Homeless rates are continuing to rise in the capital city, more than tripling in the last couple of years, and things are only getting worse.
That’s according to Doug Pawson, the Executive Director of End Homelessness St. John’s who says their numbers show just under 500 people are homeless in the city , and the issue becomes even more acute in the winter months.
A tent encampment at the site of the old Grace hospital in 2024 (VOCM News)
He says the shelter system is full, and there an increased demand “for any type of housing” which is putting greater pressure on community organizations and services for even the most basic of supports.
Pawson says emergency shelters have been at capacity for months, forcing many people to make due in the elements in tents, cars or wherever they can find shelter.
“That’s happening more and more frequently all around the city” says Pawson, “and is not isolated to the downtown core.” He says outreach teams are responding to people who are sleeping rough, “all the time.”
Pawson says the system is so fragmented, it’s hard to see which level of government needs to take responsibility. He calls it a “jurisdictional game of tag” but in the end, it’s everyone’s responsibility.
