50 Facts About Youth Homelessness
oneROOF Youth Services strives to educate the public on youth homelessness, street life and related issues.
Learn more about our missions here.
The oneROOF Youth Services website is home to many educational resources, including digital brochures, youth stories, and this informational blog. Here we discuss a different topic each month, sharing facts and anecdotes in hopes of decreasing stigma surrounding youth homelessness. Our social media accounts are another great place to find stats and educational material.
Join us this month as we share…
50 Facts About Youth Homelessness
National Numbers
1. 35,000-40,000 youth between the ages of 13-24 years old experience homelessness each year in Canada. [1]
2. On any given night, there are between 6,000-7,000 homeless young people. [2]
Local Numbers
According to the latest “Point-In-Time” count, the number of people who are homeless in Waterloo Region has skyrocketed…
3. It was discovered in September 2021, that there were 1,085 people in the region experiencing homelessness — nearly TRIPLE the number found in the last count, done in 2018. [3]
Our Numbers
4. In 2019, over 66,000 units of service were provided by oneROOF Youth Services.
5. Over 28,000 meals were served at oneROOF Youth Services in 2019.
6. Approximately 5,120 shelter beds at oneROOF Youth Services were filled in 2020.
7. In 2020, 55 young people experiencing homelessness found permanent housing because of the work of oneROOF Youth Services. [4]
Learn more about our impact here.
Health & Wellbeing
8. 85.4% of homeless youth reported high symptoms of mental distress. [5]
9. 42% reported at least one suicide attempt. [6]
10. Across domains, LGBTQ2S+ youth reported a much higher degree of mental health concerns. [7]
11. 85% of service providers reported an increase in youth experiencing anxiety. [8]
12. 75% of service providers reported an increase in youth experiencing depression. [9]
13. 36% of LGBTQ2S+ youth in the GTA experiencing homelessness have attempted suicide since the COVID-19 pandemic began and 82% engaged in self-harm. [10]
Impacts of COVID-19
A retrospective cohort study conducted in Ontario found that people with a recent history of homelessness had a higher rate of exposure to COVID-19. In peak periods, people with a recent history of homelessness were…
14. Over 20 times more likely to be admitted to hospital for COVID-19,
15. Over 10 times more likely to require intensive care for COVID-19,
16. And over 5 times more likely to die within 21 days of their first positive test result. [11]
Education & Employment
17. 53.2% of youth experiencing homelessness drop-out of high school versus the national rate of 9%. [12]
18. 75.7% of youth experiencing homelessness were unemployed versus the unemployment rate of 13.3%, in 2015, for youth in the general Canadian public. [13]
19. 50.5% of youth experiencing homelessness were not in employment, education or training (NEET) pre-COVID-19. [14]
Home Life & Familial Relationships
20. For many youth, their experience with homelessness started when they were young; 40.1% of youth were younger than 16 when they first experienced homelessness. [15]
21. In the Leaving Home report (2014) 92% of young people experiencing homelessness said that conflict with their parents or caregivers was a factor that contributed to their eventual homelessness, while 72% reported that it was a major cause. [16]
22. Almost 60% of young people in that survey also reported either physical, emotional or sexual abuse as being a cause of their eventual homelessness. [17]
23. In another report, 63.1% of homeless youth report experiencing childhood trauma and abuse. [18]
24. 77.5% of youth identified abusive relationships within the household and mental health and addiction issues among their parents as having influenced their decision to leave home. [19]
Substance Use
25. 8 in 10 Canadians with a substance use disorder say they experienced barriers to recovery, including stigmas. [20]
26. Almost half of Canadians in recovery from substance use disorders experienced stigma when in active addiction. [21]
27. 1 in 10 Canadians experienced substance use problems today. [22]
28. Young people aged 15-24 are more likely to experience mental illness and/or substance use disorders then any other age group. [23]
29. In 2021, over 7500 people died of opioid overdose in Canada. [24]
Racial Impact & Systemic Barriers
30. Indigenous peoples make up only 4.3% of the overall Canadian population, but comprise 30.6% of the youth homelessness population. [25]
31. Indigenous peoples in Canada are more than 11 times more likely to use a homeless shelter than non-Indigenous people. [26]
32. 1 in 15 Indigenous peoples in urban centres experience homelessness, compared to 1 in 128 for the general population. Meaning, that Indigenous peoples living in urban areas are 8 times more likely to experience homelessness. [27]
33. On any given night, 6.97% of the urban Indigenous population in Canada is homeless, versus the national average of 0.78% for non-Indigenous people. [28]
34. In 2016-17, black students accounted for 11% of the Toronto District School Board student population but were disproportionately represented in suspensions/expulsions as Black students accounted for 36.2% of suspensions/expulsions. [29]
35. In 2016, 20% of black young adult men (23-27) were not in education, employment or training, compared with 12% of other young men. [30]
36. In 2015-2016, black youth (18-21) were overrepresented in federal penitentiaries representing 12% of the young adult inmate population despite Black Canadians (all ages) representing only 3.5% of the total Canadian population in 2016. [31] [32]
37. 5.6% of black young adult inmates (18-21) were admitted to segregation despite only comprising 4% of the total Black inmate population. [33]
38. A 2016 report highlighted that black youth are significantly under-represented in mental health and treatment-oriented services but over-represented in containment-focused facilities. [34] [35]
LGBTQ2S+ Youth
39. It’s estimated that LGBTQ2S+ youth make up 25%-40% of homeless youth in Canada. That means nearly 1 out of every 3 young people experiencing homelessness in Canada identifies as LGBTQ2S+. [36]
40. 77.9% of LGBTQ2S+ youth experiencing homelessness report experiencing criminal victimization (e.g. theft, sexual assault). [37]
41. LGBTQ2S+ youth experiencing homelessness report high rates of mental health issues and suicide. [38]
42. 1 in 3 transgender youth are rejected by shelters on account of their gender identity/expression. [39]
43. Transgender youth in Ontario are at greater risk of suicide than other minority groups. In 2010, 77% of trans people in Ontario reported having seriously considered suicide, and 45% had attempted suicide. [40]
Compared to the general population, transgender and gender non-conforming youth in Canada are also…
