The number of people experiencing homelessness in the US has increased by nearly 33% over the past four years, with many communities taking a hard line against homelessness by enforcing bans on camping. However, there is some positive news as homelessness among veterans continues to trend downwards, dropping 8% to 32,882 in 2024. Cities such as Dallas and Los Angeles have also seen success in reducing their homeless numbers through overhauls of their systems and increased housing for the homeless. Despite this progress, California remains the state with the nation's largest homeless population, followed by New York, Washington, Florida, and Massachusetts. Robert Marbut Jr., a former executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, has called for a shift in focus from permanent housing to treatment of substance use and mental illness, while advocates argue that punishing people who need a place to sleep would criminalize homelessness.
https://apnews.com/article/homelessness-population-count-2024-hud-migrants-2e0e2b4503b754612a1d0b3b73abf75fOntario's affordable housing wait lists are significant, with 5% of the population waiting for affordable housing and 14.5% in need of core housing. NDP MPP Peggy Saganis criticized Premier Ford's proposed solutions, arguing that they do not address the root causes of the issue, such as a lack of supportive housing, mental health treatment, and addiction services.
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241211312379/en/Ford-Conservatives-Prefer-to-Victimize-the-Vulnerable-and-Punish-the-Poor-Rather-Than-Provide-Real-Solutions-CUPE-OntarioThe Canadian healthcare system is facing significant challenges as the country's population ages, with seniors expected to make up 22.7% of the population by 2040. According to Jordann Thirgood, manager of CSA Group's public policy centre, this demographic shift will lead to a decrease in income tax revenue and an increase in healthcare costs. To address these challenges, Thirgood recommends that governments invest more resources into illness prevention, including addressing factors such as housing, mental health, and loneliness, which are critical to reducing the risk of chronic illness among seniors. She notes that social isolation and homelessness can have a significant impact on a person's overall health, with research showing that they pose similar or even greater risks than smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity.
https://thestar.com/news/ontario/health-care-costs-will-rise-significantly-as-population-ages-says-new-report/article_f8cc9f8d-f80b-5949-8d04-bd2e1df0333b.html