Grey County Calls for Federal & Provincial Action on Systemic Failures Fuelling Homelessness Crisis
Ontario's failures extend beyond housing to deep gaps in healthcare, mental health services, and justice systems, among other critical areas, say County officials.
Ontario’s housing and homelessness crisis has reached a breaking point, and municipalities are calling for action.
Grey County officials are drawing attention to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) report, Municipalities Under Pressure: The Human and Financial Cost of Ontario’s Homelessness Crisis, issued on January 9.
AMO’s data, Grey County said in a prepared statement, “demonstrates a systemic failure that extends beyond housing, reflecting deep gaps in healthcare, mental health services, justice systems and more.”
Municipalities currently shoulder 51.5% of housing and homelessness funding, with local governments spending $2.1 billion in 2024. However, AMO contends that recent provincial investments, including $50 million for affordable housing and $20 million for shelters, fall far short of what is needed.
Local Challenges Reflect Provincial Crisis
According to Grey County, a 2024 point-in-time count revealed that 375 individuals are experiencing homelessness, including 253 individuals classified as chronically homeless.
Among these, 65 identify as Indigenous, 80 are children under 15, and 45 are youth aged 16-24.
Additionally, Grey County’s subsidized housing waitlist has seen a sharp increase from 1,517 applicants in 2022 to 2,230 in 2024, reflecting a growing demand for affordable housing.
Rural areas like Grey County face unique challenges compared to urban centers. These include limited shelter capacity, shortages of affordable housing, and barriers such as transportation and specialized services. These disparities have been compounded by the inflow of individuals from urban areas seeking more affordable options.
Grey County Warden Andrea Matrosovs emphasized the need for a coordinated response:
"Grey County cannot end chronic homelessness without significant contributions from the federal and provincial governments. We need a fundamentally new approach that prioritizes long-term housing solutions over temporary emergency measures and adequate funding support to create solutions for our county’s rural and town communities."
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Provincial Context and AMO’s Call to Action
The AMO report reveals that more than 80,000 Ontarians experienced homelessness in 2024, a figure that has risen by over 25% since 2022. It warns that, without intervention, homelessness could double within the next decade, potentially affecting 300,000 individuals in an economic downturn.
The report attributes this crisis to decades of underinvestment in affordable housing, income supports, and mental health services.
Key Findings from AMO’s Municipalities Under Pressure Report
The Association of Municipalities of Ontario’s (AMO) Municipalities Under Pressure report provides a detailed examination of the homelessness crisis in Ontario. Here are the key findings:
Growth of Homelessness in Ontario
Over 81,000 People Homeless in 2024: The number of people experiencing homelessness has increased by over 50% since 2016, with a 12% rise between 2023 and 2024.
Chronic Homelessness Surges: Chronic homelessness has tripled since 2016, with over 41,000 Ontarians affected in 2024, making up more than 50% of all homelessness cases.
Disproportionate Impacts
Northern and Rural Communities: Homelessness in Northern Ontario has grown by 204% since 2016, outpacing urban centers. Rural homelessness increased by 154%, often exacerbated by hidden homelessness and limited services.
Vulnerable Populations: Nearly 23% of people experiencing homelessness are children or youth. Indigenous people, who comprise 2.9% of Ontario’s population, account for 10.6% of chronic homelessness cases, highlighting systemic inequities.
Refugees and Immigrants: Refugee chronic homelessness has risen by nearly 600% in four years, and immigrant chronic homelessness has doubled over the same period.
Systemic Challenges
Inadequate Housing Stock: Ontario’s waitlist for rent-geared-to-income (RGI) housing grew to over 268,000 households in 2024, with wait times averaging five years.
Overburdened Emergency Shelters: Emergency shelter capacity increased by 34% since 2019, but chronic homelessness grew by 138%, signaling a reliance on shelters without long-term solutions.
Financial Strain
Municipalities Bear the Burden: Municipalities now fund 65% of housing and homelessness programs, spending $2.1 billion in 2024. Provincial contributions have lagged despite increasing needs.
Crisis Over Prevention: Emergency shelters receive 65% of homelessness program spending, while supportive and transitional housing account for only 18%, underscoring an emphasis on short-term crisis management.
To address chronic homelessness, the AMO proposes:
An $11 billion investment over 10 years to build 75,000 affordable and supportive housing units and enhance prevention programs.
An additional $2 billion over eight years to address encampments through expanded transitional and supportive services.
AMO President Robin Jones emphasized the urgency by saying in a prepared statement, “Without real and meaningful provincial action, the quality of life and economic prosperity of Ontario’s communities is at risk. We can solve this crisis, but we need to work together."
Local Efforts to Address Homelessness
According to their statement, Grey County has invested $6.55 million since 2022 to tackle homelessness, funding projects such as supportive housing and emergency shelters. Key initiatives include:
Supportive Housing Program with CMHA: This partnership provides transitional housing for residents who have experienced chronic homelessness. Since its launch in December 2023, seven participants have transitioned to permanent housing.
Acquisition of a 22-Room Motel: Purchased in early 2024, this facility has increased the county’s capacity for short-term accommodations to 13,000 nights annually, offering improved access to supports and reducing operational costs.
Funding for Safe N Sound Grey Bruce: The county supports a warming space offering nightly refuge for up to 18 individuals during the winter, providing over 3,000 nights of shelter annually.
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In 2024 alone, Grey County and its partners supported 176 households in transitioning to stable accommodations, with 123 maintaining their housing to date.
Looking ahead, the county has committed $3 million to an affordable housing project with Lutheran Social Services in Owen Sound and is working on a 40-unit affordable housing development in Dundalk, contingent on provincial funding.
A Path Forward
While Grey County is making strides with innovative programs and local investments, officials agree that scaling these efforts will require substantial and sustained support from provincial and federal governments.
Collaboration and a shift to long-term solutions, as outlined in the AMO report, are critical to achieving a future where homelessness is rare, brief, and non-recurring, they say.
For more information on local homelessness initiatives, visit Grey County’s website. View the AMO report here.
Sources:
Providing a Grey County perspective to the AMO Municipalities Under Pressure Report - Grey County
Municipalities Under Pressure: The Human and Financial Cost of Ontario’s Homelessness Crisis - Association of Municipalities of Ontario
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