Social problems such as drugs, prostitution, gangs and homelessness in Western Canada's six biggest cities are getting worse, a report released Tuesday says.

The problems are also becoming more complex and spreading out from the downtown cores, says the 32-page report, prepared by the Calgary-based Canada West Foundation.

The report, Hard Times: A Portrait of Street Level Social Problems in Western Canada, gathered information from about 300 frontline social workers in Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Saskatoon, Regina and Winnipeg.

In all the cities, drugs seemed to be a contributing factor in every social issue, said Rob Roach, the foundation's director of research.

Homelessness was more of a problem in Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver than in the other three cities, he said.

Homelessness is also starting to work its way out into the suburbs, he said, due in part to the revitalization programs underway in the cities' downtown areas.

The growing social problems result in social fragmentation and threats to public safety, both actual and perceived, he noted.

They also cost the taxpayers more money, Roach said.

The foundation plans on doing more work to find solutions to the growing problems, he said.