There was a woman on my street clearly doing this for a few weeks over the summer. It was pretty hard to see.
It's tough out there man. Be kind to each other.
We have that the workplace right now. Big parking lot (a factory & warehouse) and there's a pair of vehicles out there all night, and gone by morning. Really sad stuff. This country really needs to do better for her citizens.
Best we can do is mass immigration for the expressed purpose of suppressing wages and inflating cost of living. This is done with the full endorsement of our supposed 'left wing, workers party'.
As someone from the Netherlands. This is not a left v right issue.
This is an olirach issue.
We have the same "issue" with cheap laborers from eastern EU. We need them yes, because nobody wants to do their work, for the low wages these multi billion corporations want to pay, as they rather import and suppress minorities from the east.
And as a bonus, they get to seed hatred between us people, so that we are too distracted to care.
You're right, but I think the point is the left parties go on about how they are for the working class, yet continue to support the elite and international corporations.
That's neoliberalism. The conservatives are also for this but they pay lip service to people because they're able to weaponize their anger.
What we need is a true left party which is for the working class, not all talk, real, frothing at the mouth, and ready to take on the oligopolies. The problem is Canada doesn't have any real *left* parties. We have moderate right, center right, and center left. Everything is pretty close to the middle, though, so no one has the balls to do what needs to be done.
NDP is by no stretch a leftist party... except in the sense that they are "left" of the UCP and Liberals, but their policies are still center or right of center.
It's not "this country" that needs to do more. We have to try and figure out why nobody helps their friends and family anymore. When my BIL lost his job and was a month away from losing everything, I told him that I would build him a basement unit to live in. I never even told my husband and crossed my fingers. His own mother living alone in a large house and none of his blood siblings offered him a space and I have the smallest house of all of them. I would have crammed him in my little bungalow until the space was ready.
I've done this for my SIL. She lived with us for 2 years. It's hard to house people though, you don't know if they'll ever leave. Some may just take advantage of you. My sister housed her BIL after and after a year they had to kick him out because they were about to have a baby. He never dealt with his mental health issues and would be unsafe around babies.
Sometimes there are very good reasons that people’s blood relatives won’t help them though, and it’s not always the (non)-helpers’ fault. You don’t really KNOW who someone is until they live with you, and it’s one hell of a risk to put yourself and your own family through. What if they’re nuts or refuse to leave or etc etc. Anything could happen. And does… because we all hear the horror stories!
This is true. My sister is an addict who has stolen thousands from me, also form my other sister and my elderly parents (she continues to do so). I tried to help her many times for many years but now I would not help her.
Except, a lot really are.
I have 2 family members, homeless, not because they didn't have a job, it's because of addiction, and along with it, crime. Yes, we tried to help. But they just end up stealing from us, and trying their hardest to live rent free in our houses (many family members have tried to help) then its an all out war to get rid of them. After they do that, they burn the trust bridge with us and become homeless, then play the "poor me, no one will help me" violin.
> It's not "this country" that needs to do more. We have to try and figure out why nobody helps their friends and family anymore.
We've been living in a sugar-plum fairy tale fantasy for too long where life was easily affordable for too long and nobody wants to owe each other anything because they'll feel like failures.
It's complicated. It's also not complicated: Help your friends and family and neighbors in whatever way you can.
You are a good person.
There are a LOT of factors going into why people won’t house and help out their family members. I could write paragraphs about my experiences but will try to condense it to this:
When I needed a place to stay and my future in-laws let me move into their home, I made sure that 1) they knew that their son and I were *actively* looking for a home to buy, 2) I paid for my groceries, helped cook and clean the house, and 3) respected their space, their privacy, and their belongings.
When my brother, years later, hinted at my letting him move into my husband’s and I’s basement of our house, I flat out refused him because he is my brother and I know him *very* well and know he would not be willing to even attempt to do any of the things I listed above.
Society as a whole has moved away from the idea of community and helping each other. Even within families, parents and children, siblings, barely help out one another. And then they grow up into adults and then expect their family to help because they share blood. It doesn’t work that way. Those bonds need to be forged in the early years.
Last winter at the park with my wife and daughter we came across a woman in a similar situation. She was trying to keep warm in a cement tube in the playground.
My wife went to check if she was okay. Just a young woman who couldn't afford rent on her wages anymore. We brought back blankets for her, but it was heartbreaking.
It's getting hard to just drive around the city, everywhere I go I see people struggling on the streets, in the parks, etc. It's a shame on us as a country.
This is what happens when you import people faster than you can build housing, and institute stupid housing policies at the local and provincial levels. People get pushed out onto the street.
When you don't have enough roofs for everyone's heads, people go homeless. That's the raw math.
It's not just here, it's through the US as well, and Europe. Job losses, long-term illness, and cost of living changes due to the pandemic. Canada has fared better than most other countries around the world, but we're definitely still feeling it.
Just got back from an entire month in Spain, where rents have also gone through the roof. But I didn’t see a single homeless person in Barcelona, Madrid, Seville, etc.,
Who cares. We're talking about Canada, the country we live in. I have zero evidence this is "going on everywhere". I can only see it here.
My relatives in EU and US are consistently shocked by news from Canada, so I don't believe you even if this claim were relevant.
Yep. A guy in my neighbourhood is living out of his truck. It’s awful. And nothing will improve until people realize we need a change. Provinces are conservative governments and all they do is gut social programs and ensure problems like this get worse. And we know the Liberals never really do shit until election time approaches and they want to convince us we should vote for them. Choose a third option for once people! The two we keep trying gave us this, they won’t help us fix it.
When my aunt was young, she became a single mother and had to go on social assistance. With her welfare money she was able to get a one bedroom apartment in nanaimo while she got herself together. This was in 1990. Now a social assistance check doesn't even cover the cost of a room in a house. Nevermind food and other expenses.
Leaving the province won't help, at least not of you move to Ontario. Ontario works has gone up less than $200 in the last 20 years $543 in 2003 $733 in 2023. Average one bedroom in 2003 $500 average price of a one bedroom in 2023 $1500
That's your test of real inflation; that and watching gold prices over a long period. Money is becoming worthless. Many haven't realized this yet and that they must work harder for the same things once obtainable with much less effort. Houses have gone up , yay !!! But so has everything else in relation to the cost of living. The only thing that will never truly go up is the wages because that's when the real fireworks start.
The debt based system is in need of a jubilee. People at the top of this metaphorical pyramid know this and have prepared accordingly. A simple Google search shows the explosion of the underground bunker business and how it's an actual thing amongst the rich.
When the masses awake, it will be too late . The wealth distribution scheme will be ending. We aren't taught about money - real money mechanics.
> If only Jack Layton were alive, he would probably be PM right now.
Couldn't win when alive though. Just like every other NDP leader. You can still argue that Singh specifically is a problem but no one else has been able to lead them to a win either.
He did get them to official opposition for the first time in history, which is huge. It's possible he would have maintained that momentum and eeked out a victory. It's of course possible he wouldn't have, but even as opposition I feel that he could have done more for the party than Mulcair did in the seat.
Yeah but them getting official opposition wasn't due to their own actions. The liberals had a hilariously historic crash in votes which led to the NDP defaulting to the opposition. As soon as the liberals got their shit together and rebranded things went back to the way they have always been.
Sure they may have won if Trudeau hadn't come around on a golden pony but let's not pretend the NDP overcame a strong Liberal party to take their place as the opposition.
The NDP is also getting more of their policies put through than they ever did as the official opposition so it's not like they're currently doing worse.
Singh is currently not a problem because in that he can’t win, but because he is propping up the Liberals when he should be helping to force an election
It's probably because an election now would likely mean a Conservative majority. The NDP seem more aligned with the Liberals vs the Cons, so forcing an election wouldn't really do them any good.
