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Now or Never

Unhoused: personal stories from people experiencing homelessness

Across the country, the homeless population is the subject of debate, but rarely do we hear their perspectives. Today we're sitting down with people whose personal stories shed light on what it's really like to be unhoused.

What's it really like to be homeless? Five people share their stories

CBC Radio ·
On a blue building, graffiti written in pink spells "Everyone Deserves a Home."
Graffiti on a building near a homeless shelter in Winnipeg declares that "everyone deserves a home." (Bridget Forbes/CBC)
Now or Never51:47Unhoused: personal stories from people experiencing homelessness

Where will you sleep tonight?

Can you imagine not knowing the answer to that question?

There are lots of people who don't. 

The Canadian Observatory on Homelessness says that on any given night, about 35,000 people — more than the population of Moose Jaw — will sleep in a shelter, couch surf, or end up on the street. 

Across the country, homelessness is the subject of debate, but we don't often hear the voices of the people themselves.

On this episode of Now or Never we're working to change that, and passing the microphone to folks who share their stories of struggle, survival, and hope.

People pack up a tent on the street in front of a convenience store while three police officers watch.
Vancouver police and city staff were in the Downtown Eastside Wednesday enforcing the removal of tents and make-shift structures on East Hastings Street. (Ben Nelms/CBC)

We begin on Vancouver's East Hastings Street, where encampments are coming down, but the people who live there don't know where to go. 

A man sits on a bed facing away from the camera, looking out windows at the street. There are lots of empty beds in the shelter around him.
Brian, whose last name we've agreed not to use, stays here at the N'Dinewemak shelter in Winnipeg, while working a part time job. He doesn't want the company he works for to know he's homeless. (Bridget Forbes/CBC)

In Winnipeg, Brian lives at a shelter, but gets up and goes to work at his part-time job. He's afraid to share his last name because he's worried he'd lose his job if the company knew he was homeless.

A closeup of a woman's hands with rings on her twisted fingers, holding a blue book with the words "Goals Journal" written across the front.
Barbara holds her goals journal at a shelter in Winnipeg. (Bridget Forbes/CBC)

Barbara has spent years in survival sex work, struggling with her addictions and health, but had always managed to find a place to stay, until now. Hear her story of resilience and how she hopes a goals journal will help her change her life.

A man stands in a coat and black pants outside a closed shed, staring at the camera.
Zachary Giesbrecht spent the past few months living in this shed in Steinbach, Manitoba. (Sara Tate/CBC)

Zachary Giesbrecht grew up in the tight-knit, Mennonite community of Steinbach, Manitoba  — not a place you might think has a homelessness issue. But for the last few months, Zac has been living in an abandoned shed in his hometown. He shares what it's like to be homeless and in active addiction.

People smile at the camera holding their art up for the camera.
Residents of Homes First shelter in Scarborough gather for an art party as harm reduction. (Glory Omotayo/CBC)

In a Scarborough hotel that's been converted to a shelter, residents have gathered for an art party and share how art can help with harm reduction.