Homelessness in Lethbridge more than doubled since last point-in-time report

A point-in-time report indicates there are a minimum of 454 homeless people in Lethbridge, with more than half unsheltered. 

At least 327 people faced absolute homelessness, with the number of sheltered homeless people remaining steady over the past four years. 

The numbers, collected over a six-hour period on Sept. 27, were released Wednesday.

The last count, in 2018, found 223 homeless people in Lethbridge.

Takara Motz, acting general manager of community social development for the city, says there are several factors that have contributed to lack of housing support. 

"An increase in substance use and mental health concerns as well as the inability to afford housing within the community. So we can attribute some of this to the recent inflation. Our rental prices have increased, and we have not significantly been able to increase the number of affordable housing units in our community," she said. 

Out of those counted, only 56 per cent participated in the survey. The survey consisted of a series of questions to collect data on the age, ethnicity, gender and history of homlessness. 

Indigenous people make up 6.6 per cent of the city's population but were overrepresented in the results, making up 72 per cent of unsheltered people and 36 per cent sheltered homeless people. 

The age group 25-44 was the most impacted, making up 51 per cent of the homeless population. Younger women overrepresented the younger age brackets whereas men made up more than half of homeless people in the above 45 age group.

"In terms of what we're seeing in terms of our service providers, this number wasn't totally unexpected, this is what we had heard in the community," said Erin Mason, data and reporting specialist in the community social development department. 

About 70 per cent of unsheltered survey participants said they had access to shelter but they either preferred to find alternative temporary housing or didn't access it due to safety concerns and overcrowding. 

This was the third nationally co-ordinated point-in-time homeless count. It was conducted in 65 municipalities across Canada. Lethbridge is one of the seven participating cities in Alberta. 

The report acknowledges the limitations of this survey: "It inherently undercounts the homeless population," especially the marginalized groups, and it counts homelessness on one particular day every two years. 

Some areas of the city were not covered, and many homeless people did not want to be counted in the data. 

In October, the provincial government announced up to 70 beds for new winter shelter spaces in Lethbridge, but those numbers do not meet the demand to shelter the rising homelessness.