'It's definitely an emergency': Homeless rates spiking in eastern Nova Scotia, study shows
The number of people who are homeless in eastern Nova Scotia is rising at an alarming rate, according to a recent study.
“It's easy at times to not notice if you're not in certain areas of the community or if you don't associate with certain people, but there are lots of people living in tents in Sydney. There are people sleeping on the street. There are people living under staircases of commercial buildings,” said Jodi McDavid, executive director of Cape Breton Transition House.
McDavid says rising costs and the lack of affordable housing is a combination of factors that are sending people to the streets.
“You are talking about people who were already having a hard time to make a go of it. It is an emergency. It's definitely an emergency,” said McDavid.
Nearly 500 people in eastern Nova Scotia are struggling with homelessness, according to numbers released by Cape Breton University.
“The interventions that we've been applying to the challenge have not been working,” said Erika Shea, president and CEO of New Dawn Enterprises, a social welfare organization that provides supportive housing.
Shea warns that CBRM will see its own tent cities popping up if something is not done soon.
“Our colleagues at the Ally Centre share with us that they're not able to keep donated tents in stock. As soon as they are provided with a supply of tents, those tents are claimed,” said Shea.
Forty-nine per cent of people struggling with homelessness are women and 47 per cent are men according to the study, with the majority over the age of 29.
“It is imperative that all three levels of government look at this as an urgent social and economic issue, and not one that we can just tweak and message the solutions we've been applying,” said Shea.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau acknowledges charges in Nijjar killing, calls for commitment to democracy
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has acknowledged the charges laid Friday in relation to the murder of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Princess Anne lays wreath at B.C. veteran's cemetery; receives 21-gun salute
Princess Anne paid tribute to veterans buried at a cemetery in British Columbia today, laying a wreath to honour the more than 2,500 military personnel and family members buried there.
Mystik Dan wins the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in a three-horse photo finish
Mystik Dan won the 150th Kentucky Derby in a photo finish, edging out Forever Young and Sierra Leone for the upset victory.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.