Phillip Gordon Mackintosh, Department of Geography and Tourism Studies

Scholars regard the late-Victorian and Edwardian city as “pathological,” whether exemplifying a general urban “spatial pathology” (Vidler 1991), or marking a historical juncture in urban history, “City Pathological” (Hall 1989). For the latter, the assumption is that carelessly, even dangerously, constructed housing; dramatically unsatisfactory physical and social infrastructure; ubiquitous environmental hazards from smoke, smell, and water pollution; and the omnipresence of poorly regulated industries in or near domestic neighbourhoods, all intersected pathologically—and, thus, socially—as urban geography. This well-documented spatial degradation, however, often takes for granted the era’s insouciant laissez-faire capitalism and its deleterious geographical pressures on cities and people—especially on the infamously maligned “slum dwellers” (Mayne 2017), whose desperate housing and neighbourhood conditions, and whose inability to succeed in the emerging bourgeois city and its concomitant suburban segregationist impulse, conveniently if mistakenly supports the “City Pathological” idea. One group of “slum dwellers,” women garment workers were exceedingly susceptible the stress-consequences of overwork and underpayment. Their work-life experience in the modern city often induced neurasthenia, the term used to explain anxiety and depression but also the somatic experience of both. Workers’ inability to cope, combined with the inhumane housing conditions of a spatially pathological urban modernity, unsurprisingly, urged suicidal ideation.

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Joanne Heritz, Department of Political Science
Liam Midzain-Gobin, Department of Political Science, Brock University
Mary Ellen Simon, Housing Programs Director, Niagara Region Native Centre, Niagara-On-The-Lake

We present the concept of “making home” as expressed by the urban Indigenous community in the Niagara Region, Ontario. The work comes out of a community-driven project co-developed by the urban Indigenous community, represented by the leadership of local organizations, and researchers from Brock University. While housing access and affordability are critical issues facing many across Canada, homelessness, income, and employment factors place Indigenous Peoples as the most vulnerable demographic for housing insecurity. In Niagara, the 2021 Point-in-Time count found that just over 22 per cent of those experiencing homelessness identified as Indigenous, despite Indigenous Peoples comprise less than three per cent of Niagara’s population. We argue that such an acute crisis results not only from Indigenous Peoples not having a place to live, but also the ongoing realities of settler colonial dispossession. Community members expressed the need for somewhere to live that is safe and affordable, but also needing it to be a place where they can build and maintain relationships – between family, political communities, and with the non-human world. Drawing from their own words, we present this as being deeply rooted in the community’s vision of self-determination in urban spaces.

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Scott Neufeld, Department of Psychology

The rising crisis of affordability, housing and homeless encampments in Ontario has been widely discussed by politicians, media and the public in recent months. This talk will apply the concept of “stigmacraft” (Tyler, 2020) to examine public discussion of encampments in St. Catharines (local news media, public comments, municipal and provincial politicians’ speeches). It will show how stigma is used to exclude people who are unhoused from the idea of “the community” and scapegoat them as to blame for their own struggles. Understanding stigma as a weapon deployed strategically in response to complex social issues is crucial in the context of increasingly brutal suggestions from Ontario politicians on how to address the encampments and housing crisis (e.g. use of the notwithstanding clause to ignore established human rights, increased calls for involuntary addiction treatment). To conclude, this talk will also share analysis developed collaboratively with the Niagara Advocates for Lived and Living Experience (NALE) on strategies for “anti-stigmacraft”, that is, how politicians and community members can work to counteract the exclusion of people who are unhoused from the community.

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Kaitlyn Moore, student of Community Health, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences

The Niagara Region is home to various shelters catering to different groups, such as youth (The Raft), families (The Hope Centre), single women or women with children (YWCA), men (Salvation Army Booth Centre), and adults (Southridge, Riorden, Summer Street) (Niagara Region, n.d). According to data from Statistics Canada (2018), approximately 625 people were homeless in the St. Catharines-Niagara area, with many relying on shelters for support.

One key resource, Out of the Cold, offers seasonal overnight shelter during winter months, providing a safe space without the restrictions of year-round shelters. In 2018, it saw a 108% increase in stays, accommodating 7,864 individuals (Diocese of St. Catharines, n.d.). However, recent changes aimed at increasing housing-focused shelters have led to the discontinuation of seasonal shelters like Out of the Cold. This shift poses challenges for individuals who do not meet the eligibility criteria for housing-focused shelters, leaving them vulnerable during harsh winter months.

This research proposal seeks to examine the effectiveness of seasonal shelters in addressing winter homelessness in Niagara. The goal is to ensure vulnerable individuals who have no other options, have access to a safe, temporary shelter during winter months.

Rebecca Raby (Department of Child and Youth Studies)
Dr. Christine Tardif-Williams, CHYS, Brock University
Erika Alegria, CHYS PhD student, Brock University
Frederick Oppong, CHYS PhD student, Brock University
Luiza Mattos Jobim da Costa, Critical Sociology MA student, Brock University

While little scholarship examines the experiences of homeless children in Canada (Huot and Covell, 2019; Wiese and Brown, 2018), we know that there are many challenges faced by them and their families, including precarity and stigma (Gaetz et al., 2021) and negative effects on health (Le Mener, 2016) and education (Campaign 2000, 2015; Gulliver-Garcia, 2016). These challenges are often exacerbated for those who are part of an already marginalized community, including children who are Indigenous, racialized, new immigrants or refugees, disabled and/or LGBTQ2S+ (Gulliver-Garcia, 2016; McCormick et al., 2017; Paradis et al., 2008; Waterson et al., 2015). In collaboration with a community organization dedicated to addressing homelessness, we aim to add to this scant literature by drawing attention to children’s homelessness and amplifying children’s viewpoints. Our work is informed by the sociology of childhood (Wyness, 2006), strength-based approaches (Toros & Falch-Eriksen, 2021), and relationality (Spyrou, 2018).

For almost two years, our team has been involved in a research project at an after-school program for children ages 8-14 at a shelter for homeless families. We are conducting ongoing participant observation, including arts-based and interactive activities, and have also interviewed staff members. In this presentation we provide an overview of emerging themes, including; 1) the stigma and worry around living in a homeless shelter; 2) the challenges around loss, i.e. children missing toys, pets, and certain family members; 3) the importance of relationships, especially with family, and with children, staff, volunteers, and researchers; 4) their hopes and dreams, especially around housing; and 5) the fun and support in the after-school program.

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