An Ottawa program offering homes for the homeless has paid off in spades for Mathieu Coderre, who has built a new life and managed his mental health issues thanks to the stability that comes with having a true home he can call his own.
Coderre, who once felt helpless to break out of life on the streets, now feels like he has more options in life than he can ever possibly explore. The 22-year-old has spent the last 10 months living in a one-bedroom apartment in Ottawa, where his rent is covered indefinitely through a Canadian Mental Health Association housing program.
Coderre has been diagnosed with depression and anxiety, and spent close to five years in shelters, sleeping on friends’ couches, and on the streets. He said he couldn’t find a job or stick to a treatment program for his mental health issues because he didn’t have a stable place to call home. He said temporary housing didn’t help him break out of that cycle, because he was always under pressure to get a job or go to school if he didn’t want to be kicked out.
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