The homeless population is generally quite mobile. Homeless individuals may travel often or across large distances to secure material resources, access services, and maintain personal relationships. For First Nations people who are homeless, this traveling often includes visits to reserves where they may have lived previously. There are many reasons why a First Nations person may choose to return to a reserve after living in a city, and also many reasons why they may decide to leave a reserve. These decisions are primarily based on balancing needs for resources, relationships, safety, and emotional well-being. Because of the devastating and long-lasting effects of forced assimilation and residential schools, First Nations reserves in Canada frequently have high rates of poverty, unemployment, and social disruption. However, this study reveals how reserves are also seen as social and economic ‘safety nets’ for First Nations individuals in cities who experience housing or income insecurity.
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“Everything You Want is There”: The Place of the Reserve in First Nations’ Homeless Mobility by Evelyn J. Peters and Vince Robillard was published in the journal Urban Geography, 30(6): 652-680, in 2009.