Big spike in number of homeless in Cowichan region, latest count indicates
The most recent census of homeless people in the Cowichan Valley shows there are currently 229, significantly more than the 129 identified at the last census in 2020.
However, the organizers point out that the spot count only refers to the people identified by volunteers during a 24-hour period from the evening of April 11 to April 12, so the numbers are the minimum number of people who do Experience homelessness in the valley on any given day.
Shelley Cook, executive director of the Cowichan Housing Association, which partnered with United Way BC to facilitate the census, said organizers knew they hadn’t counted every homeless person in the area.
“There are a lot of hidden homeless people surfing on the couch and sleeping in their cars, and there are a lot of youth and members of the Cowichan tribes that are hard to get data on,” she said.
“We didn’t count those who stay in the Village either [a transitional housing project on Trunk Road] and those staying at the Warmland shelter, so we know there are more people at risk of homelessness in the area.”
The 2023 PIT census covered the entire Cowichan region, from Ladysmith to Malahat.
People were considered homeless if they did not have their own apartment where they could pay their rent and could expect to stay for at least 30 days.
Data collected from the census, which was funded by the federal government’s Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy program, is intended to help higher levels of government and communities better understand who is affected by homelessness and why, and the census results can inform development Support and services that best help those in need.
According to data collected at the last census, the top reasons for people currently homeless in the Cowichan Valley are insufficient income (37 percent), substance abuse (31 percent), landlord conflicts (22 percent), and spouse conflicts (16 percent). ) and abuse (15 percent).
On the evening of April 11, 54 percent of the homeless people counted remained outside, 19 percent in a tent, 11 percent in a vehicle, and 10 percent with friends or family.
The census also found that 37 percent of those who were homeless in the Cowichan Valley have always lived in the area, while 86 percent of those who moved here have lived in the community for at least a year, and 66 percent already live in the area community for at least five years.
Duncan Mayor Michelle Staples, who volunteered to help with the April and 2020 census, said homelessness is a statewide crisis and not an isolated problem in the Cowichan Valley.
She said homelessness can only be adequately tackled if high-level governments are willing to provide the necessary resources.
“It’s the biggest problem at the local government level,” Staples said.
“The information we gathered during the ad hoc homeless census we need to share with the higher levels of government and show them exactly what types of programs and initiatives need funding so that at the next census we can come up with a number that will hopefully be zero.” “
Staples pointed out that there are many myths about homelessness in the community that create stigma and make it harder to properly manage the issue.
“We don’t drive vans to Vancouver and bring people back here like some people think,” she said.
“Also, many people believe that homelessness is a drug problem, but the census shows that only 31 percent of homeless people cause substance abuse. There is just so much misinformation out there.”
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