Out on the streets: One in nine Canadians feels on the brink of homelessness
One in nine Canadians has been homeless or on the brink of homelessness, and in some provinces that figure is as high as one in five, as the effects of the recession linger.
Across the country, nearly three million people have landed on the street or come close to it — 12% of all Canadians — according to a report expected to be released today by the Salvation Army.
Regionally, Manitoba and Saskatchewan look to be the most vulnerable, with 20% of the people surveyed there saying they’ve been homeless or at risk, followed by the Maritimes, at 17%, and British Columbia, at 16%. Quebec seems to be less precarious, with just 5% saying they’ve been homeless or vulnerable to homelessness.
The survey was conducted for the Salvation Army by the Strategic Council late last year, the results are considered accurate within 3.1 percentage points.