Today, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) released a study that reveals the unprecedented and growing toll of homelessness on individuals, families, communities, and governments.
Within this report, AMO indicates that more than “80,000 Ontarians were known to be homeless in 2024, a number that has grown by more than 25 per cent since 2022.” If the government doesn’t act, homelessness in Ontario could “double in the next decade, and reach nearly 300,000 people in an economic downturn.” Additionally, it found that Indigenous people are disproportionately unhoused across Ontario and action is needed now.
What OAHS has learned from the report is that we must advance solutions that are Indigenous-led, and we need to have a multi-sectoral approach that brings together the health, mental health, justice sectors, and more to combat the issue.
We have the data, and we have the solutions: 40,000 subsidized affordable housing units are needed for Indigenous people over the coming decade along with supports. At least 22,000 of these must be Indigenous-led, delivered and managed by Indigenous housing providers.
During the harshest winter months, we call on all levels of government to make a firm commitment to ending chronic homelessness. By prioritizing the construction of affordable housing with comprehensive supports, we can address the diverse needs of community members experiencing homelessness.
Read the backgrounder and full report.
