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ABSTRACT
As the homelessness crisis in Canada worsens, it becomes imperative that research be mobilized to play a vital role in debates and decisions regarding strategies and solutions. However, in the past research on homelessness has not had the impact that it should. The Homeless Hub (www.homelesshub.ca) is a web-based research library and information center that represents an innovative step forward in the use of technology to enhance knowledge mobilization and networking. This resource represents an important step forward in effectively mobilizing homelessness research to engage policy makers, service providers and the general public and inform debates about the causes of homelessness and the efficacy of proposed solutions.
There are few Canadians who would deny that the problem of homelessness has increased quite dramatically since the 1990s, and that it continues to be a profoundly challenging issue across the country (Gaetz 2008, 2010; Golden et al. 1999; Hulchanski, 2009; Laird 2007; Shapcott, 2007). The response to this emerging crisis has been remarkably uneven. On the one hand, communities across the country have struggled to develop local solutions to a national problem, by building more emergency services such as shelters, drop-ins and other kinds of supports. And while different levels of government have attempted to support such efforts (for instance, the national Homelessness Partnering Strategy), such efforts have not been developed evenly across the country, nor have they been accompanied by a robust national housing strategy. These attempts to deal with homelessness, however progressive they may be, have been accompanied by counterproductive efforts to "criminalize" homelessness - perhaps the most notorious example being Ontario's Safe Streets Act. Overall, it is fair to say that the infrastructure that has emerged as a response to homelessness has developed in an ad hoc way, rather than as a result of careful planning utilizing the best information available.
This raises the question of the role of research in tackling homelessness. It should go without saying that good policy and excellent programs are best built upon solid research evidence. Research should have an impact on decision-making in government through providing solid evidence that informs policy and practice. Strategic planning and program development within the non-profit sector should be rooted in an evidence-based approach. Good research deepens our understanding of...