Freiheit, Provost, Rainbow and Tilley: Think long-term while helping homeless during pandemic

In January, our city declared a homelessness emergency. Despite Ottawa’s 10-year plan to end homelessness, homelessness in our community has moved beyond a crisis to levels never seen before. Last year, almost 8,000 people stayed in emergency shelters, which have been operating at over 100-per-cent capacity for years.  Dozens of people slept outside this past winter. Marginalized groups such as First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people, seniors, veterans, women and children fleein