Debbie Lowther: Helping Homeless Veterans Back on Their Feet

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Some veterans who served Canada end up sleeping in shelters or on the street. In 2010, Debbie Lowther of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, decided that was not acceptable. She co-founded Veterans Emergency Transition Services Canada, known as VETS Canada, and has spent the years since building a national volunteer network that finds veterans in crisis and helps them get back on their feet.

A problem few were talking about

Lowther and her husband recognized that veteran homelessness was a major problem in Canada that received little attention. So they acted. The first teams, made up of serving Canadian Armed Forces members, RCMP officers, veterans and family members, went into homeless shelters in Halifax to look for veterans who needed help.

From those first visits, VETS Canada grew into a national organization with a presence in every province and every major city. Lowther is its chair and co-founder, and she oversees hundreds of volunteers across the country. Veterans Affairs Canada describes her as an expert on veteran homelessness.

Boots to the ground

VETS Canada works with what it calls a “boots to the ground” approach. Rather than waiting for veterans to find their way to an office, volunteers go directly to veterans in need, place them somewhere safe and bring service providers to them. Most of those volunteers are themselves former military members or former RCMP officers.

The results are real. According to Veterans Affairs Canada, VETS Canada has helped more than 1,000 veterans “get off the street and back on their feet.” Over time the group has widened its reach, and it now also supports veterans facing difficulties of any kind, from trouble paying for groceries or bills to emotional or mental health crises.

Understanding why veterans become homeless

Speaking to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs in 2018, Lowther explained why veteran homelessness is different. Veterans are not only dealing with housing; they are also coping with leaving a military culture that shaped who they are. In an informal survey of veterans VETS Canada had helped, most said a lack of social support was a bigger issue than health or money. On average, their first time without a home came about 11 years after they left the forces.

She also told the committee that VETS Canada takes requests for help around the clock, including holidays, and that about half of its monthly referrals came from Veterans Affairs Canada case managers.

Support for the work

In August 2024, the federal government announced $5.2 million for VETS Canada through its Veteran Homelessness Program, to help veterans who are homeless or at risk. The organization offers rental supplements and case management and connects veterans with medical help and temporary housing. Lowther said the funding would let VETS Canada keep supporting veterans and retired RCMP officers. “We believe that we, as do all Canadians who are in a position to help, have an obligation to support,” she said.

How to get or give help

Veterans who need a hand, and people who want to volunteer or donate, can find VETS Canada at vetscanada.org or call 1-888-228-3871.

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