An Ontario-based research group which recently completed an extensive homelessness project across the country including St. John’s and Happy Valley-Goose Bay found a number of similar trends involving rural and remote homelessness.

The Lawson Health Research Institute of London, Ontario held a forum in Goose Bay on Thursday to discuss their findings and is hosting a similar event in St. John’s today.

Goose Bay has been facing growing challenges with a transient homeless population.

Researcher and psychiatric mental health nurse Dr. Cheryl Forchuk says what Goose Bay is facing is not unique to the area. She says migration patterns were interrupted in many areas due to COVID and they’ve seen similar issues in other parts of the country.

She says they saw similar trends in Nunavut and the other territories. They even saw it in southern Ontario in migrant farm workers who “got stuck.”

The St. John’s Forum is taking place today at The Lantern on Barnes Road.