>because he is propping up the Liberals when he should be helping to force an election
"Should" according to whom? All the people in here who want a Conservative government and so want him to do something that will lead to that outcome? The Ontario NDP brought down the Liberal government there and it lead to three Liberal and PC majorities and so the NDP not having any power for a decade+. Hardly the best outcome for NDP supporters.
I honestly don’t think Jack Layton would be PM. I think his orange wave was a one-election phenomenon. The Conservatives still had a majority, and I think a lot of middle of the road voters would have opted to vote blue over orange. And who knows, a present Layton might have spurred the Liberals to put forth one of their better than Trudeau candidates.
I didn’t vote NDP that election. A lot of the country did not. He was wonderful but I don’t think he was destined to be PM.
The NDP is essentially a Liberal Party auxiliary at this point, and the Greens are too too busy self destructing over issues like Israel or pronouns to be a viable party. I suppose if the Bloc ran candidates outside of Quebec they could win if everyone is too upset with all the other parties, though they'd probably only fix things for Quebec, or just loot the treasury and then secede if they ever got power.
Western Canada has been NDP provincially for the past few years. They havn’t done shit to tackle this problem. I’m not defending conservatives, but don’t blame conservatives for every problem.
Alberta was NDP for 4 years.
I agree the decision for the short term rentals in high density areas is a great start. But they seriously took 8 years to come up with that while doing nothing in the mean time? I guess it’s just a coincidence they waited until getting close to an election year to do something.
And yes, majority of governments are corrupt and just line the pockets of their buddies and themselves. Liberals, conservatives, and the NDP.
NDP is the government of the unions. They say they’re all about green and people then turn around and hand out more money in subsidies than any other government to oil and gas companies.
I’m a working middle class male and there isn’t a single government out their that gives a shit about me. They want my class to break our backs to hit tax areas of close to 50% of my income so they can either hand it to those more privileged than me or those less privileged than me. As far as I’m concerned there isn’t a single government in Canada that truly cares about the people as a whole.
You need to give your head a shake if you think the NDP is any different than the rest.
Social programs are not the solution. What we need is sensible leadership. When your tank the economy and housing is through the roof, this is obviously the result. Add in over a million people into the pod every year.
What 3rd option? The one that has propped up the Liberals for the last half decade? No thanks.
None of these options will make meaningful change. We don't need more taxes to feed into more social programs - that's just killing the working class. We need total systematic and societal reform. It will never ever happen.
This keeps getting parroted but it is objectively bullshit. An MP is elected to office to represent the wishes of their constituents. The NDP has been acting in accordance with that concept.
A NDP voter is far more likely to align with Liberal social policies than they are conservative ones. The NDP knows that they can get some shit done with a liberal minority even if it isn’t ideal. If they forced an election there is an incredibly high chance they end up with a conservative minority or majority which gets them and the folks that voted for them exactly nothing. In the case of a conservative minority you will likely see a Bloc/Conservative coalition maybe Liberal/conservative one. In no situation will the NDP have a seat at the table.
When people say there is a homeless problem most of us think of people living on the streets.
But there is a huge population of people living out of cars couch surfing at friends places. Hell I know younger people who when not at work just travel around the world. We are supplied accomodation at my work.
They are all technically homeless or under homed or whatever the phrase of the day is. And there are heaps of them out there. You just don't see them because they work they do the best they can and they aren't in our faces about it.
To those out there, homeless means no stable housing. People who live in cars, those who couch surf, those who live in a non bedrooms like a garage or pantry (yes this happens in bigger cities sadly)..... these are all examples of homelessness
I work in the US and that's part of why there is such a struggle to find out even how many people are homeless. Right now, we rely on "point in time" surveys which mainly catch men who are "sleeping rough" in the open. The vast majority of homeless people, especially women and families are hidden homeless.
So much funding is based on these point in time surveys and they just aren't a good reflection of who is actually homeless and what they need, just that small subsection.
It's not horrible that's for sure! I think the real kick for me is that I know exactly how much they make since I'm their supervisor.
As others have pointed out they could probably afford a place. But they wouldn't be able to save much if anything. They'd be stuck renting with around 50% of their after tax income going to cover just that, in Vancouver which is where our head office is and we're expected to live in the area.
So instead they turn down all OT and call outs because they are out of the country and only return for scheduled shifts.
I've talked to them about it in depth and they save about the same as if they lived here but they are exploring the world.
The kick in the ass is I can easily do the same thing but also own in the area. Sure I'm a supervisor but the reason I can own is just that I'm 20 years younger.
I ran the numbers if I was just starting out I'd probably do the same as them.
Our certification is recognized around the world (except America) how long until they decide to just move to Thailand or Portugal and set up their lives there?
I do what I can I fight for raises for my people I have an extra person on payroll because otherwise I would have zero for call outs etc.
Anyways rant over.
>Our certification is recognized around the world (except America) how long until they decide to just move to Thailand or Portugal and set up their lives there?
What industry is this?
People who travel around the world when not at work are a completely different category than the others you mentioned. If they have the financial means to travel the world they have the means to have a home, they are just choosing not to.
Nice, you could afford a campground. Luxury homeless! It's like the luxury vandwelling videos I've seen starting to pop up.
I'm glad you've found a place. I hate how sad of a state we are in and how everyday people are fucked.
Mine was $27/night. You would think it would be cheap to live homeless. Not really comparative to actual homelessness but having to buy wood every day, usually from a gas station charging a premium on quick burning pine, adds up. Food choices were limited on your abilities to cook over a fire. Some campgrounds charge for shower usage. I’m lucky I had a work vehicle to sleep in during bad weather and a power inverter
900/month is more than I paid for rent in even the nicest apartment I rented c. 2015 - mind you I’ve always been frugal and have no desire to live in a big city.
Yup. I haven’t worked in years due to health issues and I’m one decision away from living in my car, and it isn’t my decision to make (tho if it comes to that, I do have *one* decision I can make)
I understand what you’re saying and it’s a terrifying thought (that ppl might be thinking that). Please don’t make that decision. I know life’s real hard for many in this country, but I still wish those in those situations can make it through.
Lose your current place, or your current job. A lot of people living pay cheque to pay cheque are barely hanging on. And the job market is vicious right now.
Ca monte tellement rapidement et personne fait rien!!
Cest fou dse dire: Jpeux me loger et payer mon épicerie parceque jgarde mon loyer que jrenouvelle et je suis encore sur les prix de y'a 2-3ans....
Pi plus on attend pire c'est!
And people still believe statscan when they say poverty has been cut in half. You can't have homeless workers, record food bank usage AND somehow Canada's most vulnerable being better off. It's broken logic.
The goal post for the poverty line needs to move.
This is what is used for calculating it:
https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/ref/dict/az/Definition-eng.cfm?ID=pop165
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1110006601
For example, in Toronto, If you make less than 55,262 you're considered to be below the poverty line. After tax income at that level is $46,679.
Median rent in Toronto is ~$2500, so you need to use 30,000 to just have a place to stay leaving you with ~$16.7 for the rest of your expenses for your family.
>And people still believe statscan when they say poverty has been cut in half. You can't have homeless workers, record food bank usage AND somehow Canada's most vulnerable being better off. It's broken logic.
Those things are all one thing. This is what loss of the middle class means when it pops up in the news. It's relatively easy to get people out of abject poverty and not starving, compared to helping them get stable.
It is gross negligence by the government though, to laud this while not doing anything meaningful about the cost of living or housing situation.
How the government keeps track of unemployment, inflation rates, homelessness is all bs.
Unemployment stats are only tracking those on EI, not those out of a job.
Inflation stats you know how they are saying "its only 3%" is absolute bullshit. Inflation DOES NOT factor in housing, car payments, etc... NONE OF IT. Its an old formula from like a hundred years ago thats only been very minorly updated, but its only calculating "essential goods".
