Regina’s Homeless Population Mostly Aboriginal
Friday, July 03, 2009 at 13:38
A recent report says homelessness is hidden in Regina.
It also revealed that more than 345 homeless people sleep in shelters every night. Those numbers rise to more than 500 in the winter.
The report also shows that more than 75 per cent of Regina’s homeless people are Aboriginal.
Rebecca Schiff, the homelessness project co-ordinator at the University of Regina, says it’s not that surprising the highest percentage of homeless people is of Aboriginal ancestry.
“On a personal level, I don’t think it’s really surprising, because of the number of Aboriginal people that are living in urban areas, the really poor housing conditions on reserves, that lead people to go to urban areas, and then they up being marginalized in urban areas as well, in marginal housing conditions,” Schiff says.
These stats do not include people sleeping in vehicles, parks, tents, trailers, garages or overcrowded basements.
The report was commissioned by the federal government, for the 2007 Regina Community Plan to address homelessness.