Published on November 23, 2021 by Sault Online
A report going before the District of Sault Ste. Marie Administration Board quantifies the number of homeless people in Sault Ste. Marie, showing an increase of 150 since 2018 and includes the hidden homeless population.
On October 26th, over a period of five days, an Everyone Counts 2021 Point-In-Time Homelessness Count, was conducted in Sault Ste. Marie.
According to the report, the count spanned five days and although it was scaled back due to COVID-19, the results are accepted as the current situation on the ground. Multiple community partners came together including, John Howard Society, Ontario
Aboriginal Housing Services, Canadian Mental Health Association (Algoma), and the Indigenous Friendship Centre. Sault Area Hospital was also a partner in correlating all of the numbers.
The report to the board states there are 244 individuals who identify as homeless in our community. That is an increase of 262 percent and the numbers break down as follows: