago, and don’t have any family around. I applied for Ontario Works, and meet regularly with my caseworker, but it’s hard to find a place to rent. I’ve looked at a lot of apartments, but the landlords don’t seem to like me and always want proof of employment, credit checks, and a ton of paperwork. It’s really hard to get this information together when you’re out on the street, and then the place is given to someone else. I recently got a full-time job and go to work Monday to Friday, but it’s not easy when you don’t have a permanent address to go back to every night. Life on the streets is really hard, and no one really understands unless you’ve been through it yourself.

In York Region, John counts.

Hidden Homelessness - Brian

Hi, my name is Brian and I’m struggling with mental health and addictions. My life wasn’t always like this – I worked hard at a job for most of my life, paid my bills on time, and had enough food to eat. A couple of years ago, I got injured while I was working. I lost my job and eventually got evicted from the apartment I was living in. I didn’t know where to go. I started sleeping at friend’s places, until they kicked me out too. Pretty soon I ran out of friends to turn to, and I ended up on the street. I had all my personal belongings with me, and learned how to get by while living in a tent. I’ve been in and out of men’s shelters and detox centres. I’m working with a number of programs and people now to help me get back on track.

In York Region, Brian counts.

There are many misconceptions around homelessness. Knowing the facts is key to understanding the challenges faced by the most vulnerable people in our community and developing solutions to help them.

Here are some facts about homelessness in York Region:

• For many residents, York Region is a vibrant and prosperous place to live and work. But for some, being homeless is a daily reality just as it is in all communities across the country
• Research shows that homelessness affects all ages and demographics
• Homelessness is often the result of many factors. Factors such as physical or mental illness, personal or family crisis, job loss, rising housing costs and low income contribute to this very complex problem 
• Homelessness is not a York Region specific issue. There is an estimated 235,000 people across Canada who are homeless
• It’s estimated that 80 per cent of homelessness in Canada is hidden. Unfortunately, this 80 per cent can be found couch surfing, staying with family or friends or living in a car – because they have nowhere else to go.  This means they may not be getting the support they need. We want to change that
• Although it’s estimated that less than one per cent of York Region residents are homeless, homelessness affects the entire community economically and socially. It is estimated that homelessness costs the Canadian economy more than seven billion dollars annually
• Prevention costs less than housing someone who is homeless. The longer someone is homeless the more they rely on expensive crisis supports such as emergency rooms, financial assistance and emergency housing

Results of the first province-wide count of homelessness revealed at least 389 people as experiencing homelessness in York Region.

Results of the count revealed there is no ‘typical’ profile of someone experiencing homelessness. People surveyed ranged in age, household composition, income and reasons why they become homeless.

Thank you to all our volunteers and participants for making it happen.

• 2018 I Count Findings Report