Lived Experience as Evidence for Research, Policy, and Advocacy on Homelessness in Canada

Abstract

The rise of evidence-based policymaking highlights the importance of evidence and how it is defined and utilized. It also uncovers the gaps in evidence and where lived experience stands to benefit policymaking. The rising level of encampments, homelessness, and housing unaffordability in Canada emphasize the need to consider how and where lived experiences of homelessness are included. This article interrogates the inclusion of lived experiences of homelessness in three specific domains: research, policy, and advocacy. Our findings from systematic reviews of each area reveal an evidence-policy gap in homelessness policy and governance. Across all three domains, scholars and practitioners alike often fail to explicitly include lived experience to inform their efforts. Enhanced coordination and policy learning across and between the domains can offer a pathway to measurably improve policy effectiveness.