A recent study commissioned by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) shows that homelessness in Ontario is worsening, while the City of St. Thomas is making progress in tackling this issue.
Homelessness across the province rose by eight percent from 2024 to 2025, and without “significant provincial and federal government intervention,” it could double by 2035, according to the report.
“Unlike the (AMO) report, our by-names data confirms that we are ahead of the median curve on occurrences of homelessness,” said St. Thomas housing stability services manager Danielle Neilson in a Feb. 2 report to city council.
“In 2025, occurrences of homelessness in St. Thomas-Elgin decreased by 6.5 percent compared to 2024, and we expect to continue seeing reductions throughout 2026.
“These reductions demonstrate the benefits and value of collaborative work within St. Thomas and Elgin County, leveraging partnerships with local service providers and higher levels of government to create real and lasting solutions for our community.”
The AMO survey was based on data collected by the Ontario Municipal Social Services Association and the Northern Ontario Service Deliverers Association, along with Help Seeker Technologies, a Calgary-based data analytics firm.
The AMO study reported that nearly 85,000 Ontarians “were known to be homeless” in 2025, which marks an increase of almost 50 percent since 2021. Waiting lists for social housing have swelled to more than 300,000 households.
“The current state of homelessness stems from decades of underinvestment in deeply affordable housing, income support, mental health and addictions treatment, as well as escalating economic pressures,” stated the AMO report.
“Municipal investments in housing and homelessness increased to $2 billion collectively and now represents the largest and fastest growing share of housing funding in the province,” added the AMO report. “Without urgent action from all levels of government to curb homelessness rates, it will become unmanageable, more complex, and costlier to address.”
The study estimates that homelessness grew by over 30 percent last year in rural Ontario communities. The St. Thomas Centralized Waitlist for social, affordable, and subsidized housing is currently around 1,800 households-more than double what was reported in 2020.
Additionally, nearly 2,000 homeless encampments were recorded across the province in 2025 compared to an estimated 1,400 in 2023.
“To end chronic homelessness,” suggested the AMO study report requires an additional $11 billion over ten years to “refocus investments into capital projects while increasing emphasis on prevention efforts and creating over 75,000 new affordable supportive housing units.”
An extra $2 billion over eight years is necessary for appropriately housing current residents living in encampments as well,” noted the study.
“The information viewed from a provincial standpoint is discouraging; turning this situation around will take substantial costs and effort.” Neilson remarked during her presentation at St. Thomas council meetings.
“It will require cooperation from all three levels of government-not just through funding but also strategic planning-and acknowledging that homelessness can be solved if there’s subject matter expertise involved,” she added.
St. Thomas Mayor Joe Preston mentioned he and Neilson often get requests from municipal officials across Ontario wanting insights into St. Thomas’s strategies for addressing homelessness.
The city tracks its homeless population using something called a “by-names list,” which records everyone who interacts with its network of care providers until they find permanent housing solutions. This list is part of a larger coordinated access system aimed at streamlining support for those needing help throughout Elgin County.
The current list indicates about 120 individuals-either homeless or “couch surfing”-amongst approximately 95,000 residents living within St. Thomas-Elgin region. Partners managing this list include entities like St. Thomas Police Service , St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital , the city’s social services department , YWCA , Indwell , The Inn , and St. Joseph’s Health Care along with several organizations focused on mental health addiction support services.
Joe Konecny is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter with Aylmer Express. The Local Journalism Initiative receives funding from Government Of Canada.
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