Where the Heart Is: Reducing Houselessness and Housing Insecurity for 2SLGBTQI Canadian Veterans is a national qualitative community-based research project. This project is part of a collaborative partnership between Egale Canada and Rainbow Veterans Canada (RVC) and contributes to the ongoing research and capacity building efforts of the Government of Canada’s Veteran Homelessness Program goals to reduce houselessness and housing insecurity for veterans across Canada.

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About the Project

In this project, we want to gain insight into how 2SLGBTQI veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) experience houselessness and housing insecurity (see definitions). We aim to identify the risk factors to poverty, and houselessness and housing insecurity for 2SLGBTQI veterans. In doing so, we will develop an understanding of the various issues, needs, and challenges of unhoused and housing insecure 2SLGBTQI Canadian veterans across the country.

Through interviews and a photography activity, participant contributions will help to create:

  1. The development of resources and workshops for service providers, shelters, health care practitioners, and community organisations serving veterans across Canada made for, by, and with 2SLGBTQI veterans.
  2. Foundational research on houselessness and housing insecurity among 2SLGBTQI veterans in Canada.
  3. Public awareness campaigns, including an in-person and virtual public gallery exhibition of project findings featuring photographs taken by research participants.

All contributions will help to inform future policies, programs, and initiatives aimed towards reducing houselessness and housing insecurity among this underrepresented segment of the Canadian veteran population.

Participation will take approximately 3-4 weeks to complete.

Research participants will receive an honorarium for their participation.

Project Eligibility

To participate in this study, we invite participants who:  

  • Are Two Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, and/or Intersex (2SLGBTQI)
  • Are veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) or Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), or have previously served in the CAF or RCMP
  • Have previous lived experience of being houseless/unhoused or housing insecure in Canada
  • Have a device (e.g., computer, tablet, smartphone) with stable and consistent access to the Internet
  • Have a smart phone device or digital camera that is capable of taking clear photographs
  • Can participate in English
  • Are capable of providing consent to participate
  • Are able to participate in all phases of this project (2 interviews + photography activity)

We especially welcome the participation of 2SLGBTQI Canadian veterans of all age groups who are Indigenous, Black, or people of colour, and/or who live in rural or remote areas. Please be aware that our selection process for interview participants will prioritize people from within these groups. Registration will not automatically guarantee participation in this study. The information collected in this form will help us to best ensure there is a diversity of participants in the interviews.

If you are interested in participating in the research study, please contact vhp@egale.ca to fill out an eligibility questionnaire.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Houseless/Unhoused and Housing Insecure?
Houseless/Unhoused
  • No fixed address
  • Not always a result of poverty, social issues, or mental illness, some choose to be houseless by choice and adopt nomadic and transient lifestyles
  • Living in unsheltered or sheltered housing with no guaranteed prospects of securing permanent housing

Examples of “unsheltered housing”:

  • Living on the streets
  • Campsites
  • Vehicles (e.g., cars, vans, RVS, trailers)
  • Dwellings that are not deemed safe for human habitation (e.g., illegally-occupied storage units; garages; sheds; shipping containers), can include “squatting” in abandoned or unoccupied buildings

Examples of “sheltered housing”:

  • Temporal housing (e.g., couchsurfing; hostels; hotels; motels; long-term or short-term homestays or rentals such as AirBnBs)
  • Shelters
  • Offering services in exchange for a place to stay (e.g., housesitting; pet sitting)

Staying with relatives, family, friends, neighbours, or strangers on a temporary basis.

Housing Insecure, also known as Precariously Housed
  • Having a place to live but cannot meet basic needs or afford to pay rent.
  • High risk of losing housing and becoming houseless. This can be due to a variety of factors, such as lack of resources and finances, health difficulties (e.g., substance use, mental illness), domestic violence, last-minute eviction, relationship breakdown (e.g., divorce or separation), death of a family member or spouse, interpersonal/family conflict, etc.
  • May frequently move and change their address.

Why use the term “houseless” instead of “homeless”?

“Houseless” and “homeless” are commonly used interchangeably to describe the state of not having a permanent place to live. While interrelated, both terms are distinct, carrying different meanings. The fundamental difference can be found when comparing the meaning of “house” and “home”. A ”house” describes material, physical structures meant for human habitation. While “home” can be interpreted as non-material in nature, with affective, social, and cultural significance. Understood in this way, “home” is deeply personal, and what it means can vary from person-to-person. “Home” can refer to relational and social connections (e.g., communities, individuals, family members or relatives, or other groups of people), feelings (e.g., feeling “at home”), a sense of belonging tied to a place, shared interest, or identity. Some have even described “home” in terms of familiarity or as memories.

It is not uncommon to hear about people marginalized communities describe their relationships and social connections—whether it is individual people in their communities or their community as a whole—as “home” or “family”. These sentiments are commonly expressed in 2SLGBTQI communities and veteran communities. The shared sense of identity and belonging can make people feel “at home” and connected with one another. Being that the project’s community of focus are 2SLGBTQI Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) veterans, using the term “homeless” to describe this community’s lived experiences with houselessness and housing insecurity invalidates the significance of these relational and social connections experienced by members of these communities.

To put it simply, and for the purposes of this project, the term “houseless” or “unhoused” refers to the state of lacking a house or having a permanent place to live. With the various meanings associated with “home”, the term “homeless” is an inadequate term to describe lacking a place to live, as people without a house can have a home.

If you have any questions or concerns for the project team regarding this research project, please contact vhp@egale.ca.

This research project has received ethical clearance approved by the Community Research Ethics Board (CREO), [Application #436].

This project is funded by the Government of Canada.