Windsor is preparing for its sixth point-in-time count of people who are homeless in the community, but the city says the figures should be viewed as a snapshot of homelessness rather than a complete measure of everyone without stable housing.
The 2026 count, taking place Oct. 20, will rely on teams of volunteers and homelessness-sector workers who will canvass parts of the city and ask people where they slept the previous night. People who stayed in shelters, or with family or friends without having a permanent rental unit, can be counted as homeless.
The exercise is designed to provide a picture of the number of people during a specific 24-hour period.
It comes as the city released its 2025 point in time count figures.
The 2025 count reached 794, according to figures provided by the city, while the 2024 count recorded 672 people, up from 251 in 2021.
But the city’s acting manager of homelessness and housing support, Kelly Goz, says the count is only one of several sources used to understand homelessness in Windsor.
“It’s a snapshot in time,” Goz told CBC Windsor, noting that the city also relies on its homelessness information systems and its by-names prioritized list, which provides more dynamic information about homeless people over time.
She said the distinction is significant as recent point-in-time counts have produced much higher numbers than earlier years.