Saskatoon’s homeless population rises 30% in a year, new data shows

The number of homeless individuals living in Saskatoon jumped by nearly 30 per cent last year, new data shows.

The City of Saskatoon released its point-in-time (PiT) data for 2025 Monday and found that 1,931 individuals experienced homelessness last year, which is an increase from 1,499 individuals in 2024.

“The number recorded in 2025 is now more than 3.5 times higher than the total identified during the 2022 count, underscoring a continued upward trend,” the city said.

“This year’s count focused on enumerating individuals rather than conducting full surveys and included people and families staying in emergency shelters, transitional housing, unsheltered locations such as encampments, public systems and those experiencing hidden homelessness.”

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The City of Saskatoon, in partnership with the Saskatoon Housing Initiatives Partnership and more than 250 volunteers, conducted the PiT count on Oct. 16, 2025. The city said the data “provides a snapshot” of the minimum number of individuals experiencing homelessness across Saskatoon.

Of the 1,931 people experiencing homelessness, 219 were children up to 12 years of age, and 209 were youth between the ages of 13 and 24.

Forty-three per cent of individuals lived in Saskatoon for more than five years, while 27.2 per cent reported living in the city for less than that; 29.8 per cent reported they have always lived in Saskatoon.

Nearly 83 per cent of respondents identified as Indigenous.

“The PiT Count provides both a snapshot of homelessness at a single point in time and valuable insight into year-over-year trends in our community,” Lesley Anderson, director of planning and development with the City of Saskatoon, said in a news release.

“Access to this type of data ensures we understand immediate needs and pressures, while also monitoring the impacts of new and changing programs. As homelessness continues to rise, having accurate data to guide where we allocate resources for the greatest possible impact remains a priority.”