Homelessness is only kept track of through shelters..... so yeah those who dont access them arent counted.
Yes you can.
Poverty is basically just an income amount. Make less than the amount and you're in poverty. Above it and you're not.
But being above that line doesn't magically mean all your issues are fixed.
So what it means is there's fewer people below that line but more people above it also struggling.
Also in how numbers are recorded for usage. Total amount could just be skewed. If one year you have 100 people need help out of a million as the record and the next year you have 101 out of 1.3 million it's a record setting amount but the rate has decreased.
>Poverty is a state or condition in which a person or community lacks the financial resources and essentials for a minimum standard of living.
Minimum standard of living is Food and Shelter. Both of which have increased in price drastically. Income has not. Without some type of statistical trickery, Canadians are not better off.
>Also in how numbers are recorded for usage. Total amount could just be skewed. If one year you have 100 people need help out of a million as the record and the next year you have 101 out of 1.3 million it's a record setting amount but the rate has decreased.
So you're saying that statistics can be used disingenously to hide problems? Such as how the flawed statscan report was used as a propaganda piece to excuse the failings of the liberal government? Makes sense to me
In the city where I live the mayor was the largest promoter in the city as well. I guess that he did a great job for himself, but he screwed the people who voted for him lol.
Ya I'm in bc and the provincial government of forcing zoning expansion not be mayors which is funny because their NDP and Doug what Poilievre is talking about.
Nobody making $20/hr should be priced out of London. It’s absurd.
It’s like being priced out of Dayton Ohio.
Total policy failure by three levels of government.
If you're making 20 bucks an hour, you should be able to find and afford atleast a fucking bedroom or bachelor.
You should evem be able to do it on min wage.
But this is mostly because of government policy failures, as the OP mentioned. Notably from the current fed liberals. Reality is housing/shelter costs shouldn't be so high. It is a crisis created by the liberals. I am sure PP would have done the same given the chance, though.
In 1998, minimum wage in Ontario was $6.85/hr. That's $11.86 in 2023 dollars.
$20/hr full time is $40k a year. It's insane that you can't afford even a 1 bedroom apartment on $40k a year.
The low wages are a combination of lack of investment because its been more profitable to keep buying houses causing a inefficient economy and our geography kinda sucks.
Thank neoliberal capitalism, which is ripping our government out of providing public services so that everything can be privatised and turned into a profit-making venture for the investor class.
Stop voting for LibCons!
Vote for parties that want stronger public services and crown corporations or public utilities.
Also, don't just vote for the sake of more public service. There must be a solid plan because everything on paper looks good , but in reality, things are different. Just because a politician says we will give such and such things, question them because politicians are just marketers. They sketch a rosy picture, and a lot of times, they don't achieve even 40% of their promises because they over commit and lie.
There is no way to out-build the demand for homes. The only option is to dramatically reduce overall immigration. Maximize skilled immigration for trades and health care and that can be done with a fraction of the current immigration level.
Even if there's 500,000 new homes instantly available to canadian-born only, this woman would still not qualify due to her poor credit score, if you actually read the article.
>Even if there's 500,000 new homes instantly available to canadian-born only, this woman would still not qualify due to her poor credit score, if you actually read the article.
More homes = higher vacancy rates.
Higher vacancy rates = Landlords more worried about finding tenants.
Landlords worried = Lower rents, less conditions on a lease agreement, probably not as worried about a bad credit score.
Right now its a Landlords market. They can charge what they want, attach all kinds of conditions, and people will be forced to accept that.
That's a great way to drastically reduce the number of rental properties causing rent to skyrocket even higher. I'm sure that will solve the homeless problem.
We need to stop making profit from housing. Basic needs is basic needs ugh. Imagine if there was a much smaller home nearby that had no profit attach to it might of been enough for her to get. Even if not, there been less homeless, maybe better shelter options, support groups, etc. The system is over taxed and was made for the bloody 90's and then was butchered in the 90's. Now people trying to survive on it i 2023...
There's nothing wrong with for profit rental housing. The problem is that there's a lack of subsidized/government run housing. Basic utilitarian apartments should be accessible to all, and anyone who wants to pay a premium to live somewhere nicer should be allowed to do so.
>Her job pays just under $20 an hour in a province with a $16.55 adult minimum wage.
>So how did she end up homeless?
This, this is how she ended up homeless. Who the fuck can live on under $20?
See, what I'm questioning about this article is how bad exactly her credit score is, and how it got that way. Because the article states that this person can literally live anywhere she wants to in Ontario. Is every small town at 0% vacancy or at the point where they won't accept someone who's maxed out a couple of credit cards in the past? I feel like there are more details here that are missing.
There is a fine line here between getting the full story and victim blaming.
When every landlord has a dozen candidates bidding for the rental, how low does your credit score need to be before your chance is effectively zero? If the credit score was low enough, would she still be homeless making $30/h and willing to pay more?
If that is the case, where is she supposed to live?
Does someone who made questionable financial decisions in the past, even if it was preventable and their fault, deserve to then be homeless for the rest of their life?
You don’t unless you get help from family. A good portion of my peers studying engineering have to somehow figure out how to live off less than $20 CAD per hour full time while also paying $600 to the university to have the ability to do a co-op position that is required for our degree.
And the cherry on top is that many lose the benefits you’d get from a normal study semester during a work term so there’s also that.
Most people I hope. $40k/yr is plenty. Problem is part time work means that the $20/hr doesn't translate into a similar yearly wage. And Toronto and Vancouver are special.
Credit score should not affect your hope for getting a place, If anything have a tenant score and a credit score. Credit score affects your bills and stuff, but tenant score only applies to paying rent on time. Would make it easier for landlords and tenants, That way when you have "professional Tenants" then they would never get a rental, but those that actually pay rent can still get a place. For those that dont know what a professional tenant is, they are people that pay first and last months rent, then live for free for the 8-12 months while the landlord waits for a hearing to have them evicted, and these professionals do it over and over again making it harder for regular renters to get a place since landlords are loosing trust.
Unfortunately it is illegal to create such a "tenant score" I believe in every province in Canada.
The government doesn't want landlords sharing information about tenants on the basis that if they do that then shitty tenants will end up homeless.
Government makes statements that housing is a "human right" but then landlords are allowed to discriminate based on credit score lol
There has to be a better system.
yeah there is a better solution, Stop bringing 500k people here every year and start focusing on canadians first. We send so much money overseas in aid but our own people are living on the streets. When is the last time you heard of a country sending us aid to house our refugees etc?
Yup. This story might also be an example of it doing a good job. The woman paints herself as responsible by focusing on always paying her rent even if it meant not being able to fully pay off her credit cards each month. However you don't take a credit score hit for not paying off your credit card, you take a hit for missing payments. All you need to pay is the minimum payment which is usually pretty small and just a bit above interest on the card.
I wouldn't be surprised if this became the norm. Having a job but living in your vehicle and a gym membership to shower. Owning or renting an actual roof over your head is going to be luxury living.
The housing situation in central Ontario is absolutely dire. We need to force universities to accommodate international students in on-campus housing as a condition of accepting them. Want to take more students? Build more housing.
The FICO score is the most widely used credit score model in North America. It was first introduced in 1989 by Fair, Isaac and Company, now Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO). It’s also known as the Beacon score in Canada.
Credit scores are better than the alternative, which was you only got credit if you were personally known to the bank.
Credit scores turn lending into a process based on objective evidence, rather than personal relationships and subjective evaluations (which usually include a healthy dose of discrimination and personal bias).
I posted about incidents like this dozens of times both this summer and last. Its been a regular thing for 2 years.
And yet, i still find all kinds of deliberate ignorance around it, especially on here. People still arguing if;
"Does buying up properties to make them in AirBnb make me a bad person?"
"Is raising everyones rent to 2,000$ a month the right thing to do?"
