Ottawa conducting 'Point-in-Time' Count of residents experiencing homelessness
City of Ottawa staff are spending 24 hours speaking with the city's homeless population in a bid to develop a snapshot of the homelessness situation in the capital and help develop programs and services to meet their needs.
As part of the 24-hour 'Point-in-Time' Count, city staff, in collaboration with 53 partner agencies, are aiming to speak with residents experiencing homelessness on the streets, in shelters and other areas. The data will help all levels of government develop and implement services, programs and policies that reflect the needs of residents.
During the Point-in-Time Count in April 2018, city staff interviewed 1,400 individuals and families at 118 enumeration sites across Ottawa. Sixty per cent of respondents identified as male, and 36 per cent identified as female.
The oldest person surveyed was 81 years old, while nine people were all 16 years old. A total of 59 per cent of the homeless population surveyed in Ottawa three years ago were aged 24 through 49.
The 2021 Point-in-Time Count started at 12 p.m. on Wednesday, and will continue until 12 p.m. Thursday.
The city says the count will be conducted in several locations, including: where people staying on the streets spend time, emergency shelters, violence-against-women shelters, Indigenous agencies, community health centres, hospitals, correctional centres and transitional housing.
The city of Ottawa says Housing Services also has designed walking routes that include known locations of people living on the streets.
Participants will answer a survey about their demographics, family status and history, citizenship, health conditions, race, sexual orientation, language, Indigenous ancestry, reasons for homelessness, military service, child welfare experience and source of income.
Coun. Mathieu Fleury tweeted on Wednesday he was conducting interviews at the Ottawa Mission as part of the survey.
The Point-in-Time Count must be conducted to fulfill provincial and federal requirements for municipalities to conduct local enumeration of people experiencing homelessness every two years.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Western University researchers unlock potential 'cure' for ALS
New research out of London, Ont.'s Western University is shedding light on a potential cure for ALS, in which the targeting of the interaction between two proteins can halt or fully reverse the disease's progression.
Police release 3D images of young child found in an Ontario river two years ago
Police have released a three-dimensional image of a young child whose remains were discovered in the Grand River in Dunnville, Ont. almost two years ago.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
Kamala Harris drops F-bomb during White House live-stream
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris used a profanity on Monday while offering advice to young Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders about how to break through barriers.
B.C. man fighting for refund after finding someone living at Whistler vacation rental
Edwin Mostered spent thousands of dollars booking a vacation home in Whistler, B.C., for a group skiing trip earlier this year – or so he thought.
Avs forward Valeri Nichushkin suspended at least six months
Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin was suspended for at least six months without pay and placed in Stage 3 of the league's player assistance program.
Collapsed Baltimore bridge span comes down with a boom after crews set off chain of explosives
Crews conducted a controlled demolition Monday to break down the largest remaining span of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
Security video caught admitted serial killer disposing of bodies in Winnipeg garbage bins
Security video caught admitted serial killer Jeremy Skibicki on multiple late-night outings, disposing of body parts in nearby garbage bins and dumpsters in the middle of the night.
Mortgage companies could intensify the next recession, U.S. officials warn
U.S. officials worry the next recession could be intensified by a cascading series of failures in the mortgage industry caused by crashing home prices, frozen financial markets and soaring delinquencies.