Close to a thousand people have gathered at the RBC Convention Centre this week for the National Conference on Ending Homelessness

The three day event has drawn in a crowd of frontline workers, policy makers, researchers and former homeless people.

Participants will discuss a variety of topics including youth and women's homelessness, as well as strategies for finding housing.

The main focus will be on indigenous homelessness, as it is one of the most over-represented among the homeless population.

A number of keynote speakers have been scheduled to talk at the conference including Leigh Bursey, a 30 yea rold, second term Brockville City Councillor who comes from poverty, Deputy Mayor Jenny Gerbsasi, and Beth Sandor, a Principal at Community Solutions.

In conjunction with the conference, a number of Winnipeg CEO's and other community leaders will set up sleeping bags outside of the RBC Convention Centre this evening, as they take part in the CEO Sleepout.

The annual event hopes to raise $1,000,000 to help employ some of the city's less fortunate.

The National Conference on Ending Homelessness  runs until Friday