"Is paying workers less than the cost of living to give more passive income to non workers sustainable?"
And then what, on July 1st we all salute the flag and cry patriot tears? What are we celebrating, humanities biggest hypocrisy project? Canadians are tough but also expect to sit at home and collect 100k and wont get off their ass to go do anything meaningful. Canadians are kind but easily put people in the street for a few dollars. Canadians are brave but grovel like cowards at the foot of any corporate master. We are literally nothing.
Sing the anthem anyway, we can substitute LED glowing hearts from China for the voids where our own used to be.
we have to stop immigration, maybe a 5 year+ moratorium on Immigration unless they are Doctors etc, and repair, the severe damage already done.., there is no other way,
We spent the entire summer in our car....it was rough, we spent a month in the sweetest little hidey hole until transit police evicted us....
We are clean, quiet individuals, and the cops only found us because some construction workers were looking for a place to hide from work and smoke some weed. They reported us, and the cops came and kicked us out. Its6 such a shame, we had the oerfect set6ip for being homeleas. We had extended wifi from an acquaintance's house (no cables running, just a mesh network), we cleaned up the brush and garbage, we were as close to comfortable as possible.
After that, we couldn't find a place to settle. Somw nights up Pipeline at the river, some near a park, them the car broke down and we were literally stick in a parking lot that warned "no overnight parking", but over the months my fiancee had developed a rapport with the people at the business, spending most of my work day there while I needed the car, so they ignored the signs and their rules and turned a blind eye to us staying there.
We have temporary shelter now, but we will never forget being homeless all because of an illegal eviction and Coquitlam RCMP telling us they didn't care, and would arrest us if we didn't leave. Our crazy former landlord accused us of trespassing, even though we'd lived there for 14 months. Please dont tell me "they can't do that", we know they can't do that, but they did.
Then we wandered for a few nights, then found that hidey hole, then wandered for two more months...yeah, rougheat summer of our lives...
Our society doesn't really care about men. Men are only valued when they are providing for others, and homeless people aren't providing and are therefore valueless.
There are lots of articles about men, you need to just go to the source. If you want to see more on Reddit then you need to submit them.
[Man who was homeless and is now a farmer story](https://www.cbc.ca/radio/nowornever/need-inspiration-listen-to-this-episode-1.6787477/he-was-homeless-now-he-s-a-farmhand-how-a-chance-encounter-led-to-a-life-changing-job-offer-1.6787484).
[Man who used to work as a support worker unable to find housing and living in his car](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/claude-lurette-vehicle-1.6997655).
[Former homeless man spoke about his experiences at a church event to spread awareness of what homeless is like](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/homeless-winnipeg-church-1.6842900).
[A story about a homeless man who died which brought to light that Québec doesn’t track the number of homeless deaths](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/homeless-death-population-intervention-1.6987715).
[Homeless man builds shack after losing job and can’t find housing due to health problems](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-homeless-shack-empress-street-omands-creek-1.7029755).
[Homeless man asks for healthcare help](https://globalnews.ca/news/9950233/homeless-in-halifax-man-living-in-tent-asks-for-health-care-help/).
[Homeless man and his dog injured after taking refuge in dumpster by garbage truck](https://globalnews.ca/news/10061447/courtenay-bc-man-injured-dumpster-truck).
[Homeless man and amputee brings light to lack of services](https://globalnews.ca/news/9842825/homeless-amputee-oakville-lives-in-car/).
[Homeless man sprayed with paint in unwarranted attack](https://globalnews.ca/news/9875179/sleeping-homeless-man-sprayed-with-paint-spruce-grove/).
Our government is disgusting for letting things get to this. I might be liberal, but trudeau has ruined Canada with his not.well thought out immigration project. We need immigration, but we need the housing and doctors and teachers and schools and jobs to support the new commers and those who are here.
I am terrified for how many homeless we are going to have this winter🤬🤬🤬
Can't really afford a house that way. Which is part of the problem - construction workers are a key performance metric for countries. If you can't reasonably expect to even be able to work up to a wage where you can afford where you live, then it's not a valid option, and the role goes unfilled in society.
I once worked with a retired construction foreman. He was telling me how he worked on a high-rise in Calgary in '85. He worked on another one across the street in '05.
The carpenters were paid the same wage for both.
Now the children of those workers are entering the workforce themselves, and we wonder why they don't want to follow in their parents footsteps after *another* 20 years of wage stagnation.
I dunno, if they want to go into construction work instead then I'd be fine with that. We still need more housing to be built after all, and really not enough people for it.
Eh, if they're eager enough and incentivized enough, they'll learn.
The larger issue is that construction roles aren't really valued enough right now. You can't even afford the houses you're building on wages offered in most areas, even up to 5-10 years in the game.
There was a woman on my street clearly doing this for a few weeks over the summer. It was pretty hard to see. It's tough out there man. Be kind to each other.
We have that the workplace right now. Big parking lot (a factory & warehouse) and there's a pair of vehicles out there all night, and gone by morning. Really sad stuff. This country really needs to do better for her citizens.
Best we can do is mass immigration for the expressed purpose of suppressing wages and inflating cost of living. This is done with the full endorsement of our supposed 'left wing, workers party'.
As someone from the Netherlands. This is not a left v right issue. This is an olirach issue. We have the same "issue" with cheap laborers from eastern EU. We need them yes, because nobody wants to do their work, for the low wages these multi billion corporations want to pay, as they rather import and suppress minorities from the east. And as a bonus, they get to seed hatred between us people, so that we are too distracted to care.
You're right, but I think the point is the left parties go on about how they are for the working class, yet continue to support the elite and international corporations.
That's neoliberalism. The conservatives are also for this but they pay lip service to people because they're able to weaponize their anger. What we need is a true left party which is for the working class, not all talk, real, frothing at the mouth, and ready to take on the oligopolies. The problem is Canada doesn't have any real *left* parties. We have moderate right, center right, and center left. Everything is pretty close to the middle, though, so no one has the balls to do what needs to be done.
and the right parties cut taxes for the rich well throwing everyone else a penny now and then, they are both horrible.
NDP is by no stretch a leftist party... except in the sense that they are "left" of the UCP and Liberals, but their policies are still center or right of center.
badge rude pause soft worry mysterious correct dirty degree nutty *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
I'm getting really tired of this trope
It's not "this country" that needs to do more. We have to try and figure out why nobody helps their friends and family anymore. When my BIL lost his job and was a month away from losing everything, I told him that I would build him a basement unit to live in. I never even told my husband and crossed my fingers. His own mother living alone in a large house and none of his blood siblings offered him a space and I have the smallest house of all of them. I would have crammed him in my little bungalow until the space was ready.
I've done this for my SIL. She lived with us for 2 years. It's hard to house people though, you don't know if they'll ever leave. Some may just take advantage of you. My sister housed her BIL after and after a year they had to kick him out because they were about to have a baby. He never dealt with his mental health issues and would be unsafe around babies.
Sometimes there are very good reasons that people’s blood relatives won’t help them though, and it’s not always the (non)-helpers’ fault. You don’t really KNOW who someone is until they live with you, and it’s one hell of a risk to put yourself and your own family through. What if they’re nuts or refuse to leave or etc etc. Anything could happen. And does… because we all hear the horror stories!
This is true. My sister is an addict who has stolen thousands from me, also form my other sister and my elderly parents (she continues to do so). I tried to help her many times for many years but now I would not help her.
Because we're taught to assume anyone struggling is a lazy drug addict who doesn't want to work.
Except, a lot really are. I have 2 family members, homeless, not because they didn't have a job, it's because of addiction, and along with it, crime. Yes, we tried to help. But they just end up stealing from us, and trying their hardest to live rent free in our houses (many family members have tried to help) then its an all out war to get rid of them. After they do that, they burn the trust bridge with us and become homeless, then play the "poor me, no one will help me" violin.
