UNECE establishes Toronto Centre of Excellence on Youth Homelessness Prevention at York University

Approximately 150 million people are homeless and more than 1.8 billion people worldwide lack adequate and  affordable housing. While levels of homelessness vary considerably across UNECE countries, finding sustainable solutions to ensure access to housing for all members of society remains a significant challenge. In 2020, in the United States, the number of homeless people was approximately 580,000 and at least 235,000 Canadians experience homelessness every year.

To support the efforts of cities and national governments in fighting the challenges of homelessness, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) has established the Toronto Centre of Excellence on Youth Homelessness Prevention, the first Geneva UN Charter Centre of Excellence in North America. The Centre will be hosted by York University, co-directed by Faculty of Education Professor Stephen Gaetz, President of the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness (COH), and Melanie Redman of A Way Home Canada.