New report highlights ‘staggering growth’ in homelessness across Northern Ontario 

Tim Brody - Editor

A new report indicates that, “In Northern Ontario, known homelessness has risen by an estimated 204% since 2016, growing from 1,771 people to 5,377 people in 2024.” The report, “Municipalities Under Pressure: The Human and Financial Cost of Ontario’s Homelessness Crisis,” goes on to state that, “By 2035, projections estimate that known homelessness in the north could climb to between 10,674 and 26,633 people, depending on economic conditions. These figures highlight northern communities’ acute vulnerabilities, which are driven by geographic isolation, limited infrastructure, and systemic inequities.”
The Northern Ontario Service Deliverers Association (NOSDA), in collaboration with the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) and the Ontario Municipal Social Services Association (OMSSA), partnered with HelpSeeker to release the report on Ontario’s homelessness crisis. 
The report states that, “For the first time, data from Ontario’s 47 municipal service managers has been aggregated and analyzed, providing a fuller picture of the issue, along with a roadmap for the future.”
The report states that, “In 2024, an estimated 81,515 Ontarians experienced known 
homelessness, a 25% increase since 2022.”
“These numbers demonstrate systemic failures that extend beyond housing, reflecting deep gaps in healthcare, mental health services, justice systems, and more,” the report states.
According to the report, “Homelessness in Northern Ontario has grown four times faster than in non-northern communities.” 
The report outlines that northern communities are defined as those served by District Social Services Administration Boards, including:
• Algoma 
• Cochrane 
• Kenora 
• Manitoulin-Sudbury 
• Nipissing 
• Parry Sound 
• Rainy River 
• Sault Ste. Marie 
• Thunder Bay 
• Timiskaming
The City of Greater Sudbury, a Consolidated Municipal Service Manager, is also included in the northern region.
The report, “Municipalities Under Pressure: The Human and Financial Cost of Ontario’s Homelessness Crisis,” quantifies the current and projected scope of homelessness, outlines the financial investments needed to achieve functional zero chronic homelessness by 2035, and identifies the funding gap across all levels of government. 
Key findings for Northern Ontario are: 
•    Known homelessness has surged by 204 per cent since 2016, increasing from 1,771 people to 5,377 in 2024 
•    Without significant government investment, homelessness in the region could climb to between 10,674 and 26,633 people by 2035. 
•    The challenges in Northern Ontario are amplified by geographic isolation, limited public transportation, inadequate infrastructure, and systemic inequities, including the overrepresentation of Indigenous populations in homelessness. 
While Northern Ontario has seen steeper proportional increases, other regions in Ontario are also grappling with severe growth: 
•    Known homelessness outside Northern Ontario has risen by 46 per cent since 2016, from 52,032 people to 76,140 in 2024. 
•    Projections estimate homelessness outside the North could rise to117,448-267,633 people by 2035, depending on economic conditions and policy interventions. 
The report models a 10-year investment scenario to achieve functional zero chronic homelessness across the province. This scenario requires: 
•    $11 billion over 10 years: $7.7 billion for one-time capital investments and $329 million annually for operational costs. 
Additionally, the report explores solutions for addressing the pressing issue of encampments through a fixed investment scenario: 
•    $2 billion in targeted funding: $810 million for one-time capital investments and $151 million annually for operations. 
“Recognizing the unique challenges of Northern Ontario, the report recommends allocating up to 20 per cent of these investments to address regional capacity gaps, infrastructure deficits, and the disproportionate impact on Indigenous populations,” the report states.
The full report can be found at: htps://www.nosda.net/images/NOSDA-Board-/Links/ending_chronic_homelessness_ontario_final_reduced.pdf