People experiencing homelessness in Halifax Nova Scotia Canada

This report examines the key issues and needs of people experiencing homelessness in Halifax Nova Scotia Canada. It highlights the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on this vulnerable population and the existing supports and resources available to them.

Introduce the population of interest and
its key features
1

INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................4
Key issues and needs of the population..................................................................................4
Existing supports and resources available to the population..................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10
2

Topic: People experiencing homelessness in Halifax Nova Scotia Canada
INTRODUCTION
Homelessness is a situation when an individual lacks in having stable and appropriate house.
In this situation individuals lives on streets live, in a private board exam house or move between
temporary shelter. In homelessness individual lacks in regular, fixed and adequate night time
place to stay and have temporary living accommodation in this case they are defined as homeless
individual. Lot of people are suffering and experiencing trauma of homelessness (Berglund &
Kitson, 2021). From the analysis of homelessness in Halifax Nova Scotia Canada it has been
analysed that they have suffered the most in life. The suffering of these individuals has also
increased from the past couple of months due to covid-19 pandemic. It has been evaluated this
pandemic make these individuals to become more stressed and anxious, as it impacts directly on
their mental as well as physical health. During this pandemic the things become even worse. The
housing crisis in Nova Scotia Canada is mainly due to the increase in rent in a dramatic manner.
Along with this marketplace affordable housing stock is in major decline along with less
expensive condo development is exploding. Furthermore, it has been evaluated that public
housing is also under threat.
Present report examines people experiencing homelessness in Halifax Nova Scotia Canada.
Homelessness is mainly described as a situation in which an individual or family does not have
permanent stable and appropriate housing means an ability over the immediate prospect of
acquiring. It is mainly the result of societal or systematic barriers. There are a number of reasons
of homelessness such as lack of affordable and appropriate housing, behavioural or physical
challenges, financial, cognitive mental decision and discrimination. As per the affordable
housing Association of Nova Scotia there are mainly 397 people in Halifax regional municipality
who are experiencing homelessness. Currently the total number of women consists of 156 while
men numbered as 228. From the past couple of months, the first and second wave of covid-19
pandemic increased this count. Furthermore, it has been identified that as per the Federal
government Immunisation plan homelessness population in this demographic is becoming
vulnerable. In this number of individuals are struggling with the issue of homelessness. It mainly
rooted in the legacies of discrimination, racism, colonialism and marginalisation. In context with
3

homelessness individual across Halifax Nova Scotia Canada the number of homelessness
individuals are intensified by the inspection of marginal identities such as race, gender, ethnicity
ability and sexual orientation. Along with this it has been evaluated that lack of skeletal social
support and political attention system is also the major cause of the homelessness. The number of
individuals those who are suffering from this issue is experiences insufficient social assistance
rate, lack of credible housing loan, minimum wage and limited employment opportunity.
Situation of Halifax Nova Scotia Canada continues to be one of the complex systematic issues
which is affecting most marginalized group.
MAIN BODY
Key issues and needs of the population
Homelessness is a major problem which is not only affecting a country’s economic growth
but also impact upon the living condition of individual those who are Halifax Nova Scotia
Canada homeless. Key issue which is affecting homeless people in the area is due to the outbreak
of covid-19 which was a disaster that created adverse situation for individuals during the first
and second wave. In addition to this it has been identified that economic hardship and pandemic
increased the concern for number of homeless individuals they are also forced to endure the
inhospitable weather which created number of issues and adversities (Conboy, 2021).
Furthermore, it has been evaluated that even before the outbreak of covid-19 lockdown homeless
shelter in this area was full, as in this people were living poorly as they were forced to live
outside in all kind of weather, in parks and in the woods. Homelessness situation of Halifax
Nova Scotia Canada is the major problem which define as a failure of society and government to
ensure adequate system support and funding to all people. The major issues that have been faced
by these individuals from past couple of months is non access of vaccines, adequate support,
non-recognition of human dignity, low moderate income and accessibility of affordable housing.
The individuals those who are the situation of homelessness in Halifax Nova Scotia Canada have
needs associated to child protection or child welfare system (Halifax starts removing tiny
shelters for homeless in several locations. 2021). Which helps in promoting the well-being of
children those who are living on streets as they are facing threat of child abuse, lack of safety etc.
In addition to this it has been identified that individuals those were living on streets also have
need of food and nutrition which can be of free of cost or low-cost. Furthermore, it has been
4

