You've walked past them or through them. They're in every Canadian city and town. The result of the housing crisis colliding with the opioid crisis and slamming into a pandemic. And for all the reporting has been done on them, for all the politicization of the camps themselves and what they do to a neighbourhood, perhaps not much is understood about the people inside them. Who they are, how they got there, what they need to get back on their feet and where they might get it.

Today's episode, whatever you think of that encampment in your neighbourhood, is a chance to understand the phemomenon a little bit better.

GUEST: Brennan Doherty, reporting for The Local

We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:

Through email at [email protected] 

Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky