Half of homeless people in Metro Vancouver cite high rent, low income as factors

Homeless advocates set up camp on the lawn outside City Hall during a demonstration in Vancouver, B.C., on Thursday, October 16, 2008. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)

Half of Metro Vancouver's homeless population surveyed in the 2017 Homeless Count cited high rent and low or lack of income as the primary reason they were homeless, leading advocates to urge the provincial and federal governments to tackle the housing crisis.

The BC Non-Profit Housing Association released its full data report for the 2017 homeless count on Tuesday, following preliminary results that came out in April.

"In order to stem growing homelessness, it is clear we need more affordable housing options," Mike Clay, the chair of the Metro Vancouver Housing Committee, said in a release.

The homeless count surveyed 3,605 people who are homeless in Metro Vancouver and found more longtime Vancouverites, seniors and Indigenous people are represented in Metro Vancouver's homeless population.

The report revealed that more than half of those surveyed had lived in the area for 10 years or more before finding themselves in shelters or on the streets.

There’s also a growing number of people aged 55 years and older among the homeless population. Seniors made up 23 per cent of those living on the streets or in shelters, up from 18 per cent in 2014.

The count also shows about one-third of homeless people across Greater Vancouver are Indigenous, although Indigenous people make up only 2.5 per cent of the total population.

"Homelessness is one of the most pressing issues facing the Aboriginal community here in our region," David Wells, chair of the Aboriginal Homeless Steering Committee, said in a release. "All levels of government need to address this situation, which can largely be attributed to the social, systemic and historical trauma that has affected all Aboriginal people."

Addiction and mental illness were also overrepresented among the homeless individuals surveyed, with 82 per cent saying they're dealing with at least one health condition.