Ontario’s homeless population is at a tipping point

Without significant intervention, the number of unhoused in Ontario could double in the next decade and reach nearly 300,000 people in an economic downturn, according to AMO.

Homelessness in Ontario

Of the 80,000 unhoused people in Ontario, more than half is considered to be chronically unhoused, meaning they experience prolonged or repeat episodes of homelessness.

Almost half of the chronically unhoused population in some communities are Indigenous, according to the report.

While the vast majority of the province’s unhoused population exists in urban centres in Southern Ontario, the homelessness issue is a province-wide problem. In fact, rural communities and communities in the northern areas of the province have seen significant increases in recent years.

In rural communities, homelessness has grown by more than 150% since 2016, compared to an average of about 50% across all communities in the province. Meanwhile, in Northern Ontario, homelessness has risen by an estimated 204% since 2016, more than four times faster than in southern Ontario over the same time period.

While the majority of those experiencing homelessness are adults, nearly one quarter of chronically unhoused Ontarians are children (0-15) or youth (16-24). Refugee homelessness has also grown more than 600% in four years, while the number of chronically unhoused immigrants has doubled in the same time period.

Ontario’s responsibility

Ontario is the only province where responsibility for social housing is deferred to municipalities.

Municipal funding for housing and homelessness programs has grown significantly in recent years, totalling more than $2.1 billion in 2024. However, AMO says that recent provincial investments represent just a fraction of what's required, and do not truly help “already overstretched” homeless and shelter programs.

In response, the report suggests an estimated additional $11 billion over 10 years could end chronic homelessness by boosting the supply of affordable housing, improving transitional and supportive services and enhancing prevention programs.

As well, an additional $2 billion over eight years could largely eliminate encampments, the report says.

This study was conducted by HelpSeeker Technologies, in partnership with AMO, the Ontario Municipal Social Services Association and the Northern Ontario Service Deliverers Association.