identified that homeless people need housing and home Support which helps these individuals to
find places to stay. Along with this seniors or aged individual need long term care facility and
support. Homeless individual in Halifax Nova Scotia Canada needs emergency shelter and
housing on urgent basis especially for women’s as they are facing extreme threat of abusive
relationship, violence or sexual abuse. Homeless of Halifax Nova Scotia Canada also have need
of finance and money which is also one of the major resources which is needed by homeless
individuals (Devereux, 2021). From the analysis of individuals of it has been evaluated and it is
essential for government to emphasize upon the key issues which are affecting the mental and
physical health on adverse basis and identify their needs in order to provide them emergency
support. This will efficiently help in providing a support system to these individuals in a well-
defined and effective manner. Furthermore, it has been identified that due to covid-19 outbreak
and economy shutdown and increase in unemployment rate duly enhanced stress level, as
comparatively to 2019 the number of individuals those who are seeking bed at the time were
increased on a dramatic basis. Non availability of beds in shelter significantly towards not
offering any form of service or help of individual such as warm clothing, sleeping bags and food.
From the analysis it has been evaluated that it is important for government efficiently identify
and analyse needs of individuals in order to provide urgent support to individual. This will
significantly help in providing support to homeless people in terms of mental and physical health
as well as other needs.
Existing supports and resources available to the population
By seeing the current condition of homeless individual there are number of support and
resources which is available to them in which government and other social service sectors are
efficiently working towards beyond their calling and utilising the resources they had available in
order to show great ability. In this they are also collaborating with other stakeholders in order to
come up with quicker solutions (Downie & Schuklenk, 2021). Furthermore, it has been identified
that the government also acted quickly and significantly reduced the number of individuals in
shelter even in the time period of covid-19 as to provide homeless individual as safe and
dignified emergency housing option. It has been evaluated that individual those who are
experiencing homelessness are mainly dealing with number of personal challenges as well as
compromise. In these women and child are experiencing unsafe staying in which number of
5

people facing difficulty to find out safe place to stay and keep themselves safe. The Nova Scotia
government is promising simply more than $10 million to assist support with peopling who are
encountering vagrancy, matching with another housing technique delivered Wednesday. As
indicated by a news discharge from the Department of Community Services, the common
government will contribute $10.1 million more than two years for "fold over supports, cover and
socially significant housing across Nova Scotia. Local area Services Minister Karla MacFarlane
said in the delivery that these ventures will make more noteworthy steadiness in the region's
sanctuary framework and push toward a more precaution approach with an objective of more
durable housing. The biggest portion of this speculation will see $4.2 million go to different
associations across the area to keep up with crisis cover ventures made during the COVID-19
pandemic, the delivery said. There will be $1.6 million for the Mi'kmaw Native Friendship
Center's Diamond Bailey House, an Indigenous steady housing drive in Halifax. An extra
$76,000 will be given in the main year to startup costs. Different subtleties incorporate $1.3
million for crisis, momentary housing stays with every minute of every day support for
individuals briefly living in inns, and $713,000 yearly to Shelter Nova Scotia to balance out
activities (HRM HOMELESSNESS STATISTICS. 2021). Lohr said work is in progress to get
housing accomplices for this phase of the arrangement, both in Halifax and around the region.
Another $931,000 will go to help individuals progressing out of remedial offices, including
financing for the John Howard Society and the Elizabeth Fry Society of Mainland Nova Scotia.
Adsum for Women and Children will get $630,000 to dispatch a Diverting Families program in
East Preston (Wu & Mackenzie, 2021). There will be a pilot task of the program directed for
Nova Scotians living in Shelburne, Yarmouth and Digby. This program will work
straightforwardly with families who are in emergency because of homelessness or impending
homelessness. In addition to this it has been identified that pandemic also change the way in
which homeless individual are staying, as the condition become more traumatic. In this to
minimise and mitigate use level of suffering among this population government and other
community organisation are offering support to them by providing them covid testing and mobile
health plans in order to provide and distribute vaccine among the homeless (Ross, 2021). Along
with this number of campaigns has been formulated through federal policy which is having
objective and commitment to end homelessness. In addition to this it has been evaluated that
Halifax City Hall is also providing support to individual by arranging supplies such as portable
6

