A new report on the severity of homelessness in Ontario confirms what many of us suspected: homelessness has increased by 204% since 2016.
The data was compiled from 47 service managers in the province, including ten social service boards.
Timmins mayor Michelle Boileau, as chair of the Northern Ontario Service Deliverers Association, notes that the number of homeless people in the north has actually doubled just since 2022.
“And we know living here,” she remarks. “that there hasn’t been much more added in terms of supports and services to respond to the need.”
The organization is calling on the provincial government to increase funding dramatically. The study indicates the homeless population could otherwise climb from 5,300 last year to 26,000 in the next ten years.
Boileau says while her group appreciates the money already committed, it’s only a drop in the bucket compared to what the report says is really needed.
Boileau says while her group appreciates the money already committed, it’s only a drop in the bucket compared to what the report says is really needed.
“There’s figures like $11-billion dollars to build 75,000 new housing units in the province. That’s just a start to get ahead of the problem.”
Boileau notes that the report recommends at least 20% of that investment be made in Northern Ontario.
KEY FINDINGS FOR THE NORTH
- Known homelessness has surged by 204 per cent since 2016, increasing from 1,771 people to 5,377 in 2024
- Without significant government investment, homelessness in the region could climb to between 10,674 and 26,633 people by 2035.
- The challenges in Northern Ontario are amplified by geographic isolation, limited public transportation, inadequate infrastructure, and systemic inequities, including the overrepresentation of Indigenous populations in homelessness. While Northern Ontario has seen steeper proportional increases, other regions in Ontario are also grappling with severe growth:
- Known homelessness outside Northern Ontario has risen by 46 per cent since 2016, from 52,032 people to 76,140 in 2024.
- Projections estimate homelessness outside the North could rise to117,448-267,633 people by 2035, depending on economic conditions and policy interventions. The report models a 10-year investment scenario to achieve functional zero chronic homelessness across the province. This scenario requires:
- $11 billion over 10 years: $7.7 billion for one-time capital investments and $329 million annually for operational costs. Additionally, the report explores solutions for addressing the pressing issue of encampments through a fixed investment scenario:
- $2 billion in targeted funding: $810 million for one-time capital investments and $151 million annually for operations.
-Source: Northern Ontario Service Deliverers Association
