For more than twenty years, we’ve been working hard to tackle youth homelessness. Yet, too many young people in Vancouver and all across Canada still face homelessness or are at risk of it. Just last year, at least 681 young people were homeless every night in Vancouver alone. This number is far too high. This problem isn’t limited to Vancouver. Across Canada, about 30,000 young people experience homelessness each year. These young people are among the most vulnerable in our communities. They’ve faced tough challenges, and their future remains uncertain and risky.

Who Are The Young People Experiencing Homelessness?

While anyone can be at risk of not having a place to live, certain factors make some people more likely to face homelessness. Researchers study this to learn who is homeless at any given time. In 2018, the first Youth Homelessness Count in Metro Vancouver was done. It showed that certain young people are more likely to be homeless.

They found that 681 young people (aged 13-24) were homeless just in Metro Vancouver. Of those people,

• 52% left home because of problems with their families
• 50% were or had been in government care
• 42% were First Nations, Metis, or Inuit
• 26% were LGBTQ2S
• 72% said they had a mental illness
• 22% said they had a physical disability

Why Are These Young People At Risk Of Homelessness?

There are many reasons why young people become homeless, and it’s not simple. Poverty, inequality, discrimination, lack of housing, and not feeling included all play a part. These things can affect families for generations. Poverty and inequality can lead to fights in families, mental health problems, and young people going into government care. Feeling alone and not being part of a community can make it more likely that young people will end up without a place to live.

In Canada, 58% of young people who are homeless have been in child protection.

Young people in government care are especially at risk of becoming homeless. When they turn 19, their government helps stops, and they have to figure everything out on their own right away. Unlike other young people, whose parents keep helping them until they’re in their twenties; those leaving care have to be totally independent at just 19. Often they haven’t learned all the things they need to know or gotten the help they need to do well. And it’s almost impossible to get and keep a job without a safe, cheap place to live. Without help, it’s really hard for young people to start living on their own successfully.

Youth Homelessness: A Problem That Can Be Solved

We now understand why young people become homeless and how we can stop it. There are many complicated reasons, but we can take steps to help before it happens. We need to provide support quickly to help young people learn skills, feel part of a community, find affordable housing, and get good jobs. No young person should ever have to be homeless, and there is so much we can do now to make sure they never are in the future.