Homelessness continues to rise across the province, with a new report from Ontario’s municipalities revealing that nearly 85,000 Ontarians were unhoused in 2025.
Noting an eight-per cent increase from 2024 and a 50-per cent rise since 2021, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario’s (AMO) report released on Tuesday warned that homelessness would continue to grow without intervention.
“No one in Ontario should accept the scale and scope of homelessness described in this report,” AMO President Robin Jones said in a press release. “Since last January, there are 5,000 more Ontarians who are homeless. More are at risk, given the economic uncertainty. Our social safety net is at its breaking point, and only a joint effort by all levels of government can save it.”
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Homelessness is increasing fastest in rural and northern communities. Rural homelessness rose by more than 30 per cent last year, while Northern Ontario saw an increase of more than 37 per cent. It was also found that encampments are on the rise, with 2,000 reported across Ontario in 2025, up from 1,400 the previous year.
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AMO said homelessness in Ontario could double by 2035, reaching nearly 300,000 people during an economic downturn.
The researchers say that $11 billion more in funding over 10 years is needed to eliminate homelessness, which would mean significantly more investment in long-term housing, affordable housing options, emergency shelters and mental health and addictions support.
