Ontario’s homelessness crisis is “at a tipping point,” the group representing most of the province’s municipalities is warning, as the recorded number of homeless people ticks towards 100,000.
A new report released by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario points to massive growth in the number of people experiencing homelessness, particularly in the southern parts of the province, and demands action from the Ford government.
According to the municipal association’s numbers, more than 81,000 people in Ontario experienced homelessness last year. That’s an increase of 51 per cent compared with the roughly 53,000 people recorded in 2016 and a 25 per cent increase since 2022.
“Eighty-thousand is a staggering number — it’s equal to a city the size of Peterborough,” AMO chair Robin Jones said. “Let’s understand this is the floor, not the ceiling of the issue.”
Roughly half the number of people recorded as homeless in Ontario last year were categorized as experiencing chronic homelessness, meaning they lived either in shelters or on the streets for more than six months or experienced recurrent homelessness over the past three years.
AMO said the report is evidence massive change is needed in how the Ford government handles homelessness — and housing more generally.
“Municipalities have stepped in to address homelessness in their communities despite limited resources,” a handout from AMO explained.
“The provincial and federal governments have not done their part.”
The municipal association estimates local governments spent $2.1 billion on homelessness and housing last year alone, funding that is generally drawn from property tax revenues.
“Provincial and federal investments deliver only a fraction of what is required,” Jones said.
“Municipalities have stepped up and now provide more than half of the funding for homelessness and deeply affordable housing.”
The majority of Ontario’s homelessness is concentrated in the south but AMO said in the north, the rate of growth is exploding. Over the past eight years, homelessness grew 204 per cent according to the report.
The Ford government has faced repeated calls from the mayors of big cities and the Association of Municipalities to fundamentally re-evaluate its approach to homelessness and housing.
In particular, local leaders have called for a new cabinet minister to oversee a co-ordinated approach that encompasses housing, mental health, addictions and other contributing factors.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the situation was bad but highlighted spending his government has promised.
“It’s the most I’ve ever seen,” Ford said on Thursday. “We want to support these people and give them shelter, especially in the wintertime.”
After months of pressure, Ontario announced its solution to homelessness encampments at the end of last year.
The government is promising funds to help with homelessness programs, as well as new powers for police and a threat to local service managers who fail to deal with homeless sites in their cities.
The bill — which has not yet passed — is set to strengthen penalties for people who repeatedly break trespass laws and allow police and provincial offences officers to ticket or arrest people using illegal drugs in public, with penalties of up to $10,000 or six months in jail.
It also comes with an extra $75.5 million for homelessness prevention programs, including $50 million for affordable housing, $20 million to expand shelter capacity and $5.5 million to top up the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit to immediately free up emergency shelter spaces.
“We have heard loud and clear from the people of Ontario that they want their parks and public spaces back. Encampments are a public safety concern and not a solution to homelessness,” a provincial spokesperson said in a statement.
“Mayors have asked us for help in managing this complex issue and that is why over the next three years, we’re investing a record $3 billion in affordable housing, anti-homelessness, and emergency shelter supports.”
Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles said the report should concern the government.
“This report is a searing indictment of this government’s inaction (on) the homelessness crisis,” she said in a statement. “Under Ford’s watch, the number of people facing housing instability continues to increase at an alarming rate.”
Mike Schreiner, Ontario Green Party Leader, said Ford “has absolutely no plan” to tackle the crisis.
Municipal leaders, however, believe the government’s announcements still fall far too short.
“Recent provincial investments in emergency shelters and affordable housing are appreciated but insufficient,” Karen Redman, chair of Waterloo Region, said.
“They do show us that the province shares our concern about this crisis. Meanwhile, this report shows the size of a bigger challenge — we need our provincial partner to share in our urgency. We cannot tackle this crisis through emergency responses or enforcement alone.”
The AMO Report estimates Ontario needs to spend an extra $11 billion over the next decade on 75,000 affordable and supportive housing units, while another $2 billion is needed to house encampment residents.
“Without this investment, taxpayers will end up paying much more — through our shelters, hospitals, police budgets, in addition to the human suffering,” Jones said.
–with files from The Canadian Press