200,000 to 300,000
Estimated homeless population in Canada. Only about 10 per cent live on the street or shelters; the others have no fixed address, living with friends, in rooming houses or in fleabag hotels
25 to 50
Percentage of homeless people who have a mental illness, according to a number of different estimates
75
Percentage of homeless people with mental illness who are also substance abusers
$6-billion
Cost of homelessness each year, including emergency shelters, social services and criminal justice
70
Percentage of homeless who are men
25
Percentage who are women
5
Percentage who are children
25
Percentage of homeless men who are employed (about half have social assistance, and one-fifth have no income at all)
6,000
Number of psychiatric beds in the Canadian hospital system
60,000
Number of psychiatric beds during the late 1950s
$170,820
Average annual cost to keep a mental-health patient in hospital
$34,418
Cost to support someone with serious mental illness to live in the community
Sources: Sheldon Chumir Foundation, Salvation Army of Canada; Raising The Roof; Mental Health Commission of Canada
