KDSB to conduct second enumeration on homelessness
Tim Brody - Editor
The Kenora District Services Board (KDSB) will begin its second homelessness enumeration this week throughout the District of Kenora.
The bi-annual survey is intended to provide better programs and services to people experiencing homelessness.
The enumeration will build on the study conducted in 2018 through Period Prevalence Count (PPC), which allows for a snapshot of homelessness to be demonstrated over a period of time.
This year’s enumeration will use a Point-in-Time Count (PIT), a one-day snapshot of homelessness, which provides a community-specific measure of homelessness.
The KDSB shared that the objective of the homeless enumeration is to collect information about those who are homeless or at-risk of becoming homeless in the region. “Homelessness continues to be a struggle for many people and a challenge that all of our communities face. The KDSB looks forward to collecting new, updated data. It will help us work with our communities, governments, and partner agencies to develop targets to end homelessness and prioritize the needs of those experiencing homelessness. I want to thank our Housing Services team for their hard work on this initiative, and our community partners for helping with and supporting this important project. It will be a busy week collecting data in all of our communities,” said Henry Wall, Chief Administrative Officer of the KDSB, in an Oct. 13 media release.
The KDSB shared that, “In 2018, 393 individuals throughout the District of Kenora were identified as homeless; this finding equates to 1.08% of the District of Kenora’s total population according to the 2016 census. There were many complex reasons for individuals experiencing homelessness. The change in method from 2018’s Period Prevalence Count to 2021’s Point-in-Time-Count comes following a directive issued by the Province. This change will ensure all Service Managers collect data with the same method.”
The KDSB is working with local service providers and organizations to ensure those who meet the definition of homeless or at-risk of homelessness are aware of the opportunity to be enumerated.
Enumeration is taking place on Oct. 20 in Sioux Lookout from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Out of the Cold Program at 25 Fair Street and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Nishnawbe Gamik Friendship Centre at 52 King Street.
“The KDSB will use the results from the PIT as a comparator to its past data, measurement of progress made, and guiding future service planning. The results will be available to local agencies, local government, and Kenora District communities through a report that will be presented at a virtual community forum and on KDSB’s website. The enumeration will be conducted every second year to allow communities to better understand the multi-faceted and dynamically changing issues related to forms of homelessness in the Kenora District and measure collective success in ending homelessness,” the KDSB’s media release concluded.
