The solution to homelessness and hunger in Canada

[oscarmayer]

Canada allocates approximately CAD 10.17 billion to foreign aid through its overseas development assistance (ODA) budget. Of this, about CAD 7.53 billion is core aid provided abroad, excluding the costs of refugees within Canada.

Meanwhile, Canada faces significant domestic challenges. As of recent reports, about 235,000 Canadians experience homelessness annually, and food insecurity affects roughly 5.8 million people, including 1.7 million children. Food banks across the country report higher demand with millions relying on them to meet basic nutrition needs.

To put Canada’s foreign aid spending into perspective, if the CAD 10.17 billion foreign aid budget were redirected solely to domestic hunger and homelessness:

• Assuming an average annual cost of CAD 20,000 to house and support one homeless individual (including shelter, social services, and health supports), this budget could theoretically cover approximately 508,500 people experiencing homelessness. This is more than twice the estimated number of homeless Canadians.
• Regarding food insecurity, if CAD 2 billion (a fraction of the aid budget) were allocated to support food programs, it could substantially expand food bank capacity and community food initiatives, potentially feeding millions more Canadians.

While foreign aid focuses on global humanitarian, health and development challenges — it is clear the scale of this spending could also make a profound impact addressing urgent national crises of homelessness and hunger.

 

[seanzo]

The problem is I simply don't trust the government, at any level, to responsibly spend the money in a way that will actually bring those numbers as close to zero as is possible. I am of the opinion that it will simply become yet another self licking ice cream cone where people make six figure salaries to "address a problem" only for the problems in question to not only remain but get worse as the people making those salaries have zero desire to eliminate the problems and their jobs with it. Like what's happening in California with regards to this exact problem

 

[Bucktee]

Exactly... people get paid large sums of money to NOT solve the problem.

Unless there is a financial incentive for a solution, we won't get one.

 

[seth gecko]

Theres an easy solution that addresses both homelessness and hunger in Canada, or anywhere else for that matter........Soylent Green!

 

[Birf]

70% or more of homeless have no intention of ever getting clean or leaving the streets. There is no solution. They need to build remote homeless or junkie camps and give them all the drugs they want, or the option to get clean. How this all gets paid for is probably impossible.

There needs to be limits on how many medical calls they can have per year at one. Many junkies show up to hospitals at 10:55 pm because they can't be kicked out after 11pm.

 

[southpaw]

people making those salaries have zero desire to eliminate the problems and their jobs with it.

Exactly... people get paid large sums of money to NOT solve the problem.

Agreed, but its no excuse to send the money overseas.

 

[KittyCaterina]

70% or more of homeless have no intention of ever getting clean or leaving the streets. There is no solution. They need to build remote homeless or junkie camps and give them all the drugs they want, or the option to get clean. How this all gets paid for is probably impossible.

There needs to be limits on how many medical calls they can have per year at one. Many junkies show up to hospitals at 10:55 pm because they can't be kicked out after 11pm.

Maybe more addicts that live on the streets would consider getting clean if there was a clear future for them.

After a 3 to 6 month wait list, They get sent to a 21 day treatment centre without proper mental health supports and then what?

They are thrown right back into the fire if they aren't lucky enough to have strong family supports or money to spend on a proper longterm treatment centre. Most have neither.

Once they get clean, they have to try and live off of OW or ODSP until they can find work, yet where can they survive to live off of low income? In areas infested with drug addictions.

And so the cycle begins again.

Addiction is a disease and is usually exacerbated by other mental illnesses.
We used to view those with depression as useless crazy dregs of society and they were treated horribly with no proper treatment.
Now society has become more accepting of mental illness and people with depression lead normal lives with treatment.

If we began treating addiction and the other mental health illnesses addicts have, along with more understanding and empathy, less ignorance, we would be seeing a lot more success stories.

 

[Lenny59]

And let's not get started in the mega-billions to Ukraine ...

 

[Birf]

Maybe more addicts that live on the streets would consider getting clean if there was a clear future for them.

After a 3 to 6 month wait list, They get sent to a 21 day treatment centre without proper mental health supports and then what?

They are thrown right back into the fire if they aren't lucky enough to have strong family supports or money to spend on a proper longterm treatment centre. Most have neither.

Once they get clean, they have to try and live off of OW or ODSP until they can find work, yet where can they survive to live off of low income? In areas infested with drug addictions.

And so the cycle begins again.

Addiction is a disease and is usually exacerbated by other mental illnesses.
We used to view those with depression as useless crazy dregs of society and they were treated horribly with no proper treatment.
Now society has become more accepting of mental illness and people with depression lead normal lives with treatment.

If we began treating addiction and the other mental health illnesses addicts have, along with more understanding and empathy, less ignorance, we would be seeing a lot more success stories.

You're exactly right, and the 30% or so that have those problems deserve help. The other 70% who just want to steal all day don't. Every time they are sent by government officials to neighborhood housing to help them, within days residents are complaining about needles left around, crime, prostitution, degeneracy, and overall unsafeness.

It's the 70 or 80 % that need to be gotten rid of somehow.

 

[Bucktee]

Sadly, eugenics is the only real solution, until science is able to successfully change the brain structure/chemistry of addicts.

Everything else involves pouring infinite amounts of money into the black hole of addiction.

 

[seanzo]

Agreed, but its no excuse to send the money overseas.

I'm not saying keep sending that money overseas, far from it. I'm saying that money shouldn't be going into government coffers to begin with. Cutting all income tax on people making less than 100k per year would go a long way to help the problem of homelessness and food insecurity. Obviously it wouldn't completely eliminate it, but it would certainly help

Sadly, eugenics is the only real solution, until science are able to successfully change the brain structure/chemistry of addicts.

Everything else involves pouring indefinite amounts of money into the black hole of addiction.

Ibogaine therapy would be a huge help for people struggling with addiction. Big Pharma would absolutely come up with all kinds of reasons why it's bunk but I've known two people who were hooked on Oxy who went to Mexico for ibogaine treatment, both kicked their addictions completely

 

[Day2Day]

70% or more of homeless have no intention of ever getting clean or leaving the streets. There is no solution. They need to build remote homeless or junkie camps and give them all the drugs they want, or the option to get clean. How this all gets paid for is probably impossible.

There needs to be limits on how many medical calls they can have per year at one. Many junkies show up to hospitals at 10:55 pm because they can't be kicked out after 11pm.

I have always been curious about this, but not found any data - is your 70% based on personal observations, guess or have you found data that you feel is accurate?

Thanks

 

[Ceiling Cat]

A significant portion of the funding allocated to assist the homeless is absorbed by administrative costs and staffing expenses before it ever reaches those in need. While many programs are designed with good intentions, a number of individuals experiencing homelessness either decline the help offered or seek assistance on their own terms, which may not align with existing services. During the warmer months, there tends to be less urgency or concern among some individuals about securing shelter or support. However, as temperatures drop in the colder months, the demand for aid increases, often with expectations or requirements that go beyond what current programs are offering.

 

[oscarmayer]

And let's not get started in the mega-billions to Ukraine ...

That's because there are millions of Ukrainian-Canadians and politicians want their votes. Same idea behind the billions to the Middle East. The homeless and the hungry typically don't vote.