SPPA Professor Anna Kopec Kopec, along with University of Toronto Professor on Alison Smith, has contributed an insightful chapter to the Oxford Handbook of Social Policy in Canada titled “Homelessness”.

Their chapter addresses the growing crisis of homelessness in Canada, revealing two crucial facts: homelessness is more widespread than many assume, and the number of people experiencing it has significantly increased since 2018. Despite this, the authors argue that the Canadian welfare state has failed to adequately address this issue, with vulnerable groups like children, newcomers, Indigenous people, and the elderly disproportionately affected.

In the chapter, Kopec and Smith examine the reasons behind the increase in homelessness and assess the effectiveness of government efforts to reduce or prevent it. They identify three key barriers to success:

* Solutions have been siloed and disconnected from housing-based approaches.
* A lack of attention to prevention.
* Insufficient incorporation of lived and local expertise into policies and plans.

This important work offers a comprehensive look at why homelessness persists and calls for more integrated, preventative, and community-informed solutions to address the crisis.

Check it out here https://lnkd.in/gkKMHVZC