I recall the Herald doing a feature article on the street people in Calgary back in the early 80's and IIRC it said they included people with addictions, chronically unemployed youth, and recently released mental patients.
This was in hard times, just after the Liberals announced the NEP, and there weren't that many jobs available. Probably many of those youth could find jobs today, however some may choose not the work, for whatever reason - mentally challenged, poorly educated, socially withdrawn, addicted to alcohol and/or drugs or just plain lazy.
As for the people with mental illness, they used to be institutionalized until the government felt they were better off on the street. Probably movies like "One Flew Over the ####oo's Nest" helped them make their decision.
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