The Cause Of Homelessness In Canada

“One diverse population that has continued to increase over the quarter of a century is composed of people who are homeless” (Baggerly & Zalaquett, 2006, p.155). Homelessness has become a growing problem in society because more and more people are finding themselves to be homeless and not knowing where to turn. Many people do not

Homelessness is a social problem that is prevalent around the world. Homelessness has existed for much of "civilized" human history. In the last two centuries, homelessness and changed and expanded. Sociologists who study and research homelessness have argued over its formal definition for decades, though for some, the definition of homelessness seems self explanatory and obvious. The paper will examine homelessness, particularly as a sociological issue, or a social issue seen from a sociological perspective. The paper will additionally reference sociological theory as a means of explanation for homelessness, such its causes, the demographics/populations, and other prominent known characteristics of homeless people. There are individuals and groups who choose to be, from a normative societal perspective, homeless, but for a great deal of the homeless population, it can be a treacherous and tragic lifestyle that is a result of a distinct set of social, societal, and individual factors.

Homelessness is deemed a social problem because of the many social factors that could play a role in it. “Social forces such as addictions, family breakdown, and mental illness are compounded by structural forces such as lack of available low-cost housing, poor economic conditions, and insufficient mental health services” (Chattopadhyay, et al., 2013). Since there are many contributing factors that aid in homelessness, it has been deemed a social problem.

1. This informative speech on “The Cause of Homelessness “is very Inform able and worth listening to, because in today’s economy it could be you or me. Some seem to think homelessness is choice. I find this speech relevant to the world I live in today, due to the high unemployment rate, declining job market, and the economic hardships that families are enduring. This topic is not a broad one, but yet can be spoke of in depth due to the fact I see many homeless people but never thought it would be me until I seen a family friend who has lost everything, this is what made me more aware that it is not just a choice and any day it could be me. So when you see

In the United States the homeless population continues to grow rapidly. Homelessness has been a public health issue for many decades. Often times these individuals feel as though society has turned a blind eye to them. This at risk population is seen by society as lazy or chose to live a life on the streets, but if one would examine this population closely would see that there is more to this at risk population than what society has labeled them as. The forces, which affect homelessness, are multifaceted. Social forces such as family breakdown, addictions, and mental illnesses are in combined with structural forces such as lack of low-cost housing, insufficient health services, and poor economic conditions. Many would

Homelessness is defined as the situation of an individual or family without stable, permanent, appropriate housing, or the immediate prospect, means, and ability of acquiring it. It is the result of systemic or societal barriers, a lack of affordable and appropriate housing, the individual/household’s financial, mental, cognitive, behavioral or physical challenges, and/or racism and discrimination. Most people do not choose to be homeless, and the experience is generally negative, unpleasant, stressful and distressing6. Homelessness is a problem that affects every Canadian town or city, and is one that is dealt with using a variety of different methods.

Homelessness is a condition of people who lack regular access to adequate housing. As this condition becomes a growing problem in Canada people are forced to deal with the issues. Who are the homeless? They range from children to adults and even in some cases, families. Why are they homeless? Poverty, lack of jobs or well paying jobs, decline in Social Services, domestic violence, mental illness, and chemical dependency contribute to the majority of the homeless within our society. What effects does being homeless have on members of the family? It contributes to many physical and mental health problems for both parents and their children. Homelessness is a world-wide issue, yet zeroing in on Canada, the majority of the homeless live on the

It is time, at last, to speak the truth about my community. As an 18 year old living in Ottawa, the Nation’s Capital, I have had many feelings regarding the homeless and the poor living within my community. The homeless and the poor require much needed assistance, as their situation is miserable. Being given the power to make changes, I think this issue would be the first priority. As a member of my community, Ottawa, I must aim for a positive change. The change could be in housing, food services, and health.

Homelessness in America has existed for some time now, but has grown and changed majorly over the years since the 1980’s. According to Mary Hombs, “the prevailing stereotype of a homeless person was that of a middle-aged white urban male alcoholic” (6). But now there is no stereotype because homelessness could happen to anyone at any moment, so that is why it important to be aware. Millions of people in this country do not have a place to live including whole families, children, veterans, and even the mentally ill. Going day after day without food or shelter. Throughout this paper the main focus will be answering the questions: What is homelessness?; What are the main causes of homelessness?: Who is the homeless?; and How do the people of this country assist the homeless?

The United States of America is the place known to many as the land of the free, home of the brave, and the place to start a better life. With any place that has good qualities, some have not so good qualities. The homeless population in the United States is at a staggering high, and many individuals are suffering because many lack employment/financial resources, housing resources, support from family and friends, and others negligence; such as natural disasters or fires. Homeless individuals may have no other choice than to live on the streets, trains, and alley ways to name a few places where homeless people seek shelter. The history of homelessness, social problems, demographics, common clinical

Structural factors of homelessness affect people due to circumstances and out of the control of the individual while individual factors are individual apply to the surroundings of a homeless person. Structural factors such as the availability of low-income housing and higher rental of housing exacerbate on the already burdening individual factors. Many researchers contribute homelessness to structural factors but advocates of human rights debunk this and highlights that the main reason for homelessness is due to mostly individual factors, which are health problems, poverty, and family breakdown also the domestic violence of women and child. Addressing the driving causes is the most significant strategy to minimize the homelessness population. Future research must put more attention on individual causes without denying the reality of structural causes (Main, 1998). Based on my research, individual factors are the main cause while the structural factors put more pressure on burdening individual factors that lead to

b) Lack of supply- Along with the presence of higher demand in the housing market of the country already, the lack of supply of affordable housing in Canada has aggravated the crisis even more. Due to the presence of excess demand in the market, the quantities of housing, especially the private sector profit-maximizing ones have increased the price of their housing facilities, which in turn has contributed significantly to the already existing problems of homelessness in the country.

If you do not already know what homelessness means, it is someone who is not able to live in a stable residence because of financial or psychological problems, so they are forced to live on the streets or put themselves on the streets, because they feel it would be a better fit. Homelessness in Canada is a very large and concerning issue because of the growing population.

Homelessness in Canada… I actually didn’t think that it was present in this country, moreover in the City of Toronto. I always thought that most people here are rich enough to do whatever they want and that being homeless is not really a possibility for them. Likewise, I also thought the same for homeless youth because if you look around, most of the kids are privileged and can get whatever they want. Prior to the trip, homelessness did not really occur to me as a “real thing” presently occurring in Canada. Being that I have always considered Canada as a country where we can find better opportunities and the better life we always seek. This was my first trip and so I wasn’t sure of what to expect from it. But, I did presume that by the end

This world is filled with many issues. Climate change,war and other problems take over news stations and the minds of people. Homelessness is an issue that is not talked about much. When the thought of homelessness comes up, the thought of developing countries come to mind. However, homeless people are seen by millions of people in cities like New York, London, Montreal, Vancouver and Toronto. As of 2013, there are approximately 5,219 homeless people in Toronto. This is a 1.6% increase from 2009, the population of homeless people is increasing. Information on how those people ended up on the streets, how they survive, and how to get them off the streets is what the world needs.