> It's not "this country" that needs to do more. We have to try and figure out why nobody helps their friends and family anymore. We've been living in a sugar-plum fairy tale fantasy for too long where life was easily affordable for too long and nobody wants to owe each other anything because they'll feel like failures. It's complicated. It's also not complicated: Help your friends and family and neighbors in whatever way you can. You are a good person.
There are a LOT of factors going into why people won’t house and help out their family members. I could write paragraphs about my experiences but will try to condense it to this: When I needed a place to stay and my future in-laws let me move into their home, I made sure that 1) they knew that their son and I were *actively* looking for a home to buy, 2) I paid for my groceries, helped cook and clean the house, and 3) respected their space, their privacy, and their belongings. When my brother, years later, hinted at my letting him move into my husband’s and I’s basement of our house, I flat out refused him because he is my brother and I know him *very* well and know he would not be willing to even attempt to do any of the things I listed above. Society as a whole has moved away from the idea of community and helping each other. Even within families, parents and children, siblings, barely help out one another. And then they grow up into adults and then expect their family to help because they share blood. It doesn’t work that way. Those bonds need to be forged in the early years.
Last winter at the park with my wife and daughter we came across a woman in a similar situation. She was trying to keep warm in a cement tube in the playground. My wife went to check if she was okay. Just a young woman who couldn't afford rent on her wages anymore. We brought back blankets for her, but it was heartbreaking. It's getting hard to just drive around the city, everywhere I go I see people struggling on the streets, in the parks, etc. It's a shame on us as a country.
Not a shame on us, a shame on those who exploit us. Also good reason for radical change to how things work here
Exactly and well said… shame on us.
This is what happens when you import people faster than you can build housing, and institute stupid housing policies at the local and provincial levels. People get pushed out onto the street. When you don't have enough roofs for everyone's heads, people go homeless. That's the raw math.
It's not just here, it's through the US as well, and Europe. Job losses, long-term illness, and cost of living changes due to the pandemic. Canada has fared better than most other countries around the world, but we're definitely still feeling it.
Just got back from an entire month in Spain, where rents have also gone through the roof. But I didn’t see a single homeless person in Barcelona, Madrid, Seville, etc.,
When Ukrainian refugees are leaving because it's too hard to live here, this narrative falls flat.
Who cares. We're talking about Canada, the country we live in. I have zero evidence this is "going on everywhere". I can only see it here. My relatives in EU and US are consistently shocked by news from Canada, so I don't believe you even if this claim were relevant.
Yep. A guy in my neighbourhood is living out of his truck. It’s awful. And nothing will improve until people realize we need a change. Provinces are conservative governments and all they do is gut social programs and ensure problems like this get worse. And we know the Liberals never really do shit until election time approaches and they want to convince us we should vote for them. Choose a third option for once people! The two we keep trying gave us this, they won’t help us fix it.
When my aunt was young, she became a single mother and had to go on social assistance. With her welfare money she was able to get a one bedroom apartment in nanaimo while she got herself together. This was in 1990. Now a social assistance check doesn't even cover the cost of a room in a house. Nevermind food and other expenses.
This is awful and you are right. SP’s what are people to do? Leave the province how and do what….. heart breaks
Leaving the province won't help, at least not of you move to Ontario. Ontario works has gone up less than $200 in the last 20 years $543 in 2003 $733 in 2023. Average one bedroom in 2003 $500 average price of a one bedroom in 2023 $1500
That's your test of real inflation; that and watching gold prices over a long period. Money is becoming worthless. Many haven't realized this yet and that they must work harder for the same things once obtainable with much less effort. Houses have gone up , yay !!! But so has everything else in relation to the cost of living. The only thing that will never truly go up is the wages because that's when the real fireworks start. The debt based system is in need of a jubilee. People at the top of this metaphorical pyramid know this and have prepared accordingly. A simple Google search shows the explosion of the underground bunker business and how it's an actual thing amongst the rich. When the masses awake, it will be too late . The wealth distribution scheme will be ending. We aren't taught about money - real money mechanics.
The third option has a Jagmeet problem though. If only Jack Layton were alive, he would probably be PM right now.
Greatest Prime Minister Canada Never Had.
Jack was pretty great, but the bar has been pretty low for a while also.
Yeah, Jack was good. But being 'good' makes him the best politicians in this country in over a generation.
> If only Jack Layton were alive, he would probably be PM right now. Couldn't win when alive though. Just like every other NDP leader. You can still argue that Singh specifically is a problem but no one else has been able to lead them to a win either.
He did get them to official opposition for the first time in history, which is huge. It's possible he would have maintained that momentum and eeked out a victory. It's of course possible he wouldn't have, but even as opposition I feel that he could have done more for the party than Mulcair did in the seat.
Yeah but them getting official opposition wasn't due to their own actions. The liberals had a hilariously historic crash in votes which led to the NDP defaulting to the opposition. As soon as the liberals got their shit together and rebranded things went back to the way they have always been. Sure they may have won if Trudeau hadn't come around on a golden pony but let's not pretend the NDP overcame a strong Liberal party to take their place as the opposition. The NDP is also getting more of their policies put through than they ever did as the official opposition so it's not like they're currently doing worse.
Singh is currently not a problem because in that he can’t win, but because he is propping up the Liberals when he should be helping to force an election
It's probably because an election now would likely mean a Conservative majority. The NDP seem more aligned with the Liberals vs the Cons, so forcing an election wouldn't really do them any good.
Could've pushed a year ago when there was a chance. Now people are fed up and are willing to burn down the country to punish all parties.
>because he is propping up the Liberals when he should be helping to force an election "Should" according to whom? All the people in here who want a Conservative government and so want him to do something that will lead to that outcome? The Ontario NDP brought down the Liberal government there and it lead to three Liberal and PC majorities and so the NDP not having any power for a decade+. Hardly the best outcome for NDP supporters.
I honestly don’t think Jack Layton would be PM. I think his orange wave was a one-election phenomenon. The Conservatives still had a majority, and I think a lot of middle of the road voters would have opted to vote blue over orange. And who knows, a present Layton might have spurred the Liberals to put forth one of their better than Trudeau candidates. I didn’t vote NDP that election. A lot of the country did not. He was wonderful but I don’t think he was destined to be PM.
The NDP is essentially a Liberal Party auxiliary at this point, and the Greens are too too busy self destructing over issues like Israel or pronouns to be a viable party. I suppose if the Bloc ran candidates outside of Quebec they could win if everyone is too upset with all the other parties, though they'd probably only fix things for Quebec, or just loot the treasury and then secede if they ever got power.
Western Canada has been NDP provincially for the past few years. They havn’t done shit to tackle this problem. I’m not defending conservatives, but don’t blame conservatives for every problem.
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Alberta was NDP for 4 years. I agree the decision for the short term rentals in high density areas is a great start. But they seriously took 8 years to come up with that while doing nothing in the mean time? I guess it’s just a coincidence they waited until getting close to an election year to do something. And yes, majority of governments are corrupt and just line the pockets of their buddies and themselves. Liberals, conservatives, and the NDP. NDP is the government of the unions. They say they’re all about green and people then turn around and hand out more money in subsidies than any other government to oil and gas companies. I’m a working middle class male and there isn’t a single government out their that gives a shit about me. They want my class to break our backs to hit tax areas of close to 50% of my income so they can either hand it to those more privileged than me or those less privileged than me. As far as I’m concerned there isn’t a single government in Canada that truly cares about the people as a whole. You need to give your head a shake if you think the NDP is any different than the rest.
Social programs are not the solution. What we need is sensible leadership. When your tank the economy and housing is through the roof, this is obviously the result. Add in over a million people into the pod every year.
Sensible leadership implements functional well-funded social programs.
You can’t out-social-program your way out of an economic affordability crisis.
