Homelessness and the lack of affordable housing is a critical issue in Kingston.

Kingston is a beautiful city with a vibrant downtown, picturesque waterfront, scenic trails and walks. It has an engaged group of citizens and a quality of life that attracts young families, professionals and retirees. Many of the city’s residents have stable incomes and a comfortable lifestyle. However, like in many other urban centres, there are a growing number of individuals and families who are struggling to secure adequate housing and pay for essentials such as food and utilities. There are also a number of individuals with mental health and other issues, who continue to need emergency shelters.

Factors Shaping Homelessness in Kingston

Kingston is a regional centre and is the largest city between Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. With a large population of public sector employees, it also has a number of private companies and industries. The city’s current GDP (gross domestic product, or GDP, is one of several measures of the size of its economy) is 2.1% with a forecast of 2.4% GDP in 2007.

Public sector employees make up 40% of the local workforce.1 Kingston has a large military base, as well as reputable educational institutions, Queen’s University, Royal Military college and St. Lawrence College. It is a regional health centre with three major health institutions – Kingston General Hospital which includes the Regional Cancer Clinic, Hotel Dieu Hospital and Providence Continuing Care Centres, which include Mental Health Services, St. Mary’s on the lake and Providence Manor.

Studies on the prevalence of metal illness show that urban centres have a prevalence rate of between 5 to15% higher than more rural areas. Kingston is the home of a specialty psychiatric hospital and several correctional facilities including a regional treatment center for those living with a psychiatric illness. People tend to gravitate to urban areas, or remain in them, to receive the wider availability of services and also to avoid the potential exposure to stigma that may be harder to do in smaller towns as opposed to the anonymity possible in more urban centers. Discharges from these institutions add stress to the city’s services.

Vacancy Rates:

Economists believe that a vacancy rate of 3% is optimum as it allows tenants some choice and forces landlords to compete while allowing enough occupancy that landlords can expect to earn a profit2. Kingston has continued to have a vacancy rate below average. Vacancy rates in Kingston are 2.4% compared to Ontario’s measure of 3.8%.3

Average Rents:

Average rents have also increased significantly while incomes have not. The waiting period for persons seeking affordable housing continues to be long. As of December 31, 2005, there were 922 active households on the centralized waiting list. The number of households on the centralized waiting list has remained fairly consistent between approximately 900-950 households.