Homeless Facts
Homelessness & Shelters
A total of 32,700 different people stayed in Toronto's emergency shelters in 2005; 4,600 were children. This is an increase of 21% since 1990.
As of February, 2007, the list of confirmed deaths due to homelessness on Toronto's Homeless Memorial had grown to 504 women, men and children.
30% of homeless people have mental illness.
80% of GTA residents said homelessness should be a major or moderate local government priority. Close to half wanted more homeless shelters, and two-thirds would allow one in their neighbourhood (Leger-Toronto Life Poll, May 2005).
The Toronto Disaster Relief Committee (TDRC) is a group of social policy, health care and housing experts, academics, business people, community health workers, social workers, AIDS activists, anti-poverty activists, people with homelessness experience, and members of the faith community. TDRC provides advocacy on housing and homelessness issues. It declares homelessness a national disaster, and advocates that Canada end homelessness by implementing a fully-funded National Housing Program through the One Percent Solution.
Housing and Homelessness Report Card 2003
According to the Toronto Report Card on Housing and Homelessness 2003, many people in need of affordable housing are being left behind. Findings of this third Report Card include:
552,000 Toronto households have incomes below the poverty line
250,000 Toronto households pay more than 30 per cent of their incomes on rent
71,000 households are now on the municipal waiting list for affordable social housing