April 6, 2011
Reliance on charity-based shelters means the root of the problem goes unaddressed.
The Winnipeg Street Health Report, conducted for the Main Street Project, makes a strong case for a new strategy -- public investment in a "housing first" model used in other jurisdictions.
Some highlights:
According to the survey, homeless Winnipeggers are:
- Twenty times as likely to have hepatitis C
- Eight times as likely to have epilepsy
- Six times as likely to have angina
- Five times as likely to have migraine headaches
- Three times as likely to have a heart attack
- 46 per cent said they were physically assaulted in the past year
- 40 per cent felt unsafe in emergency shelters
- 15 per cent reported having a baby while homeless
Winnipeg Street Health Report, 2011 is a 48 page downloadable document.
Main Street Project - Winnipeg, Manitoba
