THUNDER BAY — For the first time since 2021, local organizations will hit the streets this weekend to try to quantify the level of homelessness in Thunder Bay.
The Lakehead Social Planning Council and Thunder Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre are conducting a Point in Time Count, with support from partner organizations.
This year, the exercise will take place from 6 pm Saturday Oct. 5 to 6 pm Sunday Oct. 6.
Data gathered by volunteers will be used to identify service needs and inform planning to prevent and reduce homelessness in the community.
Similar counts are being conducted in cities across the country, and the results will be compiled and publicly reported by Infrastructure Canada.
In the survey three years ago, 221 individuals experiencing homelessness in the Thunder Bay district were contacted during a 24-hour period, although it was likely not a true representation of the extent of the problem.
When asked where they were staying that night:
- 43% of respondents were in emergency shelters
- 17% were couch-surfing
- 12% were at a treatment centre
- 10% were at an outside encampment
- 8% were in transitional housing
- 5% were unsure
- 4% were in a hotel/motel
- 1% were in a vehicle
Bonnie Krysowaty, the LSPC's program manager for the federally-funded Reaching Home project, said "Through COVID, we probably didn't get the numbers that were realistic, just because of the nuances of the pandemic and having people isolate and self-distance of course, but this time we are really hoping to get a good number."
In 2018, more than 500 individuals reported during the PiT count that they were living without permanent housing.
Although the count was much lower in 2021, the District of Thunder Bay Social Services Administration Board said close to 200 people using various forms of temporary shelter on the night of the survey were not factored in.
In a report in early 2022, the board used different sources and calculated that there were nearly 700 people experiencing homelessness in the district.
Krysowaty said the PiT Count is collecting more than just hard data.
"One of the most important things is why people are experiencing homelessness. We know that there are a few reasons why people mostly experience homelessness in Thunder Bay. Through that information, we're able to create new endeavours, initiatives, and also change policy if we need to, to match the needs of the people and to offer appropriate resources."
She said the results this weekend will help shine more light on what's happened in the community around homelessness and the issues people are dealing with since the first PiT count in 2016.
"A really strong volunteer force" will be conducting the count this weekend, Krysowaty said.
"I want to give a shout-out to all the non-profit organizations in Thunder Bay that are coming together to make this happen. The Thunder Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre and the LSPC are conducting the count, and we're really proud of the fact that non-profits are stepping up and helping us make this happen."
