About the report:
Victoria's Vital Sign's is a community check-up that evaluates the Capital Region as a place to live, learn, work and grow. It measures the health of our city and assigns citizen grades in a number of areas that are critical to Victoria’s vitality.
This year's report takes a look at what it means to belong, including a closer examination of belonging for 4 local population groups: aboriginals, newcomers, youth and seniors.
Housing
The Issue
Preventing homelessness and supporting pathways to stable housing.
The Response
Thirty percent of those experiencing homelessness in the region come from an Indigenous background. Community partners with existing programs identified the need for a separate entity with the expertise and knowledge to develop culturally appropriate solutions. With a $100,000 grant from the Victoria Foundation, the new Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness will have that expertise along with an Island-wide mandate to bring a First Nations voice to address Aboriginal housing and homelessness.
Homelessness
In 2014/15, at least 1,725 individuals in Greater Victoria identified as homeless and used an emergency shelter at least once that year. On the night of February 10, 2016, there were at least 1,387 people experiencing homelessness in Greater Victoria, including 120 youth and 123 children.