WHITEHORSE – The 2024 Point-in-Time (PiT) Count was conducted over a 24-hour period, beginning at 4:00 p.m. on October 22 and concluding at 4:00 p.m. on October 23. This marked the fifth PiT Count conducted in Whitehorse. The count was a requirement of communities receiving funding through Reaching Home, the Government of Canada’s Homelessness Strategy. The count results are now available in an infographic.
In previous years, Whitehorse's PiT Counts were held in April. However, to align with national efforts, the Government of Canada mandated that participating communities conduct their counts in October or November. This represented a significant change for our Whitehorse count, as April typically offers warmer weather. The shift to October also meant fewer daylight hours—approximately 9.5 hours in mid-October compared to 14.5 hours in mid-April. Among others, we anticipated that these factors would make it more challenging to reach people with the survey, particularly those experiencing hidden homelessness. We encourage readers to keep these factors in mind when comparing the results of this count with those of previous years.
Whitehorse’s PiT Count found that at least 145 people were homeless during a 24-hour period: 9 people were unsheltered (living on the street, in vehicles, or tents) and 71 people were emergency sheltered at one of 3 local shelters. An additional 58 individuals were provisionally accommodated in transitional housing, in a hotel, staying at someone else’s place or in a public institution such as, Whitehorse Correctional Centre, Whitehorse General Hospital, or in programming at Mental Wellness & Substance Use Services. 7 individuals were unsure where they would be staying the night of the Count.
High rent and low income were the most commonly cited barriers to housing. This has been the top barrier to obtaining housing since the 2016 Count. Bill Bruton, Reaching Home Community Advisory Board Co-Chair and individual with lived experience of homelessness says, “Homelessness is not a choice. It’s a consequence of a broken system and societal failures.”
Experience of homelessness as a child or young person were highlighted by many respondents. 43% had experience in foster care or a youth group home and 54% experienced homelessness for the first time before the age of 20. Unmet health needs were also common among respondents. 44% of those surveyed reported having a mental health issue and 75% reported having a substance use disorder. “These results underscore that homelessness touches every public system and we have a shared responsibility for addressing it.” says Kate Mechan, Executive Director of Safe at Home Society. “Early intervention and permanent supportive housing accompanied with adequate health supports are critical parts of the solution to persistently high rates of chronic homelessness”
The PiT Count findings, along with By Name List Data will inform the work to revise the 2017 Safe at Home Plan to End Homelessness which will be updated over the coming months to include timelines, targets, and accountability mechanisms. By Name List data, unlike the PiT Count, provides real-time data of the number of individuals experiencing homelessness. Both data sets will fuel our ability to respond with urgency and care and move us incrementally towards ending homelessness.