The federal government will release an updated count of the homeless population by Christmas, marking the first revision in two years, according to the Department of Infrastructure. Blacklock's Reporter says the update comes as concerns grow over rising homelessness, highlighted in a Budget Office report that shows a 20% increase since 2018.“The most recent version of the annual shelter study was in 2022,” Janet Goulding, senior assistant deputy minister of infrastructure, told the Senate national finance committee. That study reported 105,655 shelter users, including 31,476 individuals experiencing chronic homelessness.“We are seeing people stay longer, which is an indicator of chronic homelessness,” she testified. “We have also seen an increasing number of people living in unsheltered homelessness.”Estimates of homelessness in Canada vary significantly. Statistics Canada’s Review Of Canadian Homelessness Data counted 9,275 shelter users in 2023 based on Census data but acknowledged limitations. “The Census is not an adequate tool to frequently enumerate the homeless population,” wrote analysts, citing challenges in capturing accurate data due to the transient nature of homelessness.Despite federal aid, the problem persists. A May 2023 Budget Office report found current programs had reduced the “point-in-time count of homeless persons by about 6,000 people” but noted the overall number continues to grow. Achieving a 50 percent reduction in chronic homelessness would require an additional $3.5 billion annually, far exceeding the current $561 million budget for the Reaching Home program.“According to that shelter study, we have seen a change in the number of individuals who are chronically homeless. That number is growing,” Goulding testified.
