Homelessness in our Community

More than 235,000 people in Canada experience homelessness in any given year, and 25,000 to 35,000 people may be experiencing homelessness on any given night. The COVID-19 pandemic has put a sharp focus on homelessness in many communities, including Kingston.

Kingston’s By-Name List – a real-time list of all those who are unhoused in our area – lists a higher number of people experiencing homelessness (524) in 2023 than during previous years. The issue of homelessness is complex and requires different sectors of a community to come together to find local solutions.

2021 Point in Time Count

A Point In Time Count is scheduled for Fall of 2024.
The latest Point in Time Count was held in April 2021 and the final report was released in September.

Full 2021 Point in Time Count Report

Key findings from the 2021 Point In Time Count

• Of the 207 people experiencing homelessness who were counted in 2021, 92%, or 176, agreed to participate in an anonymous survey, compared to 133 or 74% in 2018.
• Approximately 80% of all survey respondents self-identified as experiencing a mental health issue.
• While female homelessness decreased by 15 percent between 2018 (55%) and 2021 (40%), the rate of female homeless in Kingston continues to be higher than the national average at 36%.
• 31% of those experiencing homelessness identify as Indigenous (14% First Nations, 9% Metis, and 8% Indigenous ancestry). However, only 3.4% of the Kingston population is Indigenous.
• 53% of survey respondents indicated that they were youth (under 25) when they first experienced homelessness.
• 4% of respondents indicated that they were veterans, which is comparable to the national number at 4.4%
• 53% of respondents reported that they were homeless because they did not have enough income to afford rent, and 53% because rents were too high to be affordable. 

Preventing & Ending Youth Homelessness in KFL&A

Young people account for one in five of the people living in Canada’s homeless shelters. In 2013, this number was even higher in Kingston at one in three.

In five years, that figure returned to the national average in Kingston, thanks to a collective effort by the community. We have seen a dramatic drop in the number of youth who are homeless on the streets of downtown Kingston and more in programs and housing, transitional or permanent.  We have prevention programs that divert youth away from shelters and back to their families or allow them to be housed safely.

Through a collective impact initiative facilitated by United Way of KFL&A, it became clear that the root causes of homelessness are complex and require intervention on multiple fronts. And that having more youth accessing our support system was a good thing. 

The United Way opted to focus on prevention, providing timely intervention, and building a sustainable network of supportive resources. This approach has ensured that youth homelessness in our community becomes a treatable option, rather than a chronic one.

The reasons youth are homeless is different from adults. The solutions need to also be customized to support youth.  More information can be found in the reports:

Youth Homelessness Review 2021
2019 Update on Youth Homelessness
2018 Update on Youth Homelessness
Youth Employment Strategy

For more information about United Way’s Youth Homelessness initiative, please visit https://www.unitedwaykfla.ca/youth

Reports on Homelessness in Kingston and Area for all age groups
City of Kingston – Housing – 10-Year Municipal Housing & Homelessness Plan
5 year update – City of Kingston – Housing & Homelessness Committee Agenda Report 

City of Kingston Housing and Homelessness Annual Report 2023

City of Kingston Housing and Social Services Report 2022
City of Kingston Plan to Support Affordable Housing
City of Kingston Strategic Plan 2023-2026
City of Kingston Homeless Prevention Fund 

Integrated Care Hub: Needs Assessment 2021

The ICH needs assessment involved consultations with 32 stakeholders who have used/use drugs and/or opioids. It is hoped that the recommendations contained in this report inform collaborative problem solving and
program design across sectors to better current provision of supports to people who use substances by addressing systemic challenges.

Integrated Care Hub Needs Assessment and Recommendations

Vacancy Rates

National Rental Landscape: Despite an increase in overall rental unit supply, demand outpaces supply for the second consecutive year. Canada is experiencing record-low vacancy rates (1.5%) and record-high average rent growth (8.0%) in 2023, creating competitive rental conditions across major markets.

In Kingston, the vacancy rate is 0.8% with average rent at $1,525