Calgarians need to make more money to avoid homelessness than other Canadians: study

New research suggests Calgarians need to make more money than people in other major Canadian cities in order to keep their home. 

The University of Calgary's School of Public Policy released a new report on Tuesday examining Canda's growing affordability crisis and its impact on homelessness.

The report introduces the concept of the Homelessness Income Cut Off (HICO), which it says is a new measure that can be used to reveal the income required for Canadians to avoid homelessness after relying on personal financial cut-backs and social services. 

"Most people with income below Canada’s official poverty line avoid homelessness," says the report. "They do so by making extraordinary efforts to minimize out-of-pocket expenses and so conserve income for rent. These efforts involve moving to less expensive accommodations, living in more crowded housing, forgoing non-necessities, and relying on charities to reduce expenditures on food, clothing, and other necessities."

The paper presents calculations of the HICO for seven cities: Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax, from 2015 to 2022.

Report co-author Ron Kneebone says Calgary's HICO level is "concerning."

"The bottom line is that the level of income support we are providing to people is not sufficient for them to keep their housing," he said.

The research paper estimates the average couple with two children needs to make $42,582 annually to retain their home. 

That number dips to $29,968 for a single parent with one child — and sits at $18,566 for a single individual. 

"In Calgary, for example, there are about 40,000 households that consist of about 115,000 people who are on the edge of homelessness," Kneebone said. "So a little unexpected utility bill this way, a few hours of lost work the other way, and they're going to slip."

An individual's HICO is $18,392 in Edmonton and $17,780 in Vancouver. 

Montreal's HICO is $15,350— thanks to a different housing market, a lower cost of living and, Kneebone says, "a stronger social support network."

The paper takes into account the average person doesn't become homeless the second they fall below the poverty line.

Kneebone suggests that's a common misconception. Typically, he says those who are below the line change their living situations and rely on charities for food before missing housing payments outright. 

"They're fighting like hell to hang onto their housing, not sitting back and looking for a handout," he said. "They're not living in some nice one-bedroom apartment. They have moved to lower quality housing that's crowded, where not everyone has their own bedroom, and they're using a food bank and relying on charities to pay for other things. They're struggling."

So, what's the answer? 

The paper's authors believe social safety nets need to be reimagined.

Kneebone says helping Canadians retain their housing is best way to cut back on how much the country's governments spend on homelessness in the first place. 

"I always advocate the best way of helping people is simply giving them income," he said.