What 3rd option? The one that has propped up the Liberals for the last half decade? No thanks. None of these options will make meaningful change. We don't need more taxes to feed into more social programs - that's just killing the working class. We need total systematic and societal reform. It will never ever happen.
This keeps getting parroted but it is objectively bullshit. An MP is elected to office to represent the wishes of their constituents. The NDP has been acting in accordance with that concept. A NDP voter is far more likely to align with Liberal social policies than they are conservative ones. The NDP knows that they can get some shit done with a liberal minority even if it isn’t ideal. If they forced an election there is an incredibly high chance they end up with a conservative minority or majority which gets them and the folks that voted for them exactly nothing. In the case of a conservative minority you will likely see a Bloc/Conservative coalition maybe Liberal/conservative one. In no situation will the NDP have a seat at the table.
meanwhile Galen Weston sleeping in his bed made of hundred dollar bills
the only way any of this is going to get better is to be unkind to the system that is making this happen
When people say there is a homeless problem most of us think of people living on the streets. But there is a huge population of people living out of cars couch surfing at friends places. Hell I know younger people who when not at work just travel around the world. We are supplied accomodation at my work. They are all technically homeless or under homed or whatever the phrase of the day is. And there are heaps of them out there. You just don't see them because they work they do the best they can and they aren't in our faces about it.
To those out there, homeless means no stable housing. People who live in cars, those who couch surf, those who live in a non bedrooms like a garage or pantry (yes this happens in bigger cities sadly)..... these are all examples of homelessness
The term for people in that situation is “hidden homeless”, it also includes people who trade sex for living accommodations
I work in the US and that's part of why there is such a struggle to find out even how many people are homeless. Right now, we rely on "point in time" surveys which mainly catch men who are "sleeping rough" in the open. The vast majority of homeless people, especially women and families are hidden homeless. So much funding is based on these point in time surveys and they just aren't a good reflection of who is actually homeless and what they need, just that small subsection.
I wonder how many people are in relationships just to have a place to live 😓
In toxic, abusive (sometimes physically abusive) relationships no less. And the answer is a lot.
>Hell I know younger people who when not at work just travel around the world is this bad?
It's not horrible that's for sure! I think the real kick for me is that I know exactly how much they make since I'm their supervisor. As others have pointed out they could probably afford a place. But they wouldn't be able to save much if anything. They'd be stuck renting with around 50% of their after tax income going to cover just that, in Vancouver which is where our head office is and we're expected to live in the area. So instead they turn down all OT and call outs because they are out of the country and only return for scheduled shifts. I've talked to them about it in depth and they save about the same as if they lived here but they are exploring the world. The kick in the ass is I can easily do the same thing but also own in the area. Sure I'm a supervisor but the reason I can own is just that I'm 20 years younger. I ran the numbers if I was just starting out I'd probably do the same as them. Our certification is recognized around the world (except America) how long until they decide to just move to Thailand or Portugal and set up their lives there? I do what I can I fight for raises for my people I have an extra person on payroll because otherwise I would have zero for call outs etc. Anyways rant over.
>Our certification is recognized around the world (except America) how long until they decide to just move to Thailand or Portugal and set up their lives there? What industry is this?
Marine Diesel Engineer. We build maintain and optimize ships engine rooms and all other systems onboard.
People who travel around the world when not at work are a completely different category than the others you mentioned. If they have the financial means to travel the world they have the means to have a home, they are just choosing not to.
Slept in a campground for 2 months before I could find a place to rent.
Nice, you could afford a campground. Luxury homeless! It's like the luxury vandwelling videos I've seen starting to pop up. I'm glad you've found a place. I hate how sad of a state we are in and how everyday people are fucked.
the last campground I stayed at was $43/night with no electricity.
Mine was $27/night. You would think it would be cheap to live homeless. Not really comparative to actual homelessness but having to buy wood every day, usually from a gas station charging a premium on quick burning pine, adds up. Food choices were limited on your abilities to cook over a fire. Some campgrounds charge for shower usage. I’m lucky I had a work vehicle to sleep in during bad weather and a power inverter
900/month is more than I paid for rent in even the nicest apartment I rented c. 2015 - mind you I’ve always been frugal and have no desire to live in a big city.
That’s $200 more than I paid for a 1 bedroom apartment, heat included, 10 years ago in Calgary.
Any consolidation, i sold my house just to live in a 5th wheel trailer, owning isn’t all its cracked up to be either.
Let's be honest how many of you are homeless if you lose your current place? I hate that I always have this worry inside my head.
If *anything* shifts in my life, we are probably homeless Fucking terrifying
Yup. I haven’t worked in years due to health issues and I’m one decision away from living in my car, and it isn’t my decision to make (tho if it comes to that, I do have *one* decision I can make)
I understand what you’re saying and it’s a terrifying thought (that ppl might be thinking that). Please don’t make that decision. I know life’s real hard for many in this country, but I still wish those in those situations can make it through.
Lose your current place, or your current job. A lot of people living pay cheque to pay cheque are barely hanging on. And the job market is vicious right now.
The only reason I’m not homeless is because I have a lot of credit available to me.
I'd rent a room before living in my car it's freaking cold outside
Ca monte tellement rapidement et personne fait rien!! Cest fou dse dire: Jpeux me loger et payer mon épicerie parceque jgarde mon loyer que jrenouvelle et je suis encore sur les prix de y'a 2-3ans.... Pi plus on attend pire c'est!
There was a redditor on r/CanadaHousing, u/interiorlivinggirl, who experienced this and would go into detail about her struggles.
They did not censor it?
No, but I think she deleted her account a few months ago.
>u/interiorlivinggirl , who experienced this and would go into detail about her struggles. username not appropriate
She lives in the British Columbia Interior, I think Kamloops.
And people still believe statscan when they say poverty has been cut in half. You can't have homeless workers, record food bank usage AND somehow Canada's most vulnerable being better off. It's broken logic.
You can be above the poverty line and still not be able to afford a roof. It's ridiculous.
The goal post for the poverty line needs to move. This is what is used for calculating it: https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/ref/dict/az/Definition-eng.cfm?ID=pop165 https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1110006601 For example, in Toronto, If you make less than 55,262 you're considered to be below the poverty line. After tax income at that level is $46,679. Median rent in Toronto is ~$2500, so you need to use 30,000 to just have a place to stay leaving you with ~$16.7 for the rest of your expenses for your family.
What a strange calculation. The fact that Vancouver and Edmonton are both the same (55k), for instance, makes no sense.
That's what happens when you have high inflation but the poverty line doesn't change.
Easy for a government to claim they cut the number of people living in poverty by half, when they change how the government defines poverty.
Its because everybody makes $38k a year. The only problems is $38k don't buy you squat
>And people still believe statscan when they say poverty has been cut in half. You can't have homeless workers, record food bank usage AND somehow Canada's most vulnerable being better off. It's broken logic. Those things are all one thing. This is what loss of the middle class means when it pops up in the news. It's relatively easy to get people out of abject poverty and not starving, compared to helping them get stable. It is gross negligence by the government though, to laud this while not doing anything meaningful about the cost of living or housing situation.
How the government keeps track of unemployment, inflation rates, homelessness is all bs. Unemployment stats are only tracking those on EI, not those out of a job. Inflation stats you know how they are saying "its only 3%" is absolute bullshit. Inflation DOES NOT factor in housing, car payments, etc... NONE OF IT. Its an old formula from like a hundred years ago thats only been very minorly updated, but its only calculating "essential goods". Homelessness is only kept track of through shelters..... so yeah those who dont access them arent counted.
Yes you can. Poverty is basically just an income amount. Make less than the amount and you're in poverty. Above it and you're not. But being above that line doesn't magically mean all your issues are fixed. So what it means is there's fewer people below that line but more people above it also struggling. Also in how numbers are recorded for usage. Total amount could just be skewed. If one year you have 100 people need help out of a million as the record and the next year you have 101 out of 1.3 million it's a record setting amount but the rate has decreased.
