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Whitehorse count indicates 83 per cent of homeless in 2024 were Indigenous

Monday, 24 February 2025 09:33

By Stuart Bonell @BonellStuart

safeathomeyukon.ca

Safe at Home recommends policy changes in various government departments.

At least 145 people experienced homelessness on the night of October 22, 2024, according to Safe at Home's Point in Time count on homelessness in Whitehorse, which is done every two years over a 24-hour period.

Of the 145 homeless, 83 per cent identified as First Nations, Inuit, Metis, or of Indigenous ancestry.

Lack of income, conflict or abuse from a spouse or partner, and substance-use issues were the top reasons provided by those interviewed that night. Individuals suffering with a substance use disorder accounted for 75 per cent of those interviewed.

High rent and low income in Whitehorse for the past five counts has been identified as the "top barrier to housing".

Point In Time's "Calls to Action" infographic states: "Homelessness is created and worsened by ineffective policy decisions" and "Addressing youth homelessness prevents later experiences of homelessness."

The 2024 count indicates that 57 per cent of that year's homeless experienced it for the first time before the age of 20; 43 per cent had been in foster care or a group home during their childhood.

Safe at Home recommends Yukon government policy changes that include collaboration between child welfare, education, and housing systems to prevent young people from experiencing homelessness; investment in integrated care models to provide housing and health supports together; strengthening rental assistance and income supports to ensure housing remains within reach for low-income Yukoners.

INFOGRAPHIC: from safeathomeyukon.ca

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