Toronto Homelessness Doubles Since 2021 Amid Housing, Support Gaps

Toronto has seen a dramatic increase in homelessness, with the number of unhoused individuals more than doubling from approximately 7,300 in 2021 to an estimated 15,400 in 2024. This surge is attributed to several factors, including a lack of affordable housing, unmet health care needs, insufficient income supports, rising housing costs, and substance use challenges, compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic's impact. Refugee claimants now make up over half of Toronto's shelter population, a significant rise from 13% in 2021, while Black and Indigenous residents remain disproportionately affected. Despite these challenges, the city reports early progress, including a decline in refugee claimant entries into shelters, movement of people into permanent housing, and the approval of thousands of new affordable homes through its HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan. Toronto is also expanding shelter capacity with cost-effective new sites and increasing frontline staff to better address the crisis, with plans to conduct annual Street Needs Assessments to improve response efforts. However, advocates stress that systemic issues like inadequate income supports and chronic underfunding of affordable housing must be addressed to halt and reverse the homelessness crisis.