More seniors becoming homeless in Sudbury

There's a disturbing trend in Greater Sudbury: since the spring, officials say more seniors find themselves without a place to live.

The Homelessness Network in Sudbury says a growing number of seniors in the city are homeless or on the verge of being unhoused.

Mary Gervais, 62, said Wednesday she and her husband have been homeless for seven months after being wrongfully evicted by their landlord because of a dispute over rental terms.

“I never thought I would be in this situation at all but I guess, you know, you have to go through trials,” Gervais said.

She and her husband are both dealing with serious health issues and have been staying at the warming centre at the Samaritan Centre day and night this winter.

“It’s crazy how the rent is like $1,700, $1,300 and most people on disability and welfare can’t afford that,” said Gervais.

Officials with the Homelessness Network in Sudbury said community partners started noticing more seniors unhoused last spring and early summer.

Around 160 are unhoused

“As we started counting statistics in June, we were averaging contacts with about 161 elderly persons a month out on the streets of Sudbury,” said Ray Landry, Homelessness Network co-ordinator.

There are a number of reasons why more seniors are becoming homeless, Landry said.

“Some situations we know that there have been illegal evictions or even through legal processes, buildings being purchased and then renovated where the rents are no longer accessible to and attainable by senior citizens,” he said.

The Homelessness Network said overall homeless numbers in Sudbury continue to increase. Landry pointed to an Association of Municipalities of Ontario’s report last week that said homelessness has increased by 200 per cent in northeastern Ontario.

“It’s for sure an epidemic and (AMO) is trying to get the province’s attention on seeing that so many more resources are needed to address the issue,” said Landry.

Gervais has been on the city’s emergency housing list for seven months now and said she remains hopeful she will soon have a place to call home.