Outreach worker Lorraine Lam distributes cold weather supplies to a tented resident, as temperatures plummet in 色色啦 on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
Outreach worker Lorraine Lam distributes cold weather supplies to a tented resident, as temperatures plummet in 色色啦 on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
A newly released survey shows the number of homeless people in 色色啦 has more than doubled between the spring of 2021 and last fall.聽
色色啦’s Street Needs Assessment survey estimates that 15,400 people were homeless in 色色啦 last October, up from about 7,300 in April 2021.
The report says the spike is a result of several issues, including lack of affordable housing, unmet health-care needs, insufficient income support and substance use struggles.聽
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It says the increase in 色色啦 mirrors the situation in Ontario and across Canada after the COVID-19 pandemic directly affected homelessness rates.
The report says the housing crisis requires strategic responses and 色色啦 is already seeing a reduction in the number of homeless people due to fewer refugee claimants in shelters, lower encampment numbers and movement of people into permanent housing.聽
The city says a total of 1,078 people living outside were referred into the shelter system and more than 4,300 people were housed last year.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 8, 2025.
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