"Whether you're a newcomer and it's your first Christmas away from the family, whether you're Canadian-born and your family is still far away or not speaking to you for whatever reason, it's hard for people to be aware that they are not at home," said Michalina Seidl, a case manager at Bethlehem United. "People who are staying in a shelter are regular people. Most of the time they're the most vulnerable....So just remember to be kind to people, because you never know what they're going through."
Valentina Diaz, a manager at Fred Victor Bethlehem United Shelter, says the season exacerbates the "emotional heaviness" homeless people face year-round. "Having to go through life hardships on your own can be particularly hard for people that are living on the streets or in shelters," said Diaz.
According to Gord Tanner, head of shelter and support services for the city, on average night this year, the city sheltered about 12,200 people, up from 10,700 people last year. More than 9,500 of those people are in the city's shelter system, with another 2,600 sheltered in hotels.
Diaz said among the homeless people struggling are refugee claimants who now make up a large portion of the people currently using the city's shelter system.
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