Source: Association of Municipalities of Ontario
This week’s updated homelessness report from the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), Municipalities Under Pressure One Year Later: An Update on the Human and Financial Cost of Ontario’s Homelessness Crisis, is deeply concerning and highlights an urgent reality: homelessness is not only persisting — it is getting worse.
The report shows that nearly 85,000 Ontarians experienced homelessness in 2025, more than the entire population of Peterborough, Ontario. This marks a troubling increase from last year – including in rural communities – and a staggering 50 per cent rise since 2021.
“These numbers represent tens of thousands of our neighbours who lack the basic security of a safe place to call home,” said Tim Richter, President & CEO of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH). “This is the predictable result of a raging housing crisis and a clear indictment of how our governments are failing to work together to respond to a disaster unfolding in plain view.”
AMO’s report calls for investments to develop new affordable and supportive housing units, increase homelessness prevention, and resolve unsheltered homelessness through providing rapid, appropriate housing. Just as crucially, success requires meaningful collaboration between all orders of government.
If a city like Peterborough was ravaged by fire, a coordinated disaster response and recovery system would kick in, people would be protected, the fire would be tackled, and the focus would very quickly shift to reconstruction and housing and making sure it never happened again.
“In the case of homelessness in Ontario and Canada, governments are letting the fire burn and they’re not responding with the urgency this disaster demands,” said Richter.
It’s time to treat homelessness like the disaster it is by equipping communities to lead a housing-focused response, and for federal and provincial governments work together to pitch in urgently needed housing supply, fund social supports and deliver recovery services.
CAEH works with communities across Canada to design and build housing focused homelessness response systems that prevent and reduce homelessness. The Alliance is also leading policy change efforts in Ottawa to push for federal leadership on a Team Canada response to the housing crisis.
If you’re a municipal leader or part of a local homelessness system that could use support to reduce homelessness in your community, get in touch.