The issue of homelessness has grown in Canada leading to the question of why more individuals are becoming homeless. Many of us in society often misinterpret the cause of homelessness and put the blame on those without homes. Members in the upper class, who do not have to deal with their situation, often use popular comments such as get a job. It is easy to assume that these individuals put themselves in their situation, but this is in fact, not the case. While a person is able to work hard to provide a comfortable lifestyle, social factors can leave a person homeless far beyond choice.
Webster's Dictionary defines the term homeless as, Those people who have no permanent residence, especially those who live outdoors due to poverty. The issue remains that many people believe that the poor choose to be poor. As many functionalists would agree, more often than not, homelessness derives from a number of factors, rather than a single reason. At least 200,000 Canadians experience homelessness in any given year and at least 150,000 Canadians a year use a homeless shelter at some point (CBCNews, 2013). According to TheHomelessHub.ca (Gaetz, Donaldson, Richter, & Gulliver, 2013) the causes of homelessness are apparent in three different situations:.
- Structural Factors.
- Individual and Relational Factors.
- Systems Failures.
Structural factors are economic and societal issues that affect the way an individual may live their life. Each country will vary depending on their economy and societal situations. However, in most countries, major elements in structural factors include the lack of a suitable income, inability to afford housing and inability to afford health support. The economy plays a strong role in creating challenges for people to earn an adequate income, pay for food and pay for housing. Many agree that the biggest element that affects structural factors is the lack of affordable housing nationwide (Source 2).
