Project Overview
OBJECTIVES
Our research broadly examines the perceptions and experiences of People Experiencing Homelessness and those who are street-involved.
Those with lived and living experience offer valuable knowledge, experiences, and perspectives about shelters, health services, resources, victimization, crime on the streets, gangs, encampments, drug markets, and more.
Our main objective is to use what we learn to better understand how resources, policies, and funding initiatives may better meet the needs of those experiencing homelessness in Canada, today and in the future.
SCOPE
This research investigates the perceptions and lived experiences of individuals experiencing homelessness in Canada through both qualitative and quantitative methods.
By centring the voices of those directly impacted, the study explores critical issues including access to shelters, health services, street-level crime, gang involvement, encampments, and the dynamics of drug markets.
Using qualitative methods such as interviews and narrative accounts, alongside quantitative tools like surveys and demographic analysis, this research aims to produce a holistic understanding of the challenges faced by people experiencing homelessness.
The findings will help assess how current policies, social services, and funding initiatives align with or overlook the real needs of this population.
ETHICS
This research has received ethics approval from the University of Alberta, the University of Winnipeg, and Wilfrid Laurier University.
Confidentiality is a core priority, and all data is managed using strict protocols to safeguard the privacy and safety of every participant.
RESEARCH LOCATIONS
The CCHS project includes 850+ interviews with People Experiencing Homelessness and/or are street-involved across nine Canadian provinces, spanning large urban centres, mid-sized cities, and smaller towns. Please see the graphic below for an overview of research locations. More interviews are being conducted in additional locations on a regular basis.
Thank you to our participants who have taken the time to share their experiences and knowledge with us! We are always happy to continue the conversation and to share our insights with participants directly.
If you have participated in this study and want to chat, please feel free to send us a message in the Contact Us tab, and we will get back to you.