Feminist policy analysis of Newfoundland and Labrador’s provincial homelessness policies

Abstract

In Newfoundland and Labrador, there is no overarching policy addressing homelessness across the province. This study analyzes two municipal and one provincial plan addressing homelessness by using feminist policy analysis techniques such as frequency and discourse analyses, complemented by three interviews with policy makers and researchers. This research aims to uncover attitudes and assumptions about people experiencing homelessness within these policies. Specifically, to highlight potential consequences such as resources failing to address the unique needs of marginalized groups, including but not limited to, Indigenous people, women, and the 2SLGBTQIA+ community who are often overlooked in homelessness policy discourse. This analysis draws on feminist, queer, and Indigenous theorizations of homelessness, which advocate for a reframed understanding of homelessness as something people can experience in various dimensions. Concepts such as epistemic injustice, the construction of (in)visibility, and affect help frame the analysis. The research concludes that 2SLGBTQIA+, refugee, and racialized experiences of homelessness are rendered invisible in each of the examined policies.