Homelessness on P.E.I. has more than doubled in 3 years, non-profit finds

The John Howard Society on P.E.I. says the number of homeless people on the Island appears to have grown significantly.

The 2024 Point in Time count conducted by the society found 318 unhoused people across the Island, more than double the 147 counted in the survey three years before.

Conor Mullin, president of the non-profit group, said the study this time took a more comprehensive approach and surveyed communities from tip to tip on the Island, rather than focusing only on Charlottetown and Summerside.

"What these results show is that homelessness is not just a Queens County problem or a Prince County problem. It's not just an urban problem; it's a problem that exists Island-wide," Mullin told CBC News.

While the expanded scope of the count did contribute to the higher number, Mullin said the findings also indicate that the issue has grown larger overall.

"What we're seeing is that as our population increases and becomes maybe more diverse, we're also seeing that these unique populations are suffering from these problems."

Mullin said the count started on Sept. 30 and ran for 24 hours into Oct. 1, 2024. The exercise is done at the same time in every province, as dictated by Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada.

"It involves having people out on the streets, at shelters, out on trails, places where we know homeless populations congregate, meeting people, talking to them, getting just a count of the number of people," he said.

The count found that 70 per cent of P.E.I.'s unhoused population was located in Queens County, which includes Charlottetown. But this high concentration is likely due to the fact that most of the homeless services and resources on the Island are centred in that region, Mullin said.

"So though some of these individuals may be from Prince or Kings County, they may be localized in Queens County just to have closer access to services."

Along with the count, the non-profit also conducted a survey to gather demographic data, including gender, age and whether individuals belong to specific groups such as Indigenous people, newcomers to Canada, or veterans.

One of the most striking findings was the sharp rise in homelessness among people who are new to the Island, Mullin said.

"There's been almost a tripling in the homelessness found in that population, from about one per cent in 2021 to three per cent now in 2024, so that tells us that we need to have programs tailored specifically to the newcomer population," he said.

Indigenous homelessness has also nearly doubled, rising from nine per cent in 2021 to 17 per cent in 2024. Mullin said this highlights the need for Indigenous-specific support programs.