32% jump in Greater Vancouver homeless population in three years: count

A massive jump in the homeless population has been observed in Greater Vancouver, according to the latest point-in-time count.

The 2023 Greater Vancouver homeless count, done by the Homelessness Services Association of BC, was published Thursday morning — the first since 2020.

The count found that 4,821 people identified themselves as experiencing homelessness this year, compared with 3,634 in 2020.

For those who are experiencing homelessness, 64 per cent said they’re sheltered, 30 per cent said unsheltered, and six per cent are in extreme weather response shelters.

Around 48 per cent of those unsheltered said they were sleeping outside, 19 per cent said they were staying at someone else’s home, 16 per cent said they were living in a makeshift shelter or tent, and nine per cent said they were staying inside a vehicle.

2:04 More than 100,000 British Columbians at risk of homelessness due to lack of affordable rentals

Around 33 per cent of respondents identify as Indigenous, even though they make up only two per cent of the census population. Sixty-four per cent of Indigenous respondents reported having lived or experienced generational trauma regarding residential schools.

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Even though it was widely reported housing and renting costs increased throughout the pandemic, 85 per cent of those surveyed said their housing loss was not caused by COVID-19.

The count provides a snapshot of people who are experiencing homelessness in a 24-hour period in time. The numbers are understood to be a minimum number of people experiencing homelessness as percentages are based on respondents answering questions and are not supposed to be considered the total population of homeless individuals.

The community-driven initiative was done in the evening of March 7 and March 8, on the North Shore, Vancouver, Surrey, Burnaby, Ridge Meadows, Richmond, Delta, New Westminster, Tri-Cities and Langley regions.

More than 670 volunteers helped conduct the count.

A non-profit organization that specializes in providing services to those living rough said the count is critical for the region.

“These aren’t just numbers — these are people,” Nicole Mucci has previously said, a Union Gospel Mission spokesperson.

“This is a way for us to understand better how many people are truly facing life being unhoused.”

While the Point In Time Homeless Count has many uses, it provides a “common language” for all three government levels and non-profit organizations.

“Although counts do not give us a full picture of the extent of homelessness, the counts provide critical information on the number and characteristics of the homeless population, and how the population has changed over time,” City of Vancouver staff said.