OTTAWA ABORIGINAL COALITION
2021 Point
in Time Count
The Need
Better understand the scope of homelessness in the Ottawa Urban Indigenous community and the needs of those experiencing homelessness.
What We Did
A Point-in Time (PiT) Count is a one-day snapshot of homelessness in our community. In partnership with the City of Ottawa, the OAC analyzed the PiT data collected through the city of Ottawa. The OAC created an infographic and presentation of the Ottawa Urban Indigenous data that highlights the key findings regarding Indigenous people's experiences of homelessness in Ottawa in October 2021.
The City of Ottawa acknowledges that the Indigenous community represent 4% of the population in Ottawa-Gatineau. In the 2021 Point-in-Time count, 32% of people experiencing homelessness identified as Indigenous.
Overview
What We Did
The OAC analyzed the Indigenous data from the 2021 Point-in-Time Count (PiT Count). This was a survey given by the City of Ottawa to anyone who was without a home during a 24 hour period (October 27th to October 28th, 2021). It gives a snapshot of our Ottawa urban Indigenous community's experiences with homelessness.
428 Stories
428 community members shared their stories and experiences of their experiences related to living without a home. We learned many key things from our community including:
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92% of community members wanted permanent housing and
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14% of our community members were homeless one day after leaving the foster care system.
Presenting
We have presented what we heard at meetings with our partners to inform policy and service delivery.
Where We Are Now
We are acting on what we heard. We are working on three initiatives that came out of the research:
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The Aging out Initiative - The OAC is working to create a safe place for Indigenous young women to live for 3 years and restore their sense of identity through community, connection to Elders, opportunities for learning and being loved.
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The Indigenous Housing and Homelessness Strategy -
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1000 Indigenous Homes in 10 Years -
