Prince George participates in nationwide homeless count

Thirty volunteers combed sidewalks, alleys and local parks in the early hours of April 18 to count the number of people sleeping outside in Prince George.

At the same time, 12 agencies across the city – including drop-in centres, shelters and transitional housing – tallied the number of people in their facilities as part of a point in time homeless count that took place between 6 and 8 AM on Monday.

Count coordinator Kerry Pateman says the local count was part of a national effort.

“This point in time count is part of a national count coordinated by the Government of Canada’s Homelessness Partnering Strategy. Prince George is one of about 30 communities across Canada participating in this broadly coordinated point-in-time count.”

Counts took place simultaneously across the country and were about more than just counting heads. Volunteers spoke with the people they met about their experiences. Pateman says the information gathered gives organizers a better understanding of the issues surrounding homelessness.

“We’re trying to get an idea of the characteristics of the homeless population, finding out what individuals require in the way of services, information about why they became homeless for the first time and how long they’ve been homeless.”

Pateman says the count will provide a snapshot of homelessness in Prince George. The numbers are expected to represent the minimum number of homeless people in the city, as it will not account for the ‘hidden’ homeless – people who are at risk of becoming homeless but are able to couchsurf with friends or family to avoid sleeping on the street.

Pateman says many of the Prince George volunteers had an experience they didn’t expect while conducting the count.

“The volunteers expressed how surprised they were that people were willing to speak with them about their experiences,” she says. “Willing to talk about some really personal issues – where they get their money – and about what their needs are in terms of services they might need.”

Pateman says Prince George conducted local counts of the city’s homeless in 2008 and 2010 but the national count is a first for them. She says successive counts will help measure the progress of efforts toward ending homelessness.

The results of the count will be released in June.