The federal government is trying to get a handle on just how big the homelessness problem is in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

To that end, it is investing $135,000 to compile data on the issue.

The Salvation Army will play a key role in collecting the information.

Maj. Chris Dickens, the executive director of the Salvation Army’s Booth Centre Ministries, says the data will be collected over a two-year period.

Dickens says it is a small step in addressing the problem, but he says it is a step in the right direction.

He hopes the study will yield some positive results:

“I’m not sure.  I think it’s one of those that we just have to wait and see.  The amount of data that’s collected is going to be astounding.”