Homelessness in our Community

Around 300,000 people in Canada experience homelessness in any given year, and 60,000 or more people may be experiencing homelessness on any given night. 
Kingston’s By-Name List – a real-time list of those who are unhoused in our area –saw a substantial spike in Oct 2023 to 537, peaking at 633 in August 2024. As of early January 2026, data shows 572 individuals experiencing homelessness in Kingston. The issue of homelessness is complex and requires different sectors of a community to come together to find local solutions.

Kingston’s By-Name List – a real-time list of all those who are unhoused in our area – lists a higher number of people experiencing homelessness (524) in 2023 than during previous years. The issue of homelessness is complex and requires different sectors of a community to come together to find local solutions.

Homelessness Collective Impact Committee

2021 and 2024 Point in Time Counts

The 2024 Point in Time Count took place in November 2024, and the final report was released in August 2025.  The previous Point in Time Count was held in April 2021, and the final report was released in September of that year.

Full 2024 Point in Time Count Report

Full 2021 Point in Time Count Report

Key findings from the 2024 Point in Time Count

• • Of the 483 people experiencing homelessness who were counted in 2024, 60%, or 288, agreed to participate in an anonymous survey, compared to 176, or 85% in 2021 and 98 or 65% in 2018.
  • Approximately 75% of all survey respondents self-identified as experiencing a mental health issue, up from 65% in 2021
  • While female homelessness decreased by 15 percent between 2018 (55%) and 2021 (40%), the rate of female homelessness in Kingston continues to be higher than the national average at 36%.
  • 26% of those experiencing homelessness identify as Indigenous (17% First Nations, 5.5% Metis, 0.5% Inuit, and 3% Indigenous ancestry). However, only about 4% of the Kingston population is Indigenous, and make up 5% of the population nationally
  • 36% of survey respondents indicated that they were youth (under 25) when they first experienced homelessness.
  • 2% of respondents indicated that they were veterans, which is lower than in 2021 and comparable to the 2023 national number at 1.7%
  • 32% of respondents reported that they lost their housing because they did not have enough income; additionally, the top barriers to housing indicated were: not enough income (96%) and rents were too high to be affordable (84%). 

Preventing & Ending Youth Homelessness in KFL&A

Young people account for one in five of the people living in Canada’s homeless shelters. In 2013, this number was even higher in Kingston at one in three.

In five years, that figure returned to the national average in Kingston, thanks to a collective effort by the community. We have seen a dramatic drop in the number of youth who are homeless on the streets of downtown Kingston and more in programs and housing, transitional or permanent.  We have prevention programs that divert youth away from shelters and back to their families or allow them to be housed safely.

Through a collective impact initiative facilitated by United Way of KFL&A, it became clear that the root causes of homelessness are complex and require intervention on multiple fronts. And that having more youth accessing our support system was a good thing. 

The United Way opted to focus on prevention, providing timely intervention, and building a sustainable network of supportive resources. This approach has ensured that youth homelessness in our community becomes a treatable option, rather than a chronic one.

The reasons youth are homeless is different from adults. The solutions need to also be customized to support youth. 
More information can be found in the reports:
Youth Homelessness Review 2021
2019 Update on Youth Homelessness
2018 Update on Youth Homelessness
Youth Employment Strategy

For more information about United Way’s Youth Homelessness initiative, please visit https://www.unitedwaykfla.ca/youth

Reports on Homelessness in Kingston and Area for all age groups
City of Kingston – Housing – 10-Year Municipal Housing & Homelessness Plan
5 year update – City of Kingston – Housing & Homelessness Committee Agenda Report 
City of Kingston Housing and Homelessness Annual Report 2023
City of Kingston Housing and Social Services Report 2022
City of Kingston Plan to Support Affordable Housing
City of Kingston Strategic Plan 2023-2026
City of Kingston Homeless Prevention Fund 

Integrated Care Hub: Needs Assessment 2021

The ICH needs assessment involved consultations with 32 stakeholders who have used/use drugs and/or opioids. It is hoped that the recommendations contained in this report inform collaborative problem solving and
program design across sectors to better current provision of supports to people who use substances by addressing systemic challenges.

Integrated Care Hub Needs Assessment and Recommendations

Vacancy Rates

National Rental Landscape: Despite an increase in overall rental unit supply, demand outpaces supply for the second consecutive year. Canada is experiencing record-low vacancy rates (1.5%) and record-high average rent growth (8.0%) in 2023, creating competitive rental conditions across major markets.

In Kingston, the vacancy rate in 2023 was 0.8% with average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment at $1,331; however, it spiked back up in 2024 to 2.8% with average rent at $1,406 and decreased slightly to 2.4% in 2025 while seeing rent increase to $1,503.