Homelessness Statistics In
Canada:
·
Updated: January 5, 2024
Canadian
Statistics
Homelessness
is a problem that most people would not associate with Canada, yet it is
becoming an increasingly pressing issue. The estimated number of homeless
people in Canada ranges from 150,000 to 300,000, and the figure has been
rising.
What
is behind homelessness in Canada, what is the cost of homelessness to society,
and what is being done about it? We answer all these questions and more in this
article about homelessness statistics in Canada.
Homelessness Statistics for Canadians
·
Between
25,000 and 35,000 people are homeless on any given night in Canada.
·
Toronto
has the largest number of homeless people in Canada.
·
62%
of homeless people in Canada are males.
·
30%
of Canadian homeless come from Indigenous communities.
·
90%
of homeless shelters in Canada are in Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec, and
Alberta, and 44% of them are in Ontario alone.
·
22%
of shelters are aimed at young homeless in Canada, while 20% of people
experiencing homelessness are 13-24 years old.
·
The
annual cost to society is over $7 billion.
·
The
Canadian Government is investing $2.2 billion over ten years to expand funding
for the homeless.
Homelessness in Canada
According
to the State of Homelessness report from 2016, there were at least 235,000
homeless people in Canada. According to the Homeless Hub, the figure of
homeless people in any year in Canada ranges from 150,000 to 300,000.
However,
there could be many more people without a permanent home in Canada. It is
difficult to know the exact number because many are hidden homeless. They are
so-called because they temporarily live in squats or stay with friends and
family. It is estimated that around 1.3 million Canadians have experienced
insecure housing or homelessness.
How is Homelessness Defined
In Canada, a person, family, or comm in Canada?unity who does not have stable or permanent
housing or immediate prospects of acquiring housing is considered homeless.
However, this definition does not cover every experience of homelessness, and
it is not strictly a question of instability of housing.
Cost of Homelessness in Canada
Homelessness
is estimated to cost around $7.05 billion per year to the Canadian economy.
This includes emergency shelters and community support, as well as the
increased costs of healthcare, the criminal justice system, and emergency
services.
Which city Has The Most Homeless People in Canada?
As
often happens, it is the biggest cities that have the largest numbers of
homeless people. The same applies in Canada, where Toronto, with around 10,000
homeless people, has the most people without a home.
In
2020, during a point-in-time (PiT) count in the Greater Victoria area, there
were at least 1,523 people experiencing homelessness. While there are several
root causes for homelessness, which we will cover later in the article,
homelessness in British Columbia has been linked to the expensive housing
market.
Demographics of Homeless People in Canada
People
aged 25 to 49 were most likely to use shelters in Canada, with 52% of people
experiencing homelessness coming from this age group. Less than 4% of homeless
people in Canada are 65 years or older.
62%
of people using shelters are male, and men aged between 25 and 55 account for
47.5% of all Canadians experiencing homelessness. Women account for 27.3% of
people experiencing homelessness and have an increased risk of being homeless. A PiT count from 2010 found that 71% of women were experiencing
homelessness because of domestic violence or abuse, and 60% had not reported it
to the police.
While
most people seeking accommodation in homeless shelters are adults, the number
of children living in shelters is growing. In 2020, approximately 3,000
children were staying in shelters.
20%
of the people experiencing homelessness are 13-24 years old. Most young
homeless end up on the streets following a family conflict, neglect, or
poverty. Young people who have been in foster care are more likely to
experience homelessness. 29.5% of young homeless identify as LGBTQ+.
People
who come from the Indigenous community have a disproportionate risk of becoming
homeless. In Canada, while 4.3% of the population are Indigenous People, over
30% of people who do not have a permanent home identify as Indigenous. 2.2% of
the shelter population in Canada are veterans.
Homelessness And Mental Health
People
who are homeless are more likely to have mental health issues compared to the
general population. Between 30-35% of homeless in Canada have a mental illness,
and 20-25% have a mental illness and an addiction.
How Many Homeless People Are Employed?
Many
people believe homeless people are all unemployed. But that is not always the
case. Some people in Canada who do not have a permanent home are in permanent
jobs. Research has also shown that many homeless people actively look for
permanent employment.
The
last time the number of employed people among the homeless was surveyed was in
2016. A PiT survey in Vancouver showed that around 23% of the city’s homeless
were employed. In the province, 17.4% of the homeless were employed. In
addition, some homeless people generated some income from panhandling, binning,
and sex work.
How Many People Stay in Emergency Shelters?
While
the Government of Canada has released data on the number of shelters in Canada
as recently as December 2022, there is no recent data on the occupancy of
homeless shelters. The latest data is from 2014 when 92.4% of beds were full.
This is an over 10% increase from 2005 when 82% of the beds were full.
Numbers of Hidden Homeless in Canada
It
is impossible to know the exact number of hidden homeless in Canada. However,
according to Homeless Hub, there may be around 50,000 hidden homeless in Canada
on any given night. These are people who have no immediate prospects of finding
permanent housing and are staying with relatives or friends.
