(AGENPARL) – Mon 07 July 2025 City of Toronto Media Relations has issued the following:
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News Release
July 7, 2025
City of Toronto releases findings of 2024 Street Needs Assessment homelessness survey
The City of Toronto is releasing its most recent Street Needs Assessment findings as it harnesses this research to strengthen responses to homelessness in the city. 
The Street Needs Assessment is a city-wide point-in-time count and survey of people experiencing homelessness, mandated as part of federal funding agreements, that is used to inform planning and programming across the homelessness sector. The most recent survey was in the field in October 2024 and the research finalized this spring. 
Results show homelessness in Toronto has increased since 2021 as result of a wide range of issues such as lack of affordable housing, unmet health needs, insufficient income support and substance use struggles. This mirrors trends seen in Ontario and across Canada.
The scope of the homelessness crisis requires thoughtful, strategic responses. The City is focused on building new homes and shelters, bolstering support programs and reinforcing strong intergovernmental funding partnerships to address these challenges. 
Key findings 
The homelessness crisis continues to grow, with a significant increase in numbers since the previous Street Needs Assessment in 2021. 
– An estimated 15,400 people were experiencing homelessness in Toronto last fall, up from about 7,300 in April 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic directly affected homelessness rates in the city. 
– The City is already seeing a reduction in these numbers, attributable to the decrease in refugee claimants in shelters, lower encampment numbers across the city and movement of people into permanent housing. 
– The share of refugee claimants increased from 13 per cent to more than 50 per cent between surveys.  
– However, the share of homelessness in each setting (in shelters, unsheltered outdoors or in provincially administered sites) has remained consistent since 2018.  
Specific groups continue to be overrepresented among those experiencing homelessness, outlining the need for targeted investments and specialized supports.   
– Nine per cent identified as Indigenous, compared to three per cent of Toronto’s overall population.  
– 58 per cent of those surveyed identified as Black, compared to 10 per cent of Toronto’s overall population.   
The majority of people surveyed reported one or more health issue including mental health concerns, an illness or medical condition and substance use.    
Individuals said the top factors that could have helped them avoid homelessness were housing affordability programs such as rent-geared-to-income (RGI), advice on tenant legal rights and support with employment or education.  
The full results are available on the City’s website: http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/ec/bgrd/backgroundfile-257203.pdf.
Addressing homelessness in Toronto 
The Street Needs Assessment is a key piece of data when forming the City’s strategies to address homelessness including the current development of a five-year strategic plan that will serve as the roadmap to tackle homelessness in partnership with other orders of government.   
Over the next decade, the City will invest in up to 20 new shelter sites that will be smaller, more cost effective and better suited to the needs of the people they serve. These new shelters, located in wards across Toronto, are projected to save up to $33.6 million per site over 10 years compared to leased shelter hotels. Seven sites have been selected and additional sites will be announced later this year. 
Toronto provides more shelter beds per capita than any other Canadian city – and has expanded its capacity by 60 per cent since 2021. 
Last year, 1,078 people living outside were referred into the shelter system, more than 4,300 people were housed and 25,000 outreach visits were made to people experiencing homelessness. Up to 45 new front-line and outreach workers are being hired this year to continue this important work. 
To ensure decisions are being made with the most current information, the City will now conduct a Street Needs Assessment count annually, and the full federal assessment will be carried out every three years.  
Access to affordable housing is the best way to lift people out of homelessness. Guided by the HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan (www.toronto.ca/community-people/community-partners/housing-partners/housingto-2020-2030-action-plan), the City is making record-level investments and leading through bold policy initiatives to spur new housing construction, support renters and protect existing affordable rental housing stock. In 2024, the City approved approximately 6,600 rent-controlled, affordable and rent-geared-to-income (RGI) homes.
The City remains committed to evolving its response to homelessness, building more affordable housing and providing a safe, vibrant city that is inclusive for all residents.