Table 2.

Demographic Characteristics of the Sample (N = 395)

	Sample Characteristics
Characteristic	n	%	Population Comparison %
Gender:	395
Male	160	40.5	49%85
Female	233	59.0	51%85
Transgender	2	0.5
Aboriginal Identity:	391
Yes	163	41.7	4.4%86
No	228	58.3
Employment Status:	379
Employeda	74	19.5	60.9%87
Unemployed	234	61.7	7.8%87
Otherb	71	18.7
Highest Educational Level Completed:	386
Less than high school	164	42.5	12.7%88
Completed high school	60	15.8	23.2%
College certificate or diploma	127	32.9	38.3%
University degree	35	9.1	25.9%
Receiving Social Assistance:	116	29.4	Ontarioc	BCd
			3.6%89	1.2%89
Receiving Disability Assistance:	153	38.7	Ontario	BC
			2.2%89	2.0%89
Difficulty Living on Total Household Incomee:	388		Prevalence of low income in adults 18 to 64: 14.4%92
Very difficult	136	35.1
Somewhat difficult	132	34.0
Not very difficult	72	18.6
Not at all difficult	48	12.4
Shelter Use (past 12 months)f:	384
Yes	67	17.4	0.08%f ,90
No	317	82.6

^aEmployed status refers to individuals working full or part time, as well as those doing seasonal work.

^bThe majority of responses in this category are retired, receiving assistance, stay‐at‐home mom, student, and occasional cash work.

^cCalculation based on Ontario's population in 2011: 12,851,821 (https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/as-sa/fogs-spg/Facts-pr-eng.cfm?Lang=Eng&GK=PR&GC=35).

^dCalculation based on BC's population in 2011: 4,400,057 (https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/as-sa/fogs-spg/Facts-pr-eng.cfm?Lang=Eng&GK=PR&GC=59).

^eParticipants were asked, “Overall, how difficult is it for you to live on your total household income right now?”

^fCalculation of number of persons age 15+ living in a shelter in 2011 (Statistics Canada, 2011 Census of Population, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98‐313‐XCB2011024, Table: Selected Collective Dwelling and Population Characteristics (52) and Type of Collective Dwelling (17) for the Population in Collective Dwellings of Canada, Provinces and Territories, 2011 Census.⁹⁰