A crisis that hits veterans hard

(Ottawa) It was first the age of homeless veterans that struck Alan Mulawyshyn. This Canadian Armed Forces retiree is the deputy director of Veterans’ House Canada, an organization dedicated to housing for these ex-military personnel in Ottawa.

“The average age of our tenants is 58,” he notes. Some are even over 70 years old. “It took me by surprise because in theory, at that age, they should be retired and enjoying the time they have left,” he adds.

They previously lived on the street – or were on the verge of ending up there – before moving into a 40-apartment building dedicated entirely to them, the first of its kind in the country. Veterans’ House Canada’s Andy Carswell Building, which is located on a former Royal Canadian Air Force base east of Ottawa, opened in 2021. In addition to affordable rent, residents have access to a social worker who helps them with their applications for benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs, psychological support and numerous group activities to create a spirit of camaraderie like in the army. Some people try to treat an alcohol or drug addiction.

“I could build a second building tomorrow and fill it,” Mr. Mulawyshyn says without hesitation. Six months ago, there were eight people on the waiting list. Today, there are more than 30. The housing crisis does not spare veterans.

Having a permanent home gives these men and women a stability they have not experienced since leaving the Forces. “You don’t worry about where you’ll sleep at night, about someone stealing your stuff from a shelter, about the weather, knowing that you have an address where Veterans Affairs can send you stuff or to have access to the internet, he lists. All those little things we take for granted. »

How many are they ?

The phenomenon of homelessness among ex-military personnel is difficult to quantify. Fewer than 2,000 of them reported being homeless to the Department of Veterans Affairs since 2014, according to data obtained through a freedom of information request. However, their number could rather vary between 2,400 and 10,000, according to a recent report prepared for the federal housing advocate by graduate students at McGill University.

“They are more independent, have less trust in institutions, so they sleep with friends, live in camps or in their car,” explains Mr. Mulawyshyn. And are two to three times more likely to find themselves homeless.

The count of people experiencing homelessness carried out in Quebec in 2022 showed that more than 4% of people living on the streets have already served in the Canadian Armed Forces, while veterans represent only 1.5%. Population. “And with the growing housing crisis across Canada, more veterans will disproportionately fall into homelessness if the federal government does not take a more proactive, human rights-based approach,” warns the report signed by Taylor Chase, Alison Clement, Sandrine Desforges and Anmol Gupta, of McGill University.

“My job was weapons technician”

“No one knew I was a veteran. I didn’t even know it myself,” exclaims Bill Beaton. The 67-year-old spent decades frequenting homeless shelters after leaving the military in the 1980s. His military career lasted six years. Since he had not served overseas, he was unaware that he was entitled to certain services from the federal government that could have helped him. Until he met the Soldiers in the Street organization, which put him in contact with Veterans’ House. He welcomes us into his small, brand new studio, with walls lined with DVD boxes and psychedelic posters.

“It’s the first time in forever that I’ve decorated,” he confides. And that makes me sad… But that means I plan to stay, right? »

By his own admission, he never lived in one place for more than two years and was ready to move at any time, having long struggled with opioid addiction. After leaving the Armed Forces, he alternated between dingy apartments and homeless shelters that reminded him in some way of military life, where everything is done at a fixed time and there is a strong group spirit.

As with many veterans who end up on the streets, the transition to civilian life was difficult.

Bill Beaton tried to reorient himself by taking sales training and switching between several jobs, but one day he found himself without a job. He also served a stint in prison for selling cannabis. Upon his release, it was only a step to return to the streets, which had already welcomed him when he left his foster family at the age of 15. The price of the apartments was simply too high for his modest budget.

“Completely unacceptable”

“This is completely unacceptable,” denounces Alberta Conservative MP Blake Richards. “The government does not sufficiently value veterans and what they have done for us,” he continues.

“When we ask people to serve our country, we must ensure that this service is rendered to them,” underlines New Democratic MP Rachel Blaney.

A motion passed unanimously in 2019 set a goal of ending ex-military homelessness by 2025. This is a problem that could be “completely eliminated” “in a few years” if the federal government adopted a concerted strategy, according to a report tabled in the House of Commons by the standing committee on veterans affairs.

With the collaboration of William Leclerc, The Press