Nearly 1,500 people in Saskatoon are homeless, according to the latest count

Nearly 1,500 people in Saskatoon are homeless, according to the latest point-in-time (PiT) Count conducted by the city and outside partners.

The biannual count was conducted on Oct. 8 by the City of Saskatoon, Saskatoon Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP), the Reaching Home Community Entity in Saskatoon and the Community-University Institute for Social Research at the University of Saskatchewan and more than 200 volunteers.

According to Lesley Anderson, the city’s planning and development director, the count represents the minimum number of people experiencing “unsheltered and sheltered homelessness in Saskatoon.”

“These numbers and demographics will improve our understanding of the needs and circumstances of the people who are affected by homelessness in our community,” Anderson said in a news release on Thursday.

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Since the last count in 2022, the number of confirmed homeless people in the city has tripled, according to the City of Saskatoon.

“While some of this increase reflects the recognition of new categories, numerous other factors have contributed to this significant rise. By reporting these updated figures, we align our efforts with those of other municipalities across the country, promoting consistency and collaboration in addressing homelessness on a national scale,” the city said in a news release.

Mayor Cythina Block says the data from the PiT count is not surprising.

“Anybody who has been living in our city for the last few years has been able to see how much the situation on the ground has changed, and the frustration of realizing that people need help and don't have all the tools to solve it,” Block said.

She said all levels of government need to work together to address the homelessness crisis. 

Further data from the PiT Count survey is expected to come out in early 2025 with the release of a full report.

SHIP director Robert LaFontaine hopes the release of the latest numbers will spur more people to action.

"We need to continue to work as a community to reduce the number of homeless people,” he says.