Homelessness in Ontario is on the rise, climbing by more than 23 per cent over the past four years to more than 76,000 people, but the province is projected to spend less on it, the fiscal watchdog says in a new report.
The Financial Accountability Office of Ontario (FAO) says in the report released Thursday that the number of unhoused people is expected to increase by more than 15 per cent to more than 88,000 people over the next three years. The number represents the “known population experiencing homelessness,” meaning it excludes those who have not consented to being included, the report says.
Declining housing affordability and strong population growth are said to be behind the increase, the report says, but the growth is partially offset by an expansion of provincial supports and an increase in federal supports for asylum claimants in 2025-2026.
Meanwhile, the number of households supported by provincial homeless programs is projected to drop over the same time period due to an end in time-limited funding and lower base program spending, the FAO adds. These programs include funding for emergency shelters, supportive housing, rent assistance and community outreach.
Toronto tops the list for unhoused people, with 19,462 in 2024-2025. It’s followed by Ottawa with 9,431, London with 4,576, Windsor with 4,007 and Hamilton with 3,744.
The highest growth from 2022-2025 was seen in Durham, Peel and York regions at at 130.8 per cent, 90.5 per cent and 79.6 per cent, respectively.
Toronto’s total declined 8.2 per cent over that time period, the report noted.