COVID-19 and System Responses to Homelessness
the announcement, COVID‑19 reached the pandemic level and the already vulnerable homeless and
precariously housed population are experiencing greater challenges. This project will map the impact of the
COVID‑19 pandemic on the homeless population in Ottawa, including the added vulnerabilities it has
introduced across systems, the innovations that are happening to enable more effective services, and gaps in
care that require further action. Working in partnership with the Ottawa Alliance to End Homelessness, this
project will explore critical questions around equitable access to health, housing stability, adequate shelter
resources, ticketing related to social distancing, and how COVID‑19 is changing service delivery. The results
will be presented to the City of Ottawa in a report and can help to inform pandemic planning at the local,
provincial, and federal level when “staying home” is not an option.
