Survey of Windsor-Essex homeless population underway

Volunteers with the Homeless Coalition of Windsor Essex County and the City of Windsor are working to take a snapshot of the region's homeless population.

They are looking to speak with people who are homeless in order to better understand what types of services they need and to provide officials with data about how many people do not have a place to sleep every night.

• Volunteers needed for survey of Windsor-Essex homeless population

CBC News went out with two canvassers around Ouellette Avenue on Tuesday afternoon. We met with three people who agreed to share their stories.

Michael Tookate

Tookate saidhe has a place to sleep here in Windsor, but has experienced homelessness before in Toronto. He's originally fromMoosonee, Ont.

"Sometimes you get pretty tired at nighttime when you have no place to stay or a place to sleep," he said. "You feel better when you have a place to sleep."

"There were days when I wouldn't sleep for three days because I was on the street and I didn't sleep, sometimes you have to stay on the road when you're on the street and it's hard to find a place," he said.

Amanda Stephens

Stephens saidshe suffers from mental illness, including depression and anxiety. She saidshe has a place to sleep tonight, but that's not guaranteed fortomorrow night.

"It's kind of hard [being homeless] but I get through it," she said. "It just gets kind of annoying when I can't find a job because of my mental illness."

Trainwreck

This man identified himself as 'Trainwreck' and said he's been been travelling throughout big cities in North America for several years.

This is his second stint in Windsor and expects to move to another city soon.

"I stay wherever I lay my head," he said. "Having a place to stay would be tremendous."