New approach needed to address homelessness

By: Shaun Loney
Posted: 3:00 AM CST Monday, Mar. 8, 2021

WINNIPEGGERS are growing increasingly alarmed over the increased number of people experiencing homelessness in our city.

The key to understanding why Winnipeg continues to struggle is highlighted by the unproductive kicking of the can between Mayor Brian Bowman and Premier Brian Pallister. The mayor feels cost pressures of trying to keep up with growing demand for emergency services and the premier, thinking addressing homelessness will cost money, says he doesn’t want to "take the bait" of even discussing the "municipal" matter with the mayor.

But how do these statements jive with the evidence? The results from the At Home/Chez Soi study, the largest research effort of any kind in Canada, confirms that financial savings of providing supportive housing across multiple agencies can be twice what is needed to provide the housing in the first place.