Often a topic for my column will come about from a conversation or comment I receive during one of my local heritage walks or presentations, which has prompted me to explore the issue of homelessness from a historical perspective.
Someone insisted that homelessness in Canada was a modern phenomenon and that we did not have the problem when he was a child. I responded that neither homelessness nor food insecurity were new problems but were instead more prevalent due to changing social/economic factors.
The issue of homelessness in Ontario has been with us throughout our history but has manifested itself differently in the past. Homelessness has been influenced by the various social, economic and policy factors of the time. Here’s a broad overview of the history of homelessness in Ontario.
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, homelessness existed in various forms, including transient populations, work camps and overcrowded housing. These issues were often linked to the local economic conditions and migration patterns. Social welfare fell to the churches, social organizations and extended family.
After the Second World War, urbanization and industrialization increased the need for affordable housing. Suburbanization, the deinstitutionalization of mental health facilities, and changes in the economy have also contributed to homelessness. The government instituted a social net under prime minister William Lyon Mackenzie King in response to the increasing numbers of disadvantaged citizens.
It was not until the 1970s and ’80s that there was an emergence of dedicated homelessness services. There was growing recognition of homelessness as a social issue, and this led to the establishment of shelters, drop-in centres and outreach services to support those without stable housing. It should be mentioned that these measures were never intended to solve the problem but were instead focused on reducing the symptoms, a stop-gap measure.
Prior to 1962, homeless was a term applied primarily to transient men with no family ties, such as the migrant workers who travelled by freight hopping during the Great Depression.
Homelessness remained a minor concern for the government while extremely cheap accommodation was available in ‘skid row’ rooming houses or flophouses in the poorest parts of most major cities. Even the most destitute could find some form of housing, even if its quality was abysmal.
At this time, a government report concluded, “Homelessness describes the situation of an individual or family without stable, permanent, appropriate housing, or the immediate prospect, means and ability of acquiring it. It was decided that it was the result of systemic or societal barriers, a lack of affordable and appropriate housing, the individual/household’s financial, mental, cognitive, behavioural, or physical challenges, and/or racism and discrimination. It was acknowledged that most people do not choose to be homeless, and the experience is generally negative, unpleasant, stressful, and distressing.”
This definition provided us with four types of homelessness: unsheltered, emergency sheltered, provisionally accommodated, and at risk of homelessness. Back then, it was argued that the report’s definition of homelessness painted an overly broad picture, including those who were currently having a hard time financially.
The provincial and municipal governments implemented various initiatives, including the development of affordable housing programs, rent subsidies, and homelessness prevention strategies. However, these strategies existed at the whim of the government of the day.
If we go back to the early 1900s, we will see the emergence of non-profit organizations and advocacy groups playing a crucial role in raising awareness of and addressing homelessness. They stepped forward to provide support and advocate for better policies and resources.
The shift away from the nuclear family structure after the Second World War most certainly exacerbated the problem, as did the gradual decrease in the community social net provided by the religious community.
Homelessness policies shifted toward a ‘housing first’ approach, which prioritizes finding stable housing for individuals experiencing homelessness rather than simply sheltering them.
The current challenges we face are not new. Challenges persist, including housing affordability issues, mental health and addiction challenges, and the need for ongoing support services. The root causes remain the same, but the numbers have grown as our population has increased.
While I acknowledge efforts to combat homelessness in Ontario have continued to evolve, focusing on providing stable housing, support services, and addressing the root causes of homelessness, we appear no closer to solving what has been an ongoing blight that originated with the birth of our country and will likely be with us for the long term.
In 2007, most of the research and programs in Canada focused on ‘absolute homelessness’ with no consistent definition of homelessness available. In 2012, York University’s Canadian Homelessness Research Network released the first Canadian definition of homelessness.
While this column is not intended to either identify all the underlying causes of homelessness or provide solutions to the problem, as it is not within my expertise, the question of who experiences homelessness and what we know about the factors that contribute to homelessness can be surmised if one merely examines our history.
People who have experienced homelessness in our area are quite diverse in terms of age, gender, and ethno-racial background. It is clear, when we examine our local history, some groups are more at risk of becoming homeless, including single adult men, people dealing with mental health issues or addictions, women with children fleeing violence, and the Indigenous. There is also a false assumption out there that homelessness is an urban phenomenon, but it also exists in rural areas, though it is usually less visible there.
What are the demographics of homelessness? Surprisingly, they have remained the same over the decades. Currently, adults between the ages of 25 and 49 make up 52 per cent of those experiencing homelessness in Canada. Seniors (65 and older) do make up a small percentage of the Canadian homeless population (less than four per cent of shelter users), but they also are the only group whose shelter usage has increased over the past decade.
Misconceptions continue to exist for the causes of homelessness, including that it's a chronic problem for only a small minority of people and that the majority are ‘one-time-only’ shelter users or experience episodic homelessness. However, there is a distinctly different subgroup of individuals who are chronically homeless, consuming about half of shelter beds and the available resources at any given time.
Throughout our history, we have realized just providing shelter for a person is not the answer; providing people with a home is a much more effective course of action.
Efforts to combat homelessness in Ontario continue to evolve, with a focus on providing stable housing, support services, and addressing the root causes of homelessness. We recognize the gradual return of the nuclear family has become a necessity. Churches and social welfare organizations have been called upon to step forward and assume the social mantle. However, the problem has continued to grow substantially.
We know that until everyone has a fair opportunity to have a home to call their own, we will not have solved this problem that is a blight on our local history.
I can confidently state that, from my research, the problem of homelessness is not new to our area. We are perhaps better at identifying it, and perhaps understanding the underlying causes, but it is an issue that has been with us throughout our history.
I would love to research how Indigenous peoples managed homelessness and food insecurity. I would imagine they may have some important tips for us.
Sources: The 2012 Canadian Homelessness Research Network definition of homelessness, online; Finding Room: Policy Options for a Canadian Rental Housing Strategy, by J. David Hulchanski and Michael Shapcott, (Eds.); Canadian Homelessness Research Network; Ten Things You Should Know About Housing and Homelessness, by M. Shapcott, Wellesley Institute, policy primer (website); Homelessness: The Making and Unmaking of a Crisis, by Jack Layton; Why Wasn’t Homelessness a Social Problem Until the 1980s? by Emma Woolley, research assistant, Canadian Observatory on Homelessness/Homeless Hub: York University; Finding Home: Policy Options for Addressing Homelessness in Canada (website); The State of Homelessness in Canada 2016 (website); Homelessness in Canada, by Nathalie Rech; Newmarket Era; Toronto Star; a series of Canadian history books in my collection, including A History of Newmarket, by Ethel Trewhella.
Newmarket resident Richard MacLeod, the History Hound, has been a local historian for more than 40 years. He writes a weekly feature about our town’s history in partnership with NewmarketToday, conducts heritage lectures and walking tours of local interest, and leads local oral history interviews.
