Grant: Catalyst Grant: Pandemic Preparedness

As homelessness in Canada continues, it is essential to ask what impact an influenza pandemic might have on the homeless population and urban communities across the country. More than 250,000 individuals use homeless shelters annually across Canada. In the event of a pandemic, it is not clear whether the infrastructures to address homelessness, public health or the health care system in general will be prepared to adequately respond to the risks faced by the homeless population. We will address key challenges to effective pandemic preparedness in the context of the homelessness crisis in by assembling a multidisciplinary, pan-Canadian team of top homelessness researchers and community-based organizations in Victoria, Calgary, Montreal and Toronto. In each city, a team will investigate the potential risk factors and impacts of an influenza pandemic on the homeless population and the infrastructure that is in place to provide emergency services to this group. This will be done by gathering baseline information on the local homeless population; assessing pandemic plans at municipal, provincial and agency levels; and analyzing and profiling homeless services infrastructures. This analysis will help Canadians in all parts of the country, in all levels of government, and within a broad range of communities to better prepare for, and respond to an influenza pandemic.