Using community values and evidence to respond to homelessness together: a case for methodological flexibility.

Abstract

Background: Canada's homelessness crisis has deepened due to policy failures, structural inequities and systemic neglect. In Ontario, mid-sized cities face growing pressures with housing and homelessness responsibilities downloaded to municipalities and under-resourced community organizations. These intersecting challenges underscore the need for coordinated, community-driven and evidence-informed responses that transcend traditional policy and research silos.

Aims and objectives: This article examines collaborative efforts to address homelessness within Peterborough, Ontario, and distils a local research-to-action process to inform evidence-led problem-solving in other contexts. It explores how researchers can balance academic and activist frameworks with community values to foster meaningful social change.

Methods: Aligned with institutional ethnography, the process integrated community-based participatory research, knowledge mobilization and community organizing. Two coordinated research projects culminated in a half-day community forum and a two-day community symposium, co-designed with local people with lived experience, Indigenous organizations, service providers and municipal staff. Structured facilitation supported collective problem identification, priority setting and coordinated planning.

Findings: The forum mobilized local evidence, allowing participants to identify key policy and practice priorities. The symposium generated community actions and future directions, including a living resource hub, a coordinated advocacy committee and enhanced access to justice supports. Participants reported strengthened collaboration, mutual accountability and solidarity across sectors.

Discussion and conclusion: Although the process did not directly reduce homelessness, it built local agency and collective capacity for policy advocacy and resource coordination. Grounded in local evidence and shared values, it offers an adaptable model for communities addressing complex social challenges.