Housing insecurity represents an increasingly complicated issue with a variety of social, economic and political impacts at the local, regional and national levels. In Canada, it is estimated that 12.7 percent of the population experiences housing insecurity in some form (1).  

The Balsillie School of International Affairs recently published Canada’s Responses to COVID-19: Impacts on Vulnerable Populations Experiencing Housing Insecurity by Giorgis-Audrain and Arya, discussing the impacts of the pandemic on the ongoing Canadian housing crisis. According to the paper, housing insecurity refers to “conditions that are challenging, such as poor housing quality, overcrowding, unaffordable housing (the inability to meet household expenses such as rent or utilities) and homelessness” (pg. 2).
The sweeping impacts of COVID-19 over the course of the past year have further illuminated the uncomfortable reality that things can and do change quickly, and absolutely anyone can find themselves without access to reliable shelter. With thousands of Canadians out of work, countless relief services have been working overtime to fill gaps in the system created by COVID-19.

On February 20, the Coldest Night of the Year will launch its 10th annual national campaign to combat the impacts of homelessness and housing insecurity across Canada.
The Coldest Night of the Year is a nation-wide, collaborative campaign between multiple charities and organizations that brings Canadians together to highlight the frightening reality of not having access to safe, reliable shelter during one of the coldest Canadian months. Founded in 2011, the organization has raised a total of $6,250,000 towards homeless relief across Canada. 

“Calgary is experiencing an affordable housing crisis,” says Hayley Gislason, Communications Advisor for HomeSpace Society, “there are 3000 Calgarians experiencing homelessness on any given night. The reality is – especially in Canada, where it gets very cold – living without a roof over your head can mean freezing to death in the streets.”

HomeSpace Society owns and operates affordable housing in Calgary, and is one of three organizations participating in the Coldest Night of the Year 2021 for Calgary Downtown. Their organization has set a goal of $60,000, which, as of February 17, has been 101% reached, now totalling over $60,000 with three days to go. “We’ve been so pleasantly surprised by how engaged people are, despite everything that’s been going on,” says Gislason. “As much as we’re experiencing an economic downturn, people with the capacity to give, are giving.”  

Each year, participants register as individuals or teams to raise money for homeless relief by participating in a 2km, 5km, or 10km outdoor walk on the evening of February 20. According to Gislason, a typical CNOY would see more than 200 walkers gathered at a location in downtown Calgary to participate in the campaign together. Things may look different this year, but in the ongoing context of COVID-19, CNOY remains as important as ever, as a growing number of Canadians have been forced into housing insecurity as a result of the pandemic. This year, “virtual walks” will occur in place of the annual community walk, where participants must remain within their COVID bubbles and follow appropriate social distancing guidelines. 

While ensuring all Canadians have access to safe and reliable housing is the right thing to do from an ethical standpoint, the importance of addressing homelessness and housing insecurity as a society goes beyond moral correctness. According to Gislason, from an economic standpoint, the pressures created by homelessness on social and public services such as legal, emergency, and healthcare actually exceed the cost of providing basic housing. “Housing costs less than homelessness,” she says, “affordable housing, by definition, is below market housing. Study after study shows taxpayer and community savings occur when people have access to housing with supports, rather than being left in homelessness.” 

The current forecast for the 2021 Coldest Night of the Year in Calgary predicts a low of -7 degrees celsius – dreamy, compared to the cold snap Calgary endured over the last week – so bundle up, connect within your COVID bubble, and help make a difference in your city! 

For more information on how to participate in the Coldest Night of the Year 2021, or to learn more about housing insecurity in your community and across Canada, visit https://cnoy.org/

For more stories, visit Todayville Calgary.