Ending homelessness is 'going to be quite a chore': Roy Romanow

Roy Romanow is used to tackling big problems, such as steering a province away from bankruptcy and lobbying for changes in health care, but the former Saskatchewan premier is facing possibly his biggest challenge yet;ending homelessness.

"This is a goal to try and end homelessness in Canada altogether," Romanow said. "Realistically it's going to be quite a chore."

Romanow has been appointed co-chair of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness. The organization works with the private, public and non-profit sectors to build public and political support to help communities end homelessness.

"It's a natural extension respecting my interest in health care," Romanow said. "The poorer that an individual is, or society is, the greater the risks for health care."

Romanow said about 35,000 people in Canada are homeless on any given night and about 240,000 people experience homelessness every year.

He said the federal government's investment in housing has dropped 46 per cent while Canada's population increased about 30 per cent.

He said homelessness is costing the Canadian economy $7 billion a year.

"If we can tackle this particular issue not only does it make good economic sense but it makes good social sense," Romanow said.

Romanow will be a guest on CBC Radio's Saskatoon Morning today at 7:10 a.m. CST.