toilets and washing station on site. In addition to this it has been identified that Halifax also
planned to develop 137 new affordable housing units in order to provide efficient support to
homeless individuals.
Furthermore, it has been underlined that respective city is also efficiently working with
community association in order to offer support to people those who are experiencing the
situation of covid-19 order to create a temporary emergency shelter. Along with this council also
approved amount to provide portable shower as well as the affordable housing program. This
will significantly help homeless individuals in having affordable housing solution. A critical
improvement in the progression of getting crisis facilities is in progress, as the region is at
present in conversations with the area to set up two crisis facilities destinations in the extremely
not so distant future (Evans & Baker, 2021). The region has gotten 24 secluded units that can
give facilities to up to 73 people. One site will be situated in Dartmouth, and one more in
Halifax. Explicit areas are not set in stone. On August 31, 2021, Regional Council collectively
endorsed contributing up to $500,000 towards a scope of crisis facilities for those encountering
homelessness. Quick advances were taken to recognize underutilized or excess municipally-
possessed properties and offices that can be retrofitted into safe momentary facilities for
individuals who are unhoused. The objective is to build the stock of impermanent facilities
straightaway. Expanding upon cooperation endeavours to date the region is working intimately
with local area-based specialist organizations and the Province of Nova Scotia to propel these
endeavours and guarantee social administrations are accessible as a component of an all-
encompassing way to deal with tending to homelessness. On Sept. 29 the district declared a huge
improvement in the headway of the region's obligation to contribute $500,000 towards getting
crisis facilities (Granfelt & Turunen, 2021). The region is presently in conversations with the
area to build up two crisis facilities locales in the extremely not so distant future. The region has
gotten 24 secluded units that can give facilities to up to 73 people. One crisis facilities site will
be situated in Dartmouth, and one more in Halifax. Explicit areas are still up in the air in
interview with the expert specialist co-ops and the territory. City staff keep on attempting to
recognize locales that can possibly oblige impermanent housing and are evaluating the
fittingness of their utilization for this reason, just as the likely expenses. If proper choices are
recognized, proficient local area-based specialist organizations will be locked in to decide the
appropriateness of the site for momentary housing and offering help. The $500,000 subsidizing
7

responsibility will likewise be utilized to use those chances that can have the quickest effect
including subsidizing new situations inside the help conveyance associations to get things going
on the ground and furnishing local area outreach laborers with the monetary assets needed to get
transitory facilities inside houses that will acknowledge demands (Karabanow, 2021). In addition
to this by involving individuals who involved in the conversation to identify their any adequate
support and resources are being provided to them with the help of different voluntary programs.
Along with this it has been identified that Parker Street food Bank collects furniture and food and
they also distributed supply in their back to school and Christmas hamper programs. In this they
are continuously providing need of food items as well as toiletries to individual those who are
currently homeless in Halifax.
The public authority of Nova Scotia is giving $6.4 million to make long-lasting strong for
individuals encountering homelessness in Halifax and the Annapolis Valley. This is
notwithstanding more than $1 million as of late put resources into long term housing g in Cape
Breton, transitory sanctuary beds in Halifax and a local area study focus on making extremely
durable housing choices for up to 100 women and youngsters. As a feature of the declaration
today, May 31, the Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia will get $3.5 million to buy
properties in the Halifax region that will furnish homes for individuals with the most noteworthy
necessities who may somehow stay destitute (Parolin, 2021). The territory has additionally
dedicated $1.8 million every year to take care of yearly functional expenses and on location
customer administrations, like clinical consideration, peer backing, addictions and psychological
wellness upholds. Also, the Portal Youth Outreach Association will get $1.1 million to make
three new momentary houses for youngsters encountering homelessness in the Annapolis Valley.
The houses, anticipated Middleton, Kentville and Windsor, will give housing and supports to 14
youth matured 16 to 21 and will be prepared by fall 2021 (Remster, 2021). Youngsters can
remain in these houses from 90 days to three years, contingent upon their necessities and their
ability to change to extremely durable housing.
8

