Edmonton homelessness numbers surge toward 5,000, highest recorded since at least 2019

The number of people experiencing homelessness in Edmonton, as counted by Homeward Trust, has increased by nearly 2,000 in the past year, up to 4,697 in September.

That figure includes people staying in shelters, those without any shelter, and those who have provisional accommodation, such as couch-surfing, but no stable housing.

The numbers for each of those categories, as well as the total, are the highest recorded since at least 2019.

"It's hard not to have an emotional reaction, because it speaks to a growing crisis," says Damian Collins, a human geography professor and housing expert at the University of Alberta.

"I think even a stronger word like calamity might be appropriate."

There are two methods used to measure homelessness in Edmonton.

One is the point in time (PIT) count, which is conducted on a single day, with hundreds of volunteers counting the number of people experiencing homelessness. This method includes those who are unsheltered or not engaging with support agencies, but is only conducted once every two years in co-ordination with other cities in Canada.

The most recent PIT count was Oct. 10. The results won't be released for a few months.

The other method is the By Name List (BNL), which relies on data from 65 service providers and agencies. People are asked where they currently primarily stay: in a shelter, in provisional accommodation, or if they have no stable shelter at all. The BNL count is released monthly and provides a way to track trends on a shorter time frame.

The numbers from the latest BNL count "are probably more accurate than they've ever been," says Nadine Chalifoux, chairperson of the Edmonton Coalition on Housing and Homelessness.

However, "the by names list has never been a very accurate one because it's only people who are being serviced by social agencies. It's not including ... the ones that are still out there, homeless, without any connection to resources or to outreach folks." People can also decline to be registered.

She adds: "I would say you could add another thousand on there easily."

Susan McGee, CEO of Homeward Trust, says providing an accurate snapshot of a complex problem like homelessness is extremely difficult, and no method is perfect.