According to a report to be submitted to the city council next week, the number of homeless people in Vancouver increased by 12% last year, reaching a “historic high”.
The 2025 homelessness count was conducted sometime in March of last year, lasting 24 hours. The results showed that the city had 2,715 homeless people, up from 2,420 in the previous count in 2023.The report points out that although the collected data contains up to 20% “underestimation”, the method is still described as a useful “overview for understanding current trends”.
Of the homeless people counted, 763 were “homeless,” meaning they slept on the streets or in makeshift shelters, in parks or alleyways, or in their cars. The report states: “Homelessness is devastating for individuals, damaging their physical and mental health, personal safety, and social and family relationships.”
“As homelessness persists, these harms worsen—health deteriorates, trauma accumulates, and relationships with support and service providers weaken, making the road to recovery increasingly difficult.”
In a survey conducted during the statistical process, a quarter of the respondents answered questions about why or how they became homeless. The report indicates that the number one reason was “insufficient income to cover housing costs,” accounting for 38% of all respondents; 19% of respondents reported addiction or substance abuse problems, and 17% cited “unsuitable/unsafe housing conditions.”
The 2025 survey included questions about eviction for the first time, with 42% of respondents saying that their most recent loss of home was due to eviction. The survey also collected demographic data from individuals and organizations who volunteered their data, and the results showed that women, Indigenous people, African Americans, and those who received government care during their adolescence faced a higher risk of homelessness.
The report indicates that the proportion of homeless women rose from 25% to 28%.The report stated: “Although this proportion has increased, it is worth noting that women are more difficult to include in the statistics because they are more likely to hide and stay temporarily with friends or family, making them difficult to find and investigate.”
Indigenous people make up about 2.5% of Vancouver’s population, but account for 42% of those surveyed, and they are more likely to receive asylum than non-Indigenous people. Of these homeless people, 9% identify as Black, while Black people make up only about 1% of Vancouver’s population.
The report shows that more than one-third of respondents (38%) said they received care from religious institutions during their adolescence. The report also noted that 40% of the older respondents said they first experienced homelessness at age 55 or older.
The report states: “The survey shows that insufficient income and eviction are the main causes of home loss.”
“The lack of affordable housing, problems left over from colonialism and boarding schools, racism, and deficiencies in the healthcare system and child protection are deeper systemic and structural issues that contribute to the continued homelessness in the region.”