Toronto homelessness needs federal and provincial funding, city leaders say

City councillors report Ontario now has about 85,000 people experiencing homelessness, a 50% rise since 2021, and note Toronto moved over 4,300 people from shelters into permanent homes last year while asking for sustained federal and provincial investment.

Alejandra Bravo and Gord Perks, city councillors who chair Toronto committees for economic/community development and planning/housing, describe a rising homelessness problem in Ontario and outline recent municipal actions and limits. They report an estimated 85,000 people experiencing homelessness in Ontario, a 50 per cent increase since 2021. The city says it helped more than 4,300 people move from shelters into permanent homes last year and protected nearly 4,000 households from eviction. The councillors argue that Toronto’s efforts are constrained by municipal revenue limits and by the need for long-term provincial and federal funding. Key points: - An estimated 85,000 people are experiencing homelessness in Ontario, up about 50% since 2021. - Toronto reports moving over 4,300 people from shelters into permanent homes and protecting nearly 4,000 households from eviction last year. - The city says encampments have fallen by 64% and, under the proposed 2026 budget, will break ground on over 9,800 new rent-controlled and affordable homes while construction continues on about 7,000 more. - Councillors emphasize municipal funding limits — the city receives about 9 cents of every dollar in taxes — and note reliance on provincial and federal programs such as the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit, where recent allocations may reduce new client access. Summary: The councillors present recent municipal achievements and planned housing starts alongside rising provincial homelessness figures to show the scope of the problem and the limits of city authority. They say long-term, dedicated funding from provincial and federal partners is required to sustain and expand housing and support programs. Undetermined at this time.