Some Highlights of Surveys of Homelessness in Calgary

1
Some Highlights of Surveys of Homelessness in
Calgary

• Date May 15, 2002
• Definition Methodology
• Findings
• Year 1996 1998 2000 2002
• Tot. Count 615 988 1296 1737
• Street Count 15 38 168 117
• In 2002 (Note increased shelter capacity of
  288)
• 42 families, incl. 59 children under age 13
  56 teens age 13 to 17
• 60 of families were in womens shelters
• 38 seniors age 65 over
• 84 men
• Over-repn of aboriginals (_at_ 15),
• esp. in street count (over 1/3)
• Under-repn of VisMins (_at_ 11)
• but growing
• Large increase in number of families.

2
Homelessness in Edmonton

• Survey date Sept. 14, 2000
• Total Homeless 1160 persons
• (up from 836 in March 1999)
• incl. 64 families (with 146 children under
  age 15)
• Males 69
• Aboriginals 40

3
Causes of Homelessness

• Shrinking Supply of Affordable Housing
• De-institutionalization of Mental Patients
• Parent Child Conflict Abuse Runaways
• Low Minimum Wage (see next slide)

4

Current and PlannedMinimum Wage Ratesin
Canadian Provinces

• Province Wage Effective Date Rank
• Nfld. 6.00 Nov. 1, 2002 9
• N.B. 6.00 Aug. 1, 2002 9
• Nova Scotia 6.00 Oct. 1, 2002 9
• P.E.I. 6.25 Jan. 1, 2003 7
• P.E.I. 6.50 Jan. 1, 2004 --
• P.E.I. 6.80 Jan. 1, 2005 --
• Quebec 7.30 Feb. 1, 2003 2
• Ontario 6.85 Jan. 1, 1995 4
• Manitoba 6.75 April 1, 2003 5
• Sask. 6.65 Nov. 1, 2002 6
• Alberta 5.90 Oct. 1, 1999 11
• Yukon 7.20 Oct. 1, 1998 3
• B.C. 8.00 1

5
Causes of Homelessness

• Shrinking Supply of Affordable Housing
• De-institutionalization of Mental Patients
• Parent Child Conflict Abuse Runaways
• Low Minimum Wage (see previous slide)
• Inadequate Income Supports for the Working Poor
• Social Assistance Cuts (See next slide)

6
Changes in Social Assistance Benefits in Alberta,
1986-2001
7
Welfare Income as a Percentage of the Poverty
Line, By Family Type, Alberta, 2001

• Category Welfare Welfare as
• Benefits of Poverty
• Line
• Single
• Employable 5,030 27
• Person With a
• Disability 7,596 40
• Single Parent,
• One Child 11,619 49
• Couple with
• 2 Children 18,395 52 Source Canadian
  Council on Social Development.
  www.ccsd.ca/factsheets/fs_ncwp101.htm

8
The Calgary Interfaith Food Bank Organizational
Philosophy

• All people seeking our help should be treated
  with compassion, dignity, and understanding.
• Our clients deserve the highest quality foods
  that are possible for us to provide.
• The best way to meet hunger needs is in
  collaboration with others who share our common
  purpose.
• The spirit of volunteerism is our strength and
  our primary resource.
• We are accountable to our community for the
  programs and services we deliver.

9
Some Facts About The Calgary Interfaith Food Bank

• One of 615 food banks in Canada
• Goal to provide a nutritionally balanced hamper
  to feed a family for one week.
• Availability - screening for need -
  max. of 6 hampers per year - max. of 1 hamper
  per month
• Volume in 2000 - 10 million in food -
  2.5 million in funds - 44,000 hampers for
  127,000 people
• Staff - 65,000 hours of volunteers time -
  35 full-time staff
• Quote You are all just 1-2 paycheques away from
  being a Food Bank client

10
Primary Sources of Income for Clients of Calgary
Interfaith Food Bank

• 39 Wage (Working Poor)
• 25 Social Assistance
• 12 None
• 8 AISH
• 6 Other
• 4 EI
• 3 Pension
• 2 Student Finance
• 1 WCB