'A crisis': Homelessness in Regina up 255 per cent since 2015, according to study

There are currently 824 people in Regina who are experiencing homelessness, according to the 2024 point-in-time (PiT) homelessness count.

The count, conducted by Namerind Housing Corporation, says that is an overall increase of 255 per cent, going from 232 in 2015 to the current 824.

It is also up from 488 in September of 2021, according to the report.

"That’s not an estimate. That is, 'at least,'" said Namerind President and CEO Robert Byers. "When we did [the count in 2015], I could hardly believe there was 232 people that were homeless. Now there's 824."

Namerind conducted the PiT count Oct. 1, 2024 as a way to quantify the level of homelessness in the city.

"This is a community issue," Byers said. "We know it's a crisis. We know it's bad out there, but the average person doesn't."

"And if you can't provide some facts, it's not real," he added.

(Source: Namerind Housing Corp.)

The study says that the largest increases were between 2018 and 2021 when homelessness numbers rose by 71 per cent and 2021 to 2024 when that number increased by another 69 per cent. Of the total number of people experiencing homelessness the study says 63 per cent of them were completely living without shelter.

The study also indicated that despite making up only about 10 per cent of Regina’s population, 75 per cent of individuals who responded to the study were Indigenous.

"Between residential schools and missing and murdered indigenous women, those are up front every day in everybody's lives," Carmichael Outreach development coordinator Chrysta Garner told CTV News. "But they don't see the impact on how that rolls down into the people that weren't directly involved with that, but have suffered because of that."

Many respondents to the study also claimed to face substance use challenges, 71 per cent. Another 54 per cent said they were battling one or more mental health conditions.

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(Source: Namerind Housing Corp.)

Nearly 30 per cent of the 824 also live with children, 37 per cent of which are under the age of five.

"The increase in homelessness is alarmingly high, increasing by two-thirds in each of the last two counts," Namerind Housing Corporation said in the study.

Attributing Factors

Many respondents “This is not just a housing crisis,” said Namerind regional manager Lisa Workman. “It's a health crisis. It's an education crisis. It's a crisis of inequality and system.”

The study suggested the combination of mental health challenges, substance use, and physical disabilities reinforces the need for integrated housing and health interventions.

That, coupled with housing market pressures are accelerating the crisis.

"We need housing first," Byers said.

Namerind also found a surge in the number of youth and youth adults experiencing homelessness.

Nearly a quarter of those surveyed first experienced housing challenges while younger than 17 years old.

"We need to do things differently,” Byers said. “So we're focusing some of the funds on our next call for proposals on youth."

Finding Solutions

As part of their study, Namerind formed five calls to action.

They are calling for Indigenous-led initiatives, integrated services, investment in affordable housing, support for newcomers and seniors as well as increasing data integration.

"It’s not a Saskatchewan issue, a Regina nor Saskatoon issue," Byers said. "Years of policy have put us where we are."

“It’s everybody’s responsibility to find solutions," Garner said. "You can't just state it's a municipal, federal or provincial government."

"Everybody needs to band together to find out where these gaps are and let's try and fill them the best that we can," she added.

Mayor Chad Bachynski says the timing of the data’s release can be beneficial to council as it prepares to build the 2025 city budget in March.

"It’s a driver for myself and council to say, 'We need to be in front of this,' and have some tough conversation," he said.

And while only a snapshot of the issue, the count may allow the city to curate its response.

"But at the end of the day it’s about funding,” Bachynski said. "If we don’t have the funding to support these services, we can’t bring change."

In response to CTV News, the Ministry of Social Services says it has expanded its funding and shelter spaces.

"[We] acknowledge there continues to be need for safe shelter in our communities," the ministry added in a statement. "We are working with Indigenous and community partners, municipalities and the federal government to better aid people experiencing homelessness and to expand affordable housing options for those in need."

The province also outlined an additional $750,000 in grants to the City of Regina to support warming spaces this winter.

"In just a few years, the number of homeless people has tripled in Saskatoon and doubled in Regina," the NDP opposition said in response to the PiT’s release Wednesday. "We know this issue is getting worse in our medium and small centres as well."

"All levels of government must provide funding,” Workman said. “But [Namerind] is also looking at the private sector as well."

Namerind adds these findings are preliminary and expect to bring further data and potential solutions in the new year.