Housing is an increasingly urgent issue. 

Canada’s population grew by 1.2 million in 2023, the highest ever annual increase.  And there are not enough homes for those kind of numbers — even if they could afford them.

Multiple approaches are needed to increase housing supply, including turning unused office spaces into apartments and condos. 

Short term ➙ easiest is to provide free, safe temporary accommodation for anyone.

Nobody wants people living illegally or legally in tents nearby. THEREFORE the goal should be to be to offer a better alternative, indoor or outdoor. I’d call it a municipal FREE CAMPGROUND.

Volunteer organizations could provide meals and medical advice. Help folks try to get out.

Long term ➙ we need more “Housing First” initiatives. 

Rather than moving homeless individuals through different “levels” of housing, whereby each level moves them closer to “independent housing” (for example: from the streets to a public shelter, and from a public shelter to a transitional housing program, and from there to their own apartment or house in the community), Housing First moves the homeless individual or household immediately from the streets or homeless shelters into their own accommodation. …

… housing is a basic human right, and so should not be denied to anyone, even if they are abusing alcohol or other substances. The Housing First model, thus, is philosophically in contrast to models that require the homeless to abjure substance-abuse and seek treatment in exchange for housing.

Finland and Denmark are the only European Union countries where homelessness is currently falling. …

Since its launch in 2008, the number of homeless people in Finland has decreased by roughly 30%, and the number of long-term homeless people has fallen by more than 35%.

“Sleeping rough”, the practice of sleeping outside, has been largely eradicated in Helsinki, where only one 50-bed night shelter remains. …

Wikipedia

Providing housing first to people living on the street has worked surprisingly well where it’s been tried around the world.