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Homelessness is getting worse across Ontario with an estimated 85,000 people who were without a home in 2025 and nearly 2,000 encampments across the province, a new report from Ontario's municipalities shows.

More than half of those people are experiencing prolonged periods of homelessness of six months or longer, the report by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, the Ontario Municipal Social Services Association and the Northern Ontario Service Deliverers Association found.

About 20,000 children and youth are homeless in the province. The data shows northern and rural regions are driving the growth in homelessness.

"Something's clearly broken," said Lindsay Jones, executive director of AMO.

"I think we're seeing, again, the impact of pretty significant under-investments over years in the social systems that provide support, like income security, like mental health and addictions and affordable housing."

Number of homeless could hit 300K by 2035: report

Homelessness will continue to get worse under steady economic conditions until 2035, when 177,000 people are projected to be without a home, the report said.

Should the economy take a nosedive, which Jones said is quite plausible given its current state and the ongoing trade war with the United States, there could be nearly 300,000 homeless people by then.

The AMO followed up one year after it released a groundbreaking report that painstakingly collected data from the province's 47 service managers to get a grasp on the provincewide picture of homelessness.

It estimated that 84,973 people experienced homelessness in the province last year, an increase of 7.8 per cent from 2024.

Homelessness has spiked since the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

WATCH | Toronto's unhoused population more than doubles in 3 years:

Between 2016 and 2020, homelessness increased by 6.3 per cent. From 2021 to 2025, it increased by 49.1 per cent.

"Homelessness has not returned to pre-2020 levels, even as housing and homelessness funding increased and services expanded," the report said.

"This indicates that the availability of housing and supports has not kept pace with the scale or persistence of homelessness following the pandemic."

Northern and rural Ontario are seeing the biggest increases in homelessness. In the last year alone, homelessness increased by 37 per cent in northern Ontario and by 31 per cent in mostly rural communities. Homelessness in the north has increased by a staggering 117 per cent since 2021.

"I do think that a big part of the story is Indigenous homelessness," Jones said. "This year we're seeing around a 25 per cent increase in what we're measuring in terms of Indigenous homelessness. So it's a really significant problem."

The number of Indigenous people without a home has increased to 11,000 in 2025, up from 6,100 in 2021, the data shows.

Public funding has not kept pace with issue: report

Encampments also continue to grow in number, with nearly 2,000 such spots across Ontario. The nature of encampments has changed, the report noted, with fewer large clusters and now smaller ones where six to 10 people live, Jones said.

"It really speaks to the response that has been taken at the provincial level to encampments, which is much more of an enforcement approach, which really doesn't get at the root causes," Jones said. "It just kind of disperses the problem and moves it somewhere else."

The problem is that more people are becoming homeless than those who get off the streets or out of shelters into homes.

"In 2025, the community housing wait list reached an estimated 301,340 households, with an average wait time of 65 months and some households waiting more than 16 years," the report said.

"As a result, more people remain homeless for longer periods."

WATCH | What it's like to live in a Toronto encampment:

While public funding for housing and homelessness supports has increased significantly, it has not kept pace with the issue, the report said. Combined government funding on homelessness came in at around $4 billion in 2025.

The researchers say that $11 billion more over 10 years is needed to get rid of homelessness, which would mean significantly more investment in rent-geared-to-income housing, affordable housing options, emergency shelters and mental health and addictions support.

Funding for community housing, for example, has declined by 0.6 per cent since 2021, the report found, while emergency shelter funding has increased by more than 50 per cent.

"We see a lot of money put into the most expensive parts of the system because that's where the need is most acute, but that's ultimately not going to get us to solving the challenge," Jones said.

KINGSTON — The Ontario government is preparing students for the jobs of tomorrow by investing $242 million to upgrade learning facilities at publicly funded colleges and universities across the province. As part of the government’s plan to protect Ontario, this investment will strengthen the province’s pipeline of highly skilled workers by ensuring students have access to the latest equipment and state-of-the-art learning spaces to learn the skills they need for good-paying jobs after graduation.

“In the face of economic uncertainty, Ontario’s world-class colleges and universities are integral to building and protecting Ontario’s future workforce,” said Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security. “Through this investment, our government is ensuring that students have the modern tools and facilities they need to stay on the cutting edge of our critical industries in their future careers.”

Today’s investment includes:

As a shared responsibility, part of the capital infrastructure program requires colleges and universities to make matching contributions. Ontario’s colleges and universities can use the funding for major building systems upgrades, heating and ventilating system upgrades, as well as mechanical and electrical system upgrades. The funds can also be used to buy educational tools, such as modernized computers and software for teaching purposes, specialized equipment, or machinery for use in labs, shops and classrooms.

Minister Quinn made the announcement at Queen’s University which is using a portion of their funding to purchase immersive simulation equipment and infrastructure that will provide experiential, collaborative learning opportunities for future health care professionals such as family physicians, nurses and paramedics. Equipment includes high-fidelity mannikins, task trainers (e.g. IV arms), and upgraded AV systems to enhance remote access and asynchronous delivery of course content. These new learning tools will equip health care students with the skills they need to deliver excellent care in eastern Ontario and beyond after finishing their studies.

This investment is building off the record setting funding from the province for the publicly assisted postsecondary sector, including nearly $1 billion to fund over 100,000 more seats in economy-driving programs such as construction, teaching, nursing, and STEM. By expanding key programs and modernizing learning tools, the government is equipping students to lead, innovate and drive in a rapidly evolving economy.

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"We are grateful to the government for its increased investment in medical research and training, as this allows universities to drive innovation and respond to changing health-care demands. At Queen’s, this funding will further strengthen our leadership in experiential learning, medical simulation, and AI-enabled education, equipping students and researchers with the skills, technologies, and insight needed to collaborate effectively and ultimately deliver better patient care."

- Patrick DeanePrincipal and Vice-Chancellor, Queen’s University

"This investment will support colleges as they modernize facilities and equip labour-market aligned programs and further enhance high-priority programs, giving students the skills Ontario’s economy needs."

- Maureen AdamsonPresident and CEO, Colleges Ontario

"This investment will help Ontario’s universities provide students with modern, high-quality learning environments aligned with high-demand careers. It will support critical facility upgrades to ensure students have access to state-of-the-art industry-standard, in-person and virtual training that prepares them for the jobs Ontario needs."

- Steve OrsiniPresident and CEO, Council of Ontario Universities

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TORONTO — Olivia and Noah continue to top the charts as Ontario's most popular baby names in 2024. Olivia has clinched the number one spot as the top girl name in Ontario for the 16th consecutive year, while Noah took the top spot as the most popular name for boys for the sixth year in a row.

The top 10 names for girls and boys in 2024 were:

“Welcoming a new baby and choosing a name are joyful milestones, and we want parents to spend that time making memories, not worrying about paperwork,” said Stephen Crawford, Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement. “ServiceOntario’s 5-in-1 Newborn Bundle makes life easier for Ontario parents, saving them time so they can cherish those first precious moments, while registering their newborn and applying for essential documents from the comfort of their home.”

ServiceOntario's 5-in-1 Newborn Bundle allows parents to quickly apply for their child's birth certificate, Social Insurance Number, Canada Child Benefits (including the Ontario Child Benefit) and Education Savings Referral service all through one application.

Parents must register their child’s birth within 30 days to ensure they receive essential documents.

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Services for children, youth, families and individuals who need support, and advancing the interests of women across Ontario. Includes information on major life events and care options, including marriage, births and child care. Learn more

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Get help navigating Ontario’s health care system and connecting with the programs or services you’re looking for. Learn more