Homelessness on the rise in Metro Vancouver, says report

But the olympics should fix all that.

Yeah, they have about 2 billion for the olympics, but why try and address the homeless problem in metro VR? Just sweep it under the rug for the olympics, and maybe it will go away.

Booting a bunch out of the institutions was a bad idea but I'd say we know what caused the rest of the problem, considering all the vagrants we find with non-returnable warrents. Could be the laxest drug laws in Canada?

oh where is mike harris when you need him... I mean his boot camp was a wonderful idea... all the homeless could be sent there brain washed on tory philosophy and then they could get a job in Steve Harpers Canada... I mean the best social program is a job... hope he is good at the job search thing .. he will need it soon... maybe plucking chickens on a poultry farm in Texas ... george wyas ranch even..

but on the serious side...ridenrain is right.. most of the homeless are troubled people with addictions and mental illness... not all but most.. we seem to follow the states with policy and when alot of states closed psychiatric hospitals the numbers of homeless increased along with crime.. we are now.. esp ontario downsizing and closing Mental Health Facilities.. therefore there is a rise in the homeless.. as the economy slows because of the US economy you will see more people out of work and ending up on the street.. there is a fine line between having and not having esp among middle aged workers of both sexes...

Summer is comming. Time to give this lot a buss ticket to Montreal.

Merci ridenrain... we in Quebec are a warm welcoming community.. warm hearted and benevolent.. but we are will to share with Calgary.. I read they have a nice welcoming committee.. ... and by the way there is only one s in bus.. unless you were trying to express that these tickets would be return..
always able and willing to help our fellow Canadians.. no matter ...
bienvenue au Quebec la Belle Province... je me souvien..

Who'd of thought an ignoramous like you could take a story about Vancouver homelessness and turn it into a Harper bashing thread. Post after post you prove you are an idiot.

blow me ruez... blow me..

Not now, not ever. Hopefully some day you'll start acting like the adult you claim to be.

Then the homeless people need to do something about....!!!! Why is it my responsibility? Why even bother working and trying to scrape by an existence if we are going to ask society to bail out the deprived every time?

Even with the most expensive property values in the whole country, if not North America, the poverty pimps demand that these people be provided near free housing downtown.
You could easily pay almost $2000 a month for an apartment downtown and live beside a government sponsored flop house for addicts and the homeless.
Nice little socialist utopia you guys have there, Vancouver.

Vancouver's problem is not just 1 thing, it is many:

1) good climate draws people to it from across the country
2) High Cost of housing/lack of affordable Housing. I see Riden has already incorrectly, as per usual, commented on this issue. Fact is, a City can not function with the Upper Middle Class+ alone. It needs a Working Class to fill the Low Paying Jobs and to maintain the Infrastructure. These people need a place to Live.
3) Closing Mental Health facilities as already mentioned
4) Addiction

I've heard that some of the Housing facilities used by the Olympic Athletes will be used as Low Cost Housing after the Olympics. I hope this is true, I also hope it addresses the majority of the current problem. However, the problem is systemic and as long as the value of Real Estate continues to rise and new Projects are solely focussed on High-end Condos the problem will just get as bad or worse again in time.