Building the Evidence:
Introducing Pillar 5

“No Place Else to Go: Surveying the Human Rights Experiences of Encampment Residents in Ontario” is a seven-part report series. ​
“Building the Evidence: Survey Design, Data Collection, and Research Highlights” is the first in our series of reports. It outlines how we designed the survey and collected the data, and offers a brief overview of our research findings, which are discussed in more detail in subsequent reports. ​

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Introducing Pillar 5: ​Recognition of Indigenous RIghts​

This pillar examines the relationship between encampments and Indigenous rights. Given Canada's treaty obligations and the over-representation of Indigenous people among those living in encampments, a human rights-based response must recognize the relevance of Indigenous rights in addressing encampments (Farha and Schwan, 2020). It also requires the co-development of culturally responsive approaches with Indigenous service providers and governments (Flynn et al, 2022).

To explore this pillar, we examined both the representation of Indigenous peoples within the survey sample and participants' access to Indigenous-specific supports. The survey questions help assess whether encampment responses recognize Indigenous rights and provide culturally relevant services. Specifically, we asked participants whether they:   
  • Identified as Indigenous or had Indigenous ancestry.
  • Were aware of services for Indigenous people staying in encampments, including Indigenous outreach and access to traditional medicines.
  • Were aware of any attempts by the municipality to discuss treaty rights and obligations with people staying in encampments.​

Analyzing the Survey Findings​

To connect the survey findings to the pillars of a human rights–based response, we developed a set of exploratory questions for each pillar. These questions guided our analysis by providing a framework for organizing and interpreting the survey findings.​
Survey findings from this pillar were analyzed through the following exploratory questions:
  • Do municipalities approach people staying in encampments through an Indigenous rights lens?
  • Do municipalities provide specific services for Indigenous peoples staying in encampments, such as Indigenous outreach or access to traditional medicines?​
In our survey, we found that Indigenous people were over-represented among those staying in encampments. However, encampments were rarely understood or addressed through an Indigenous rights lens. While some Indigenous service providers were identified as offering key supports to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people experiencing homelessness, access to these services was uneven and limited.

​About This Summary

This summary offers a very brief overview of Pillar 5: Recognition of Indigenous RIghts. The full pillar report provides a more detailed analysis, using the exploratory questions as a framework for interpreting the survey findings and making recommendations. It expands on these initial findings by situating them in relation to relevant policy contexts, identifying patterns in the data, and offering more specific implications for practice and systems change.​