Getting housed, and staying housed
The best treatment for homelessness is a home. Canada's federal homelessness strategy, called Reaching Home, funds Housing First programs in communities across the country. Housing First means you get housing first, with support, and you don't have to be sober or "housing ready" to qualify.
How to get on the list
- Get connected to "coordinated access". Most Canadian communities now have one shared system that matches people who are homeless with housing. You get assessed once (usually a questionnaire about your health, history and needs) and then you're on a single list. Ask any shelter, drop-in, outreach worker or 211: "How do I get on the coordinated access list here?"
- Tell them everything relevant. Disability, chronic illness, mental health, addiction, how long you've been homeless, and past trauma often raise your priority. It can be hard to talk about, but it matters.
- Stay reachable. Give them a phone number, email, or a place they can leave messages (a shelter, drop-in or caseworker). People lose their spot because workers can't find them.
- Check in regularly. Ask where you are on the list and whether anything else would help.
Types of housing
Supportive housing
Your own unit with staff on site or visiting, and often health care, meals or harm reduction built in. Designed for people with disabilities, mental illness or addiction.
Housing First with rent supplement
A regular apartment on the private market, with a monthly rent subsidy and a case worker who visits and helps you keep it.
Transitional housing
Temporary housing (often months up to a couple of years) with support, as a step toward permanent housing. Includes some recovery houses and youth programs.
Social / subsidized housing
Rent based on your income, usually about 30%. Waitlists can be very long, so apply now even if you're in another program, and keep your application updated.
Recovery housing
Sober or recovery-focused shared homes, for people who want an alcohol- and drug-free environment. Quality varies a lot. Ask a health worker which ones are licensed or well-regarded.
Rooming houses & shared housing
A room with shared kitchen and bathroom. Often the quickest and cheapest option. Check that the place is safe and legal before you move in.
Keeping your housing
Most people who lose housing again lose it in the first year. These things help:
- Keep your supports. Stay in touch with your case worker, doctor, OAT clinic or peer group, even when things are going well.
- Pay rent directly. Ask income assistance to pay your rent straight to the landlord, so it's always paid.
- Guests. Friends from the street moving in is one of the most common reasons people get evicted. It's okay to say no, or set limits. Your worker can help you with this.
- Get help early. If you fall behind on rent or get a notice from your landlord, tell your worker right away. Many provinces have rent banks and emergency funds to prevent eviction.
- Know your rights as a tenant. A landlord usually can't evict you without following your province's legal process. Contact your provincial residential tenancy office or a legal clinic before you leave.
If you're about to lose your home
It's much easier to stay housed than to get housed again. If you're behind on rent, being evicted, or leaving hospital, treatment or jail with nowhere to go, call 211 before you lose your place. Ask about eviction prevention, rent banks, legal clinics and emergency funds. Don't leave just because a landlord tells you to. Get advice first.
Your rights
Being homeless doesn't take away your rights. Here's a plain-language overview. It's general information, not legal advice. For help with your situation, contact legal aid or a community legal clinic (ask 211).
Human rights and discrimination
Federal, provincial and territorial human rights laws protect you from discrimination based on disability, which includes mental illness and, generally, dependence on alcohol or drugs. It also covers race, Indigenous identity, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion and other grounds, and in some provinces receiving public assistance. These protections apply to housing, services (including shelters and health care) and employment.
If you believe you've been discriminated against, write down what happened, when, where, who was involved and any witnesses. Contact your provincial or territorial human rights commission or tribunal. There are time limits, usually a year from the incident, so don't wait too long.
With police
- Stay as calm as you can. Keep your hands visible.
- In most everyday situations, you don't have to answer questions. You can ask, "Am I being detained, or am I free to go?"
- If you're detained or arrested, you have the right to know why, and the right to speak to a lawyer right away. Say "I want to speak to a lawyer." Free legal aid duty counsel is available.
- You don't have to consent to a search. If police search you anyway, don't physically resist. Say "I don't consent to this search" and challenge it later.
- Write down officers' names and badge numbers if you can. Every province has a way to file a complaint about police.
Encampments and sleeping outside
Rules about sleeping, sheltering or camping in parks and public spaces vary a lot by city and are changing fast, and courts in several provinces have ruled that people cannot always be forced to move when there's no accessible shelter available. If you're told to move or your belongings are going to be removed, ask for the reason in writing, ask where your belongings will be stored and how to get them back, and contact a legal clinic or local advocacy group.
Privacy and consent
- Health care workers must keep your information confidential, with limited exceptions such as immediate danger.
- You can ask any agency what information they keep about you and who they share it with.
- You can say no to research, photos or media interviews, and still get services.
- You have the right to refuse treatment if you're capable of making that decision.