CONCLUSION
As per the above report has been concluded that homelessness is defined as a situation in
which individual lacks in having appropriate and stable housing. There are number of factors
which creating or increasing the issue of homelessness. However, different type of communities,
charitable trust and government are taking necessary steps in order to provide support to
individual those who are facing the issue of homelessness in the selected graphic location.
Furthermore, it has been identified from this report that government is continuously working
towards overcoming this issue through with the help of community organisation in every region
in order to make sure that individuals have access of emergency shelter and affordable housing.
Furthermore, for the different type of support such as women and children will receive certain
amount which help them to overcome from the situation. Along with this, different type of
investments has been made by government emergency management with potential cost in order
to appropriately provide support to homeless individuals. From this report it has been identified
that government have taken immediate steps emergency housing measures as an initiative to
support affordable housing. In this municipality-based approach to homelessness is being
undertaken by government to provide adequate support these individuals. From this report has
been analysed that the situation of homelessness become worse during the time period of covid-
19 and economics shutdown. However, number of supports community engagement programs is
continuously working towards in terms of providing them meals employment insurance
protection to women and children etc. However, in this main priority areas which will essential
to focus is providing employment opportunities to these individuals and offering extra care to
women and children.
9

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Berglund, L., & Kitson, A. (2021). The Redevelopment of the Nova Scotia Home for Colored
Children: A Case for Trauma-Informed Urban Planning Practices. Planning Theory &
Practice, 1-20.
Conboy, N. (2021). Examining Accessibility of Services for Sexualized Violence: Understanding
the Survivor's Experience.
Devereux, E. (2021). NOT JUST FOR CHRISTMAS. The Routledge Companion to Media and
Poverty.
Downie, J., & Schuklenk, U. (2021). Social determinants of health and slippery slopes in assisted
dying debates: lessons from Canada. Journal of Medical Ethics, 47(10), 662-669.
Evans, J., & Baker, T. (2021). Breaking through the epistemic impasse: Ending homelessness
with the invention of ‘functional zero’in the Anglo-American world. Futures, 129,
102730.
Granfelt, R., & Turunen, S. (2021). Women on the Border between Home and Homelessness:
Analysing Worker–Client Relationship. Social Inclusion, 9(3), 223-233.
Karabanow, J. (2021). A reflection on living through COVID-19 as a social work
professor. Qualitative Social Work, 20(1-2), 439-442.
Parolin, Z. (2021). Income support policies and the rise of student and family homelessness. The
ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 693(1), 46-63.
Remster, B. (2021). Homelessness among formerly incarcerated men: Patterns and
predictors. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social
Science, 693(1), 141-157.
Ross, N. (2021). Pandemic disruptions: The subversion of neoliberalism. Qualitative Social
Work, 20(1-2), 350-355.
Smith, E., Moore, P., & Canham, S. (2021). Examining the needs of persons experiencing
homelessness: Bringing the voice of lived experience to policy priorities. International
Journal on Homelessness, 1(1), 14-31.
Susser, E., Lovell, A., & Conover, S. (2021). Unravelling the causes of homelessness–and of its
association with mental illness. In Epidemiology and the prevention of mental
disorders (pp. 228-239). Routledge.
Wu, H., & Mackenzie, J. (2021, October). Dual-Gendered Leadership: Gender-Inclusive
Scientific-Political Public Health Communication Supporting Government COVID-19
Responses in Atlantic Canada. In Healthcare (Vol. 9, No. 10, p. 1345).
Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute.
Online
10

HRM HOMELESSNESS STATISTICS. 2021. [Online]. Available
throughhttps://www.ahans.ca/hrm-homelessness-statistics-2
Halifax starts removing tiny shelters for homeless in several locations. 2021. [Online]. Available
throughhttps://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/halifax-starts-removing-tiny-shelters-for-homeless-in-
several-locations-1.5503493
11