44. Two times as likely to experience severe poverty and homelessness.
45. Five times more likely to have mental health issues.
46. Five times more likely to attempt suicide.
47. Seven times more likely to use drugs or other substances. [41]
Justice & Welfare System
48. On average, youth became involved with child protection services at the age of 8.5, and for 31.5%, involvement began before the age of six. [42]
49. In 2015, 41.8% of children in the care of the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto in 2015 were black. This is five times their representation in the overall Toronto population. [43]
50. A 2016 report found that 57.8% of those experiencing chronic and/or hidden youth homelessness had also had experiences within the Canadian child welfare system. [44]
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1. Stephen Gaetz, Bill O’Grady, Sean Kidd & Kaitlin Schwan. (2016). Without a Home: The National Youth Homelessness Survey. Toronto: Canadian Observatory on Homelessness Press.
2. Stephen Gaetz, Bill O’Grady, Sean Kidd & Kaitlin Schwan. (2016). Without a Home: The National Youth Homelessness Survey. Toronto: Canadian Observatory on Homelessness Press.
3. Waterloo Region, Point-In-Time Count (2021)
4. oneROOF Youth Services Database
5. Gaetz, S., O’Grady, B., Kidd, S. and Schwan, K. (2016). Without a Home: The National Youth Homelessness Survey. Toronto: Canadian Observatory on Homelessness Press.
6. Gaetz, S., O’Grady, B., Kidd, S. and Schwan, K. (2016). Without a Home: The National Youth Homelessness Survey. Toronto: Canadian Observatory on Homelessness Press.
7. Gaetz, S., O’Grady, B., Kidd, S. and Schwan, K. (2016). Without a Home: The National Youth Homelessness Survey. Toronto: Canadian Observatory on Homelessness Press.
8. Thulien, N.S., Noble, A., Akdikmen, A., Ali, D., Coplan, I., Daley, M., French, D., Hwang, S.W., Kidd, S., & Roglich, J. (2020). Pandemic Proof: Synthesizing Real-World Knowledge of Promising Mental Health and Substance Use Practices Utilized During the COVID19 Pandemic with Young People Who Are Experiencing or Have Experienced Homelessness. Toronto: Canadian Observatory on Homelessness Press.
9. Thulien, N.S., Noble, A., Akdikmen, A., Ali, D., Coplan, I., Daley, M., French, D., Hwang, S.W., Kidd, S., & Roglich, J. (2020). Pandemic Proof: Synthesizing Real-World Knowledge of Promising Mental Health and Substance Use Practices Utilized During the COVID19 Pandemic with Young People Who Are Experiencing or Have Experienced Homelessness. Toronto: Canadian Observatory on Homelessness Press.
10. Abramovich, A., Pang, N., Moss, A., Logie, C. H., Chaiton, M., Kidd, S. A., & Hamilton, H. A. (2021). Investigating the impacts of COVID-19 among LGBTQ2S youth experiencing homelessness. Plos One, 16(9). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0257693 11 Abramovich, A., Pang, N., Moss, A., Logie, C. H., Chaiton, M., Kidd, S. A., & Hamilton, H. A. (2021). Investigating the impacts of COVID-19 among LGBTQ2S youth experiencing homelessness. Plos One, 16(9). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0257693
12. Gaetz, S., O’Grady, B., Kidd, S. and Schwan, K. (2016). Without a Home: The National Youth Homelessness Survey. Toronto: Canadian Observatory on Homelessness Press.\
13. Gaetz, S., O’Grady, B., Kidd, S. and Schwan, K. (2016). Without a Home: The National Youth Homelessness Survey. Toronto: Canadian Observatory on Homelessness Press.
14. Gaetz, S., O’Grady, B., Kidd, S. and Schwan, K. (2016). Without a Home: The National Youth Homelessness Survey. Toronto: Canadian Observatory on Homelessness Press.
