homelessness

This is a photo of the suburbs in Burnaby, Canada. This is a large aerial shot, where suburbian houses and trees spread as far as can be seen.
7 min 0 2015

The Walrus panellists discuss Canada’s housing crisis

Peak Web November 7, 2023

Content warning: brief mention of colonial violence.  On October 26, Canadian magazine The Walrus hosted a series of speakers, ranging from experts to activists, to discuss equitable housing. The seven speakers each had seven minutes to present a different angle on Canada’s housing crisis. The Peak attended the event to hear more about the diverse problems facing Vancouver’s housing markets.  Kishone Roy:  Kishone Roy is an author and the executive director of the Federation of Community Social Services of BC. “Housing, for the first time I can remember, is the number one issue in the nation,” they said. Although Pacific…

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This photo is of Vancouver city streets. A few people and cars can be seen in the distance.
3 min 0 2500

Call for greater actions on International Overdose Awareness Day

Peak Web September 19, 2022

International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD), marked on August 31, recognizes the global effect of drug overdose and commemorates those who lost their lives. The campaign was initiated by Sally J. Finn in Melbourne in 2001.  A report from the First…

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This image is of the downtown east side in Vancouver. Multiple tents can be seen in the middle of an abandoned lot.
3 min 0 2369

Community organisations put out a call to action to protect women amidst housing crisis

Peak Web September 12, 2022

Content warning: This article mentions acts of gender-based violence and violence against Indigenous peoples.  On August 16, several organisations published a joint press release titled, “Women are not acceptable casualties in the response to the housing crisis.” The organisations who…

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model of a brain
3 min 0 1757

Researcher finds increase of traumatic brain injuries among precariously housed population

Peak Web March 21, 2022

Dr. Tiffany O’Connor, SFU’s recent psychology alum and now a clinical neuropsychologist at Hamilton Health Sciences, has found a relationship between the precariously housed population in BC and high rates of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). The Peak reached out to…

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4 min 0 1713

Unhoused people shouldn’t be neglected during dangerous weather conditions

Peak Web July 12, 2021

A few weeks ago, BC faced a dangerous heat wave, with temperatures hitting the high 30s and 40s. We saw 719 sudden deaths during this “unprecedented” event, from which the heat may have been a “significant contributing factor.” Weather irregularities…

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3 min 0 1673

SFU study on homelessness focuses on older adults

Peak Web September 23, 2020

SFU adjunct professor Dr. Sarah Canham is leading a study that documents the causes behind the sharp increase of homelessness in people over the age of 55.  Aging in the Right Place (AIRP) focuses on “housing for those in greatest…

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15 min 1 8711

Vancouver’s Homelessness Crisis 101

Peak Web May 18, 2020

Last winter I was on the 95 B-Line heading through the Downtown Eastside (DTES) reviewing cue cards for an upcoming midterm. Upon entering the bus, soaked from the rain, I spotted a free seat, and headed towards it. Mere inches…

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Panhandling fines in Salmon Arm make things worse for B.C. homeless population

Peak Web July 20, 2019

Step a few blocks outside of SFU’s Vancouver or Surrey campuses, and Metro Vancouver’s homeless crisis becomes painfully obvious.  The uncertainty of living day to day without stable housing is stressful enough. Yet by-laws have been introduced to punish homeless…

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4 min 0 1833

Why are Vancouverites so afraid of homeless people?

Peak Web August 1, 2018

Written by: Amal Javed Abdullah, Staff Writer At the end of last year, the City of Vancouver faced backlash and protests when one of the locations for its temporary homeless housing project was claimed to be too close to an…

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3 min 0 1675

Homelessness in Lower Mainland reaches new levels, says report

Peak Web October 24, 2017

The number of people experiencing homelessness in the Lower Mainland has reached its highest level and is growing four times faster than the population, according to a new report that combines the latest counts from across the region. The recent…

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