Addiction definitely played a part in my homelessness, and recovery was a big part of ending that cycle and getting out of that cycle.
I don't think the solution is spending more money; I think it's to spend money differently and divert it towards the places it should go. There are a lot of seniors who just need a small rent supplement.
If we spend money differently, we can divert money towards more things like addiction services. Right now, in any major city in Canada, if you call city services and say that you want to go to rehab, those services are months away. We need more wraparound supports, and we need more pathways towards ending the behaviour that causes homelessness.