by steve doherty
communities across canada are declaring an epidemic of homelessness.
the kind of encampments once only seen in our largest cities are now commonplace in small communities. food banks are serving more people than ever before. and as the cold weather settles in, people are dying.
while multiple levels of government are working to find solutions for homeless adults, the often-hidden population of homeless youth is being left behind.
in canada, homeless youth are mistakenly viewed with the same frame through which we see homeless adults. this stigma needs correction.
homeless youth are not the baggy-clothed figures you pass on the streets. they are high school and university students. some play on the school basketball team, others are acting in the school play. they have the same issues other kids have – insecurities about their clothes, teen crushes, and big dreams.
about 40,000 youth between 13 and 24 are homeless in canada, and this number is rising. right now, they make up 20% of the homeless population. between 6,000 and 7,000 are looking for a safe place to be sheltered tonight.
in toronto alone, up to 2,000 youth are homeless on any given night. many more are experiencing hidden homelessness – couch surfing with a classmate or sleeping in a car. family breakdown, economic hardship, mental health struggles, and inadequate support systems contribute to this rise.