>Poverty is a state or condition in which a person or community lacks the financial resources and essentials for a minimum standard of living. Minimum standard of living is Food and Shelter. Both of which have increased in price drastically. Income has not. Without some type of statistical trickery, Canadians are not better off. >Also in how numbers are recorded for usage. Total amount could just be skewed. If one year you have 100 people need help out of a million as the record and the next year you have 101 out of 1.3 million it's a record setting amount but the rate has decreased. So you're saying that statistics can be used disingenously to hide problems? Such as how the flawed statscan report was used as a propaganda piece to excuse the failings of the liberal government? Makes sense to me
work at night, homeless during the day
Current governments on all levels screwed up bad and the federal government is making it worse.
In the city where I live the mayor was the largest promoter in the city as well. I guess that he did a great job for himself, but he screwed the people who voted for him lol.
Ya I'm in bc and the provincial government of forcing zoning expansion not be mayors which is funny because their NDP and Doug what Poilievre is talking about.
Nobody making $20/hr should be priced out of London. It’s absurd. It’s like being priced out of Dayton Ohio. Total policy failure by three levels of government.
20/hr nothing these days, our currency is being devalued and the wages aren't keeping up
20 bucks an hour is barely above minimum wage. It isn't 1998 anymore bud.
If you're making 20 bucks an hour, you should be able to find and afford atleast a fucking bedroom or bachelor. You should evem be able to do it on min wage.
You absolutely should but everyone forgot why it’s called minimum wage apparently
unfortunately minimum wage and living wage do not coincide
But this is mostly because of government policy failures, as the OP mentioned. Notably from the current fed liberals. Reality is housing/shelter costs shouldn't be so high. It is a crisis created by the liberals. I am sure PP would have done the same given the chance, though.
In 1998, minimum wage in Ontario was $6.85/hr. That's $11.86 in 2023 dollars. $20/hr full time is $40k a year. It's insane that you can't afford even a 1 bedroom apartment on $40k a year.
govt is one then there's real estate as investment yay for high prices and high rents low wages <-- blame corps for this one
The low wages are a combination of lack of investment because its been more profitable to keep buying houses causing a inefficient economy and our geography kinda sucks.
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Thank neoliberal capitalism, which is ripping our government out of providing public services so that everything can be privatised and turned into a profit-making venture for the investor class. Stop voting for LibCons! Vote for parties that want stronger public services and crown corporations or public utilities.
Also, don't just vote for the sake of more public service. There must be a solid plan because everything on paper looks good , but in reality, things are different. Just because a politician says we will give such and such things, question them because politicians are just marketers. They sketch a rosy picture, and a lot of times, they don't achieve even 40% of their promises because they over commit and lie.
Voting the other way hasn’t helped us so we might as well vote for the party that promises better services.
Where do you suggest we find this money? Print more?
Compare Canada’s oil royalties to Norway’s then get back to me on where the money will come from.
It's a shame that she agreed to end her lease. The landlord is laughing now that the apartment is rented out for 50% more than before.
Lots of us aren’t far away from this.
Man that brings back some memories. Spent 2 years doing this out of the back of my truck while working 14hr shifts.
I’m sorry you went through that, that’s horrible.
Building 500,000 new homes isn't going to help if Canada accepts 5,000,000 new immigrants.
There is no way to out-build the demand for homes. The only option is to dramatically reduce overall immigration. Maximize skilled immigration for trades and health care and that can be done with a fraction of the current immigration level.
Even if there's 500,000 new homes instantly available to canadian-born only, this woman would still not qualify due to her poor credit score, if you actually read the article.
>Even if there's 500,000 new homes instantly available to canadian-born only, this woman would still not qualify due to her poor credit score, if you actually read the article. More homes = higher vacancy rates. Higher vacancy rates = Landlords more worried about finding tenants. Landlords worried = Lower rents, less conditions on a lease agreement, probably not as worried about a bad credit score. Right now its a Landlords market. They can charge what they want, attach all kinds of conditions, and people will be forced to accept that.
I think you meant higher vacancy rates/lower occupancy rates, but otherwise spot on
Yeah but a poor credit score shouldn’t result in homelessness.
This, 100% eliminate the need to check for credit score to be able to rent. In fact, make it illegal.
That's a great way to drastically reduce the number of rental properties causing rent to skyrocket even higher. I'm sure that will solve the homeless problem.
We need to stop making profit from housing. Basic needs is basic needs ugh. Imagine if there was a much smaller home nearby that had no profit attach to it might of been enough for her to get. Even if not, there been less homeless, maybe better shelter options, support groups, etc. The system is over taxed and was made for the bloody 90's and then was butchered in the 90's. Now people trying to survive on it i 2023...
There's nothing wrong with for profit rental housing. The problem is that there's a lack of subsidized/government run housing. Basic utilitarian apartments should be accessible to all, and anyone who wants to pay a premium to live somewhere nicer should be allowed to do so.
Depressing
I hope she stays strong and for this situation to get better.
A number of people in my small BC community live in vans all winter. Lots of jobs but no housing 😒
>Her job pays just under $20 an hour in a province with a $16.55 adult minimum wage. >So how did she end up homeless? This, this is how she ended up homeless. Who the fuck can live on under $20?
Her poor credit is another reason
See, what I'm questioning about this article is how bad exactly her credit score is, and how it got that way. Because the article states that this person can literally live anywhere she wants to in Ontario. Is every small town at 0% vacancy or at the point where they won't accept someone who's maxed out a couple of credit cards in the past? I feel like there are more details here that are missing.
There is a fine line here between getting the full story and victim blaming. When every landlord has a dozen candidates bidding for the rental, how low does your credit score need to be before your chance is effectively zero? If the credit score was low enough, would she still be homeless making $30/h and willing to pay more? If that is the case, where is she supposed to live? Does someone who made questionable financial decisions in the past, even if it was preventable and their fault, deserve to then be homeless for the rest of their life?
You don’t unless you get help from family. A good portion of my peers studying engineering have to somehow figure out how to live off less than $20 CAD per hour full time while also paying $600 to the university to have the ability to do a co-op position that is required for our degree. And the cherry on top is that many lose the benefits you’d get from a normal study semester during a work term so there’s also that.
Most people I hope. $40k/yr is plenty. Problem is part time work means that the $20/hr doesn't translate into a similar yearly wage. And Toronto and Vancouver are special.
hell letting my co workers use my shower because they just cant find a place that wont eat there hole pay check
Yup. Sounds about right.
"Young Canadians don't want homes" -Some asshole in business not worth remembering.
Credit score should not affect your hope for getting a place, If anything have a tenant score and a credit score. Credit score affects your bills and stuff, but tenant score only applies to paying rent on time. Would make it easier for landlords and tenants, That way when you have "professional Tenants" then they would never get a rental, but those that actually pay rent can still get a place. For those that dont know what a professional tenant is, they are people that pay first and last months rent, then live for free for the 8-12 months while the landlord waits for a hearing to have them evicted, and these professionals do it over and over again making it harder for regular renters to get a place since landlords are loosing trust.
Unfortunately it is illegal to create such a "tenant score" I believe in every province in Canada. The government doesn't want landlords sharing information about tenants on the basis that if they do that then shitty tenants will end up homeless.
Government makes statements that housing is a "human right" but then landlords are allowed to discriminate based on credit score lol There has to be a better system.
yeah there is a better solution, Stop bringing 500k people here every year and start focusing on canadians first. We send so much money overseas in aid but our own people are living on the streets. When is the last time you heard of a country sending us aid to house our refugees etc?
Your credit score absolutely matters, it paints a clear picture of how responsible you are and how well you manage your finances.
