Cochrane District to Participate in Nationally Coordinated Point-in-Time (PiT) Homeless Count
(provided by Cochrane District Service Board - October 03, 2024)
This autumn, the Cochrane District will take part in a coordinated effort to measure homelessness across Canada.
Throughout October and November, the Cochrane District System of Care, inclusive of its community partners and volunteers from the community will participate in a nationally coordinated Point-in-Time (PiT) Homeless Count in Canada.
Over approximately 30 days, trained volunteers from various service agencies will count and survey individuals who are staying in shelters, short-term housing, and sleeping rough (without shelter). The PiT Count will provide a “snapshot” of homelessness in the Cochrane District.
The results will indicate the minimum number of people experiencing homelessness in our community. Other forms of homelessness, such as people staying temporarily with friends, may not be reflected in the results of the PiT Count. Beyond improving the understanding of homelessness, the PiT Count will help build community and capacity within the sector. The project will foster relationships with unhoused community members, strengthen collaborations among service providers, and enhance collective efforts to address homelessness. Engaging directly with those affected and working together will create a stronger, more compassionate community committed to meaningful change.
The PiT Count will improve understanding of the needs and circumstances of the people who are affected by homelessness in our community. The survey will provide key data on gender, age, ethnicity, veteran status and more.
Results from the PiT Count will be made publicly available and will be used to improve our response to homelessness. In the future, successive counts will allow us to measure progress towards our ultimate goal: ending homelessness in the Cochrane District.
The Cochrane District PiT Count has received support from Reaching Home, Government of Canada’s Homelessness Strategy (Housing, Infrastructure and Communities of Canada). The coordinated effort will help us to create a picture of homelessness in communities across Canada.
For more information, contact the PiT Coordinator at [email protected].