Seniors, Indigenous, Black people disproportionate amount of Lower Mainland homeless

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — Seniors, Indigenous and Black people make up a disproportionate amount of the homeless population in the Lower Mainland, according to a count that took place during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Metro Vancouver homeless count is conducted every three years and took place Mar. 3 and 4. It identified 3,634 individuals as experiencing homelessness, according to the organizer, the B.C. Non-Profit Housing Association.

Vancouver continues to have the highest rate of homelessness in the region, while racial identity data was collected for the first time.

“The homeless count provides important insight into the diversity of individuals experiencing homelessness, as well as the different challenges and circumstances they face,” Lorraine Copas, chair of the board that oversees the count, says in a release. “This year, we have continued to work to explore different methodologies and approaches to allow us to deepen our insight.”

Of the total counted, 1,029 were unsheltered and 2,605 were sheltered. The total number of individuals counted was 29 more than in 2017.

Similar to 2017, extreme weather response shelters were open on the night of the count.

The communities with the highest numbers of individuals experiencing homelessness were Vancouver (2,095), Surrey (644) and Langley (209). The Vancouver total is down from 2,223 last year.

Surrey and Langley were among five communities that showed an increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness, along with Burnaby, the North Shore and Richmond.

Small decreases in homelessness were seen in Vancouver, the Tri-Cities, White Rock, Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows, New Westminster and Delta.

The 2020 count shows that homelessness among young people continues to decrease, with people under 25 years of age accounting for eight per cent of the overall total compared to 16 per cent in 2014 and 2017.

The number of people 55 and older who are homeless continues to increase, accounting for 25 per cent of the 2020 count compared to 23 per cent in 2017.

Indigenous homelessness remains disproportionately high in Metro Vancouver.

The 2020 count found 711 individuals who identified as Indigenous — a decrease of 35 from the 2017 count. However, this year’s number represents 33 per cent of the overall homeless population, despite making up 2.5 per cent of the overall population, according to the 2016 census.

“Homelessness continues to be a critical issue for which we have not found a solution,” says David Wells, chair of the Indigenous Homelessness Steering Committee. “The Indigenous community continues to bear the brunt of this crisis and the events of the past several months have only amplified this harm.”

Although the City of Vancouver has collected racial identity data before, the 2020 count marks the first time that the region has included a racial, identity-focused question.

This question was to help inform a race-based analysis of people experiencing homelessness, according to organizers.

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The results also indicate that Black people are significantly overrepresented among racialized groups experiencing homelessness. Six per cent of respondents identified as Black (compared to 1.2 per cent in the Metro Vancouver general population), followed by “Asian-South” (three per cent), and “Latin American” (three per cent).

“These results highlight the critical importance of collecting race-based data to assist us in service delivery and policy responses,” says June Francis, co-chair of the Hogan’s Alley Society.

“The data should jolt us into action to ensure that racialized communities, notably the Black community who are disproportionately represented in the Homeless Count, receive the culturally and racially appropriate programs and services to provide better pathways to well-being.”

The full report on the 2020 homeless count will be released in the fall.

Point-in-time counts have been conducted in Metro Vancouver every three years since 2002 and annually in the City of Vancouver since 2010.