Point-in-time count to provide snapshot of homeless population in Guelph and Wellington

Volunteers and staff in Wellington County and Guelph are out collecting information this week from people experiencing homelessness in the community. 

It's part of the Guelph-Wellington Everyone Counts 2021: Point-in-Time Count, which began Wednesday and is continuing Thursday. 

Staff will be asking people and families experiencing homelessness about their housing history and their overall health and wellbeing.

The initiative is being led by the Guelph and Wellington Task Force for Poverty Elimination, in partnership with County of Wellington Housing Services. This is the third point-in-time count the organizations have been a part of since 2016.

"They complete a survey to collect information on the characteristics of people experiencing homelessness, such as gender, age, veteran status, Indigenous identity and it includes those who are couch surfing, staying in shelter or sleeping outside," Lori Richer, housing stability manager with County of Wellington, told CBC News.

"This helps us get a better understanding of what people's needs are and what issues and challenges people are facing."

Richer said they already know some of those challenges include housing affordability, mental health and addiction, as well as access to recourses in rural parts of the community. People seeking a shelter in Wellington County often have to go to Guelph for that service, she explained.

Since completing the first point-in-time count, Richer said the way the system serves people who are precariously housed has "changed significantly."

She said it led to the creation of the Guelph-Wellington Coordinated Entry System and a system where agencies have the names of those individuals experiencing homelessness.

"Since then we've been able to add additional recourses, like diversion and prevention supports, housing focus outreach workers, housing stability workers," she said.

"Through that work we've seen a 78 per cent reduction in chronic youth homelessness and a 41 per cent reduction in overall chronic homelessness."

'Hopeful to see a reduction'

Findings of a point-in-time count done in 2018 counted 325 individuals experiencing homelessness in Guelph and Wellington County, with the majority residing in Guelph.

Richer said it's not always easy to identify rural homelessness, as some who are sleeping rough or couch surfing don't always identify as being homeless. 

She said there was an increase in people counted in the 2016 and 2018 reports, and while Richer says it's possible they could rise again, she's hopeful that this year, numbers will decrease.

"We know that our system has been more responsive to those needs, so we are hopeful to see a reduction."

The information gathered will also help allocate funding, resources and service needs to homeless and housing organizations. 

Volunteers and staff will also be at agencies like HOPE House, Guelph Community Health Centre, Royal City Mission and the County of Wellington building Wednesday and Thursday.

Results from the count will be released at a virtual event on Nov. 16 from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.