In April 6, 2016, United Way KFLA, through a grant from Employment and Social Development Canada’s Homelessness Partnering Strategy (HPS), conducted a coordinated Point in Time (PiT) Homeless Count in urban Kingston as part of the first nationally coordinated PiT count.

A total of 91 people were found to be absolutely homeless on April 6, 2016. Absolute homelessness refers to those individuals who are unsheltered or “sleeping rough,” and those who are emergency sheltered.

These individuals were staying in an emergency shelter, domestic violence shelter, an institution, or in public spaces on the night of the count. Employment and Social Development Council defines emergency shelters as:

Facilities providing temporary, short-term accommodation for homeless individuals and families. This may or may not include other services such as food, clothing or counselling.

An additional 46 individuals were staying in transitional housing. The HPS defines transitional housing as:

Housing facilities that provide services beyond basic needs and that, while not permanent, generally allow for a longer length of stay than emergency housing facilities (up to three years). These facilities offer more privacy to residents than emergency housing. Transitional housing is targeted to those in need of structure, support, and/or skill-building to move from homelessness to housing stability, and ultimately to prevent a return to homelessness.

As is the case with any homeless count, this should be considered the minimum number of people experiencing homelessness on that night. Those who are precariously housed, living in motels, or “couch-surfing” are not captured.

Of the 91 people experiencing absolute homelessness, 71 or 78% were sheltered, meaning they slept in an emergency shelter, domestic violence shelter, or an institution such as a detox centre, hospital, or remand centre on the night of the count. 20 or 22% were unsheltered, meaning that they were sleeping in parks, tents, or on the streets on the night of April 6.