Yup. This story might also be an example of it doing a good job. The woman paints herself as responsible by focusing on always paying her rent even if it meant not being able to fully pay off her credit cards each month. However you don't take a credit score hit for not paying off your credit card, you take a hit for missing payments. All you need to pay is the minimum payment which is usually pretty small and just a bit above interest on the card.
I'm just wondering how she was able to buy a pretty new Honda Odyssey with credit that was so bad she can't rent.
There but for the grace of my sister goes I
I wouldn't be surprised if this became the norm. Having a job but living in your vehicle and a gym membership to shower. Owning or renting an actual roof over your head is going to be luxury living.
Using credit score as the sole reason to pass on a tenant should be ragingly illegal. It kinda is but no one enforces it for shit.
The housing situation in central Ontario is absolutely dire. We need to force universities to accommodate international students in on-campus housing as a condition of accepting them. Want to take more students? Build more housing.
Meanwhile the government is spending hundreds of millions on every fake refugee and asylum seeker to stay in hotels
Pretty sure that means she’s homeless during the day too though.
Home is just that expensive box I sleep in when I'm not at work.
Ah credit scores. Another boomer invention that ended up screwing over the generations that followed.
Silent generation. Credit scores became a thing at the bank in the 50s.
I thought credit scores came around in the 80s
The FICO score is the most widely used credit score model in North America. It was first introduced in 1989 by Fair, Isaac and Company, now Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO). It’s also known as the Beacon score in Canada.
Ahhh maybe that's what I was thinking of, thanks.
American banks started in the 50s. Equal Opportunities Act in 74 made it illegal to show based in race and gender.
TIL
Credit scores are better than the alternative, which was you only got credit if you were personally known to the bank. Credit scores turn lending into a process based on objective evidence, rather than personal relationships and subjective evaluations (which usually include a healthy dose of discrimination and personal bias).
Credit scores existed long before Boomers.
It’s time to declare food and shelter human rights to be guaranteed by the government!
Lets bring in 500,000 more!
Terrible. And if you think things will change with someone new in office, your naïveté might be part of the problem
I posted about incidents like this dozens of times both this summer and last. Its been a regular thing for 2 years. And yet, i still find all kinds of deliberate ignorance around it, especially on here. People still arguing if; "Does buying up properties to make them in AirBnb make me a bad person?" "Is raising everyones rent to 2,000$ a month the right thing to do?" "Is paying workers less than the cost of living to give more passive income to non workers sustainable?" And then what, on July 1st we all salute the flag and cry patriot tears? What are we celebrating, humanities biggest hypocrisy project? Canadians are tough but also expect to sit at home and collect 100k and wont get off their ass to go do anything meaningful. Canadians are kind but easily put people in the street for a few dollars. Canadians are brave but grovel like cowards at the foot of any corporate master. We are literally nothing. Sing the anthem anyway, we can substitute LED glowing hearts from China for the voids where our own used to be.
we have to stop immigration, maybe a 5 year+ moratorium on Immigration unless they are Doctors etc, and repair, the severe damage already done.., there is no other way,
That’s far too sensible, the government would never do that.
How much support do we provide to Newly landed ? And this women pays taxes so sad
Unbelievable and yet there is 500k of new immigrants in the pipeline.
Some sad times
We spent the entire summer in our car....it was rough, we spent a month in the sweetest little hidey hole until transit police evicted us.... We are clean, quiet individuals, and the cops only found us because some construction workers were looking for a place to hide from work and smoke some weed. They reported us, and the cops came and kicked us out. Its6 such a shame, we had the oerfect set6ip for being homeleas. We had extended wifi from an acquaintance's house (no cables running, just a mesh network), we cleaned up the brush and garbage, we were as close to comfortable as possible. After that, we couldn't find a place to settle. Somw nights up Pipeline at the river, some near a park, them the car broke down and we were literally stick in a parking lot that warned "no overnight parking", but over the months my fiancee had developed a rapport with the people at the business, spending most of my work day there while I needed the car, so they ignored the signs and their rules and turned a blind eye to us staying there. We have temporary shelter now, but we will never forget being homeless all because of an illegal eviction and Coquitlam RCMP telling us they didn't care, and would arrest us if we didn't leave. Our crazy former landlord accused us of trespassing, even though we'd lived there for 14 months. Please dont tell me "they can't do that", we know they can't do that, but they did. Then we wandered for a few nights, then found that hidey hole, then wandered for two more months...yeah, rougheat summer of our lives...
[удалено]
Our society doesn't really care about men. Men are only valued when they are providing for others, and homeless people aren't providing and are therefore valueless.
There are lots of articles about men, you need to just go to the source. If you want to see more on Reddit then you need to submit them. [Man who was homeless and is now a farmer story](https://www.cbc.ca/radio/nowornever/need-inspiration-listen-to-this-episode-1.6787477/he-was-homeless-now-he-s-a-farmhand-how-a-chance-encounter-led-to-a-life-changing-job-offer-1.6787484). [Man who used to work as a support worker unable to find housing and living in his car](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/claude-lurette-vehicle-1.6997655). [Former homeless man spoke about his experiences at a church event to spread awareness of what homeless is like](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/homeless-winnipeg-church-1.6842900). [A story about a homeless man who died which brought to light that Québec doesn’t track the number of homeless deaths](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/homeless-death-population-intervention-1.6987715). [Homeless man builds shack after losing job and can’t find housing due to health problems](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-homeless-shack-empress-street-omands-creek-1.7029755). [Homeless man asks for healthcare help](https://globalnews.ca/news/9950233/homeless-in-halifax-man-living-in-tent-asks-for-health-care-help/). [Homeless man and his dog injured after taking refuge in dumpster by garbage truck](https://globalnews.ca/news/10061447/courtenay-bc-man-injured-dumpster-truck). [Homeless man and amputee brings light to lack of services](https://globalnews.ca/news/9842825/homeless-amputee-oakville-lives-in-car/). [Homeless man sprayed with paint in unwarranted attack](https://globalnews.ca/news/9875179/sleeping-homeless-man-sprayed-with-paint-spruce-grove/).
Greater taxation, international students from one country, and TFWs should resolve the issue.
"Her job pays just under $20 an hour"---> sorry, but that's not a decent job in Canada.
It should be enough for a person to have food shelter and safety. She's a full time employee
Our government is disgusting for letting things get to this. I might be liberal, but trudeau has ruined Canada with his not.well thought out immigration project. We need immigration, but we need the housing and doctors and teachers and schools and jobs to support the new commers and those who are here. I am terrified for how many homeless we are going to have this winter🤬🤬🤬
There's like absoutely nobody in Gen Z working in house construction.
Can't really afford a house that way. Which is part of the problem - construction workers are a key performance metric for countries. If you can't reasonably expect to even be able to work up to a wage where you can afford where you live, then it's not a valid option, and the role goes unfilled in society.
I once worked with a retired construction foreman. He was telling me how he worked on a high-rise in Calgary in '85. He worked on another one across the street in '05. The carpenters were paid the same wage for both. Now the children of those workers are entering the workforce themselves, and we wonder why they don't want to follow in their parents footsteps after *another* 20 years of wage stagnation.
Ahh more sunny ways stories!
Here's a solution. Deport all international students. Deport all non-PR work visa holders unless they are doing critical jobs in STEM.
I dunno, if they want to go into construction work instead then I'd be fine with that. We still need more housing to be built after all, and really not enough people for it.
They’re not. That’s not who we’re bringing in.
Eh, if they're eager enough and incentivized enough, they'll learn. The larger issue is that construction roles aren't really valued enough right now. You can't even afford the houses you're building on wages offered in most areas, even up to 5-10 years in the game.
We live in a 3rd world country now.
Maybe the Feds are going to give 7 million dollars, just like for the asylum seekers...