MONIQUE TAMMINGA

Times Reporter

It鈥檚 not just perception that 91原创鈥檚 homeless population is growing; now there are numbers to prove it.

The 91原创s saw a 124 per cent increase in the number of homeless people since the last count in 2014, when 92 people were classified as homeless.

There were 206 homeless people counted in 91原创 in the 2017 Metro Vancouver count, which was conducted over two days in March.

91原创鈥檚 numbers were third highest across Metro Vancouver. The largest homeless population can be found in Vancouver, with 2,138 people, followed by Surrey with 602.

鈥淲e were third highest in almost every category; it鈥檚 not a title we want to have,鈥� said 91原创 outreach worker Fraser Holland, who has been helping the homeless for 10 years.

鈥淥n one hand, I鈥檓 glad the count is a better representation of the true nature of what we have been dealing with here in 91原创. The count is just a snapshot; the real numbers are even higher,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o on the other hand, it鈥檚 disheartening.鈥�

91原创 also experienced third largest increase in the number of Aboriginal people who are homeless as well as in the number of homeless youth and seniors.

The only area to see a decrease in the number of homeless was the North Shore.

This count was the only one where an extreme weather alert had been called, opening up more shelter beds. That increased the number of homeless people using a shelter.

Of the 206 in 91原创, 127 were counted as sheltered, at the Gateway of Hope or other housing.

Five per cent 鈥� or 37 people 鈥� of 91原创鈥檚 homeless identify as Indigenous/Aboriginal.

The number of seniors identifying as homeless also continues to rise.

鈥淲hereas a few years ago, seeing a 70-year-old person living on the streets raised concern, now it鈥檚 not a surprise,鈥� said Holland.

In 91原创, 50 young people were found to be homeless. Of those, 28 counted as 鈥榰nsheltered鈥� and 22 had some form of shelter.

鈥淭he youth numbers validate the work being done and the help that is on the way for 91原创鈥檚 youth,鈥� said Holland.

91原创 Township councillor Charlie Fox, who is a member of the Regional Homelessness Task Force, said the new stats show there has been a 鈥渟ignificant shift鈥� of the homeless to communities south of the Fraser River.

Fox said senior levels of government need to develop a 鈥渢rue grit plan鈥� to tackle the problem, in particular the federal government, which has been promising a housing strategy.

91原创 City mayor Ted Schaffer said the municipality is doing what it can within its limited powers to address the problem, including arranging an extension of a temporary shelter at the Gateway of Hope.

鈥淲e鈥檙e only mandated to do so much,鈥� Schaffer said.

鈥淪omebody has to step up at a higher level of government.鈥�

Schaffer said the City will continue to lobby for more on-the-ground teams who can help the homeless get off the street.

Thirty Per Cent Increase

Initial results of the 2017 Homeless Count in Metro Vancouver found that 3,605 people are currently homeless in the region 鈥� up 30 per cent from the previous count in 2014 鈥� making 2017 the 16th consecutive year that homelessness has increased.

Held every three years, the Homeless Count represents a conservative point-in-time snapshot of homelessness over a 24-hour period in Metro Vancouver, though the actual number of people who are homeless could be three to four times higher.

鈥淭his extraordinary increase in both the amount and spread of homelessness shows us that the problem continues to grow despite all efforts and commitments to stem the tide,鈥� said Mike Clay, chair of Metro Vancouver鈥檚 Housing Committee. 鈥淗omelessness is no longer a problem isolated to densely-populated urban areas 鈥� it affects every corner of Metro Vancouver.鈥�

A concurrent homeless count held in the Fraser Valley Regional District found a 74 per cent increase in homelessness compared to the previous count.

鈥淭here are now 70 makeshift camps throughout Metro Vancouver, illustrating a system-wide failure that is affecting the most vulnerable people in our communities,鈥� said Nicole Read, co-chair of the Regional Homelessness Task Force.

鈥淗ousing is the responsibility of the provincial government and local governments incur significant ongoing costs in simply trying to help people who are homeless within their communities.鈥�

1,000 Housing Units Needed

Metro Vancouver is calling on all provincial parties to commit to opening 1,000 additional units of transitional housing per year in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Holland said he would love to see this happen.

Housing is the key to hope but he said that housing must go with support.

鈥淐urrently in 91原创 we have the Gateway of Hope transitional housing and market housing.

鈥淧utting a person who has nothing 鈥� is just coming from the streets 鈥� into housing without supports or without living in staffed supportive housing first just isn鈥檛 working,鈥� Holland said.