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
Poilievre will do 'anything to win,' must condemn Alex Jones endorsement: Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is ramping up his attacks on Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre as he promotes his government's federal budget.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
New evidence challenges the Pentagon's account of a horrific attack as the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan: CNN exclusive
New video evidence uncovered by CNN significantly undermines two Pentagon investigations into an ISIS-K suicide attack outside Kabul airport, during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.
Video shows suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.
Pilot proposes to flight attendant girlfriend in front of passengers
A Polish pilot proposed to his flight attendant girlfriend during a flight from Warsaw to Krakow, and she said yes.
Ottawa injects another $36M into fund for those seriously injured or killed by vaccines
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Ex-SNC executive sentenced to prison term in bridge bribery case
The RCMP says a former SNC-Lavalin executive has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison in connection with a bribery scheme for a bridge repair contract in Montreal.