Numbers of Chronic, Episodic, And Transitional Homeless in
Canada
For
most Canadians who experience homelessness, it is a one-time event and only for
a short period. The median length for a stay in an emergency shelter is 50
days, while 29% of people seeking shelter only stay for one night.
Chronic
homelessness refers to people who are long-term homeless, while episodic
homelessness refers to people who continuously move in and out of homes. The
Homeless Hub estimates there to be between 4,000 and 8,000 chronically homeless
in Canada. They also estimate that between 6,000 and 22,000 Canadians
experience episodic homelessness. In addition, some are transitionally
homeless, which is estimated to be between 176,000 and 188,000 Canadians.
Reasons For Homelessness in Canada
There
is rarely just one reason behind someone becoming homeless, but the root cause
is often poverty. Other reasons behind homelessness include emotional or
physical abuse by a parent or partner, substance abuse, lack of employment,
lack of affordable homes, family conflicts, coming from a marginalized
community, physical or mental disability, and deteriorating mental health.
Shortage of Affordable Housing is a Key Factor Behind
Homelessness
While
a lack of affordable housing alone doesn’t explain the increase in homelessness
in Canada, it is a major contributor. There are millions of people in Canada
who spend more than half of their income on housing, and this puts them at
serious risk of homelessness. Households spending over 30% of their income on
rent or mortgage are also at risk. In 2016, 1,693,775 households in Canada were
spending over 30% of their income on housing.
What is Being Done to Tackle Homelessness in Canada?
With
the number of people living without a permanent home increasing in Canada, what
is being done to help homeless people and tackle the root causes of
homelessness?
Shelters For The Homeless
Canada’s
government has made emergency shelters available for homeless people. These
shelters are open 24 hours a day, and while they are not addressing the cause
of homelessness nor reducing the number of homeless people, at least they
provide homeless people somewhere warm and safe to stay.
In
2019, there were 437 homeless shelters in Canada. Some shelters are single-sex
shelters, but approximately 37% of shelters are open to all genders. 22% of all
shelters are aimed at young homeless people.
A
large majority of homeless shelters in Canada are in the most populated
provinces, with 90% of them found in Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, and
Alberta. Ontario has almost half of Canada’s shelters for the homeless at 44%.
Homelessness Strategy
In
2019, the Government of Canada launched the country’s Homelessness Strategy to
support the National Housing Strategy. The strategy aims to reduce chronic
homelessness in Canada by half by 2027-28 by providing affordable, stable, and
safe housing. As part of this strategy, the Government is investing $2.2
billion over ten years to expand federal funding for the homeless.
In
November 2020, an additional $299.4 million was allocated to extend health and
safety measures to prevent COVID-19 from spreading among the homeless.
The National Homelessness Initiative
According
to the Canadian Encyclopaedia, the initia/.tive was created in 1999, and the
investment to tackle homelessness was $251 million per year for the first three
years. Later, the initiative was renamed Homelessness Partnering Strategy. The
budget has declined since 1999, and in 2015-16 was only $119 million. However,
funding has since increased again.
Tackling Homelessness in Toronto
Toronto,
with the largest homeless population in Canada, has had varying results in its
attempts to tackle homelessness. There are 75 permanent and 26 temporary
shelters with around 6,800 spaces. However, this is still not enough to provide
shelter for all those in need in Toronto. On average, 40 people are turned away
each night because of a lack of space.
How You Can Help
The
root causes behind homelessness need to be addressed by the government. It is
also the government that has to come up with permanent solutions to prevent
people from becoming homeless. So what can we do as individuals?
There
are several things you can do, if not to prevent homelessness, at least to
ensure their basic needs are met better. Most shelters will welcome donations
such as food, clothing, and hygiene products. You can organize and take part in
fundraisers and volunteer at shelters. You can give your support to political
candidates who care the most about the homeless and offer practical solutions.
Summary
Various
reasons have led to an increase in the number of homeless people in Canada.
While there are homeless people in all provinces and territories, the situation
is the worst in the most populated provinces and the biggest cities. There are
approximately 235,000 homeless people in Canada, but the figure may be grossly
underestimated because the number of hidden homeless people is unknown.
The
Canadian government is trying to tackle the homelessness issue by, for example,
providing emergency shelters that are open 24/7. However, more action is needed
to tackle the root causes of homelessness and to provide affordable housing for
Canadians.
Frequently
Asked Questions
Do all of Canada's provinces and territories have
homeless people?
Yes,
unfortunately, homelessness is a problem in all parts of the country. However,
the situation is worse in larger cities such as Toronto, Vancouver, and
Calgary.
What causes
homelessness in Canada?
Why are the
numbers of homeless people increasing in Canada?
Homeless
Hub
Government
of Canada
Healthy
Debate
Statistics
Canada
Statista
– Age and gender
Homes First
2020
Greater Victoria Point-in-Time Homeless Count
Statistics Canada – Housing
Government
of Canada – Homelessness Strategy
Canadian
Encyclopaedia
Advocacy
Centre For Tenants Ontario
State of Homelessness Report
