Managing homelessness takes considerable taxpayers dollars. People who are homeless use ambulances, emergency rooms and psychiatric beds far more than the general public. They are more likely to come into contact with the justice system. Hospitals and prisons are expensive places to house people.
Each chronically homeless person costs the system around $100,000 per year.
Housing that person and providing the supports they need to remain housed generally costs $35,000 per year.
Equally important is the human cost; the loss to our potential labour force and of contributing community members. People who are homeless want to give back to their community just as much, if not more, than anyone else.
