Advocate says Ottawa could be undercounting homeless Canadians

He said the problem has exploded since 2018 because of higher rents, a higher cost of living and a toxic drug crisis, coming on top of increases in the homeless population during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nick Falvo, editor of the International Journal on Homelessness, said people are seeing the impacts of homelessness in their own communities.

“I think voters are getting increasingly concerned about visible manifestations of poverty in the streets. I think voters are seeing the results of an overdose crisis,” he said.

The federal government says it intends to “create the conditions to end homelessness” by setting up a new fund to support projects addressing health, addictions and social supports. Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne called it one of the government’s “flagship” policies.

The government has pledged $11.2 billion over the next four years to address homelessness, including money for transitional and permanent housing and integrated social supports for things like mental health and addiction.

The federal government also plans to put billions of dollars into the Canada Housing Benefit over the next decade to help low-income Canadians cover rent.

Richter said he hopes the 10-year federal plan will finally rally provinces and cities to tackle what the government has called “one of Canada’s most urgent social challenges.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2026

— with files from Ashley Joannou and Catherine Morrison.

Alyssa Wheeler, The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

Advocate says Ottawa could be undercounting homeless Canadians

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