15. Gaetz, S., O’Grady, B., Kidd, S. and Schwan, K. (2016). Without a Home: The National Youth Homelessness Survey. Toronto: Canadian Observatory on Homelessness Press.
16. A. Noble, J.Donaldson, S. Gaetz, S. Mirza, I. Coplan, D. Fleischer (2014). Leaving Home: Youth Homelessness in York Region. Toronto: The Homeless Hub Press.
17. A. Noble, J.Donaldson, S. Gaetz, S. Mirza, I. Coplan, D. Fleischer (2014). Leaving Home: Youth Homelessness in York Region. Toronto: The Homeless Hub Press.
18. Gaetz, S., O’Grady, B., Kidd, S. and Schwan, K. (2016). Without a Home: The National Youth Homelessness Survey. Toronto: Canadian Observatory on Homelessness Press.
19. Gaetz, S., O’Grady, B., Kidd, S. and Schwan, K. (2016). Without a Home: The National Youth Homelessness Survey. Toronto: Canadian Observatory on Homelessness Press.
20. McQuaid, R.J., Malik, A., Moussouni, K., Baydack, N., Stargardter, M., & Morrisey, M. (2017). Life in recovery from addiction in Canada. Ottawa, Ont.: Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction.
21. Pearson, C., Janz, T., & Ali, J. (2013). Mental and substance use disorders in Canada. Health at a Glance. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 82-624-X 22 Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction. (2017). When it comes to substance us disorders words matter. (Fact sheet.) Ottawa, Ont.: Author.
23. Pearson, C., Janz, T., & Ali, J. (2013). Mental and substance use disorders in Canada. Health at a Glance. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 82-624-X
24. Special Advisory Committee on the Epidemic of Opioid Overdoses. Opioid- and Stimulantrelated Harms in Canada. Ottawa: Public Health Agency of Canada; June 2022.
25. Gaetz, S., O’Grady, B., Kidd, S. and Schwan, K. (2016). Without a Home: The National Youth Homelessness Survey. Toronto: Canadian Observatory on Homelessness Press.
26. National Homelessness Database (NHDB) 2016
27. Belanger, Y. D., & Awosoga, O. (1969)
28. Belanger, Y. D., & Awosoga, O. (1969)
29. Toronto District School Board. (2018). Caring and Safe Schools Report 2017-2018. Retrieved from:Caring and Safe Schools Report 2017-18, TDSB, Final_April 2019.pdf
30. Turcotte, Martin. Results from the 2016 Census: Education and labour market integration of Black youth in Canada. Insights on Canadian Society. February 25, 2020. Statistics Canada, Catalogue no. 75-006-X. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/75- 006-x/2020001/article/ 00002-eng.htm
31. Office of the Correctional Investigator (OCI). (2017a). Missed Opportunities: The Experience of Young Adults Incarcerated in Federal Penitentiaries – Final Report. Retrieved from http:// www.oci-bec.gc.ca/cnt/rpt/oth-aut/oth-aut20170831-eng.as
32. Statistics Canada. (2019). Diversity of the Black Population in Canada: An Overview. Retrieved from: Diversity of the Black population in Canada: An overview (statcan.gc.ca)
33. Office of the Correctional Investigator (OCI). (2017a). Missed Opportunities: The Experience of Young Adults Incarcerated in Federal Penitentiaries – Final Report. Retrieved from http:// www.oci-bec.gc.ca/cnt/rpt/oth-aut/oth-aut20170831-eng.as
34. Children’s Mental Health Ontario (CMHO). (2017). Facts & Figures. Retrieved from https:// www.cmho.org/education-resources/facts-figures
35. Gharabaghi, K., Trocmé, N. and Newman, D. (2016). Because Young People Matter: Report of the Residential Services Review Panel.
36. Josephson & Wright (2000)
37. Special Advisory Committee on the Epidemic of Opioid Overdoses. Opioid- and Stimulantrelated Harms in Canada. Ottawa: Public Health Agency of Canada; June 2022.
38. Special Advisory Committee on the Epidemic of Opioid Overdoses. Opioid- and Stimulantrelated Harms in Canada. Ottawa: Public Health Agency of Canada; June 2022.
39. Abramovich, A., Pang, N., Moss, A., Logie, C. H., Chaiton, M., Kidd, S. A., & Hamilton, H. A. (2021). Investigating the impacts of COVID-19 among LGBTQ2S youth experiencing homelessness. Plos One, 16(9). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0257693
40. Greta Bauer, Michelle Boyce, Todd Coleman, Matthias Kaay, Kyle Scanlon & Robb Travers (2010)
41. Abramovich, I. A. (2012)
42. Gaetz, S., O’Grady, B., Kidd, S. and Schwan, K. (2016). Without a Home: The National Youth Homelessness Survey. Toronto: Canadian Observatory on Homelessness Press.
43. Children’s Aid Society of Toronto (CAS). (2015). Addressing Disproportionality, Disparity and Discrimination in Child Welfare: Data on Services Provided to Black African Caribbean Canadian Families and Children.
44. Gaetz, S., O’Grady, B., Kidd, S. and Schwan, K. (2016). Without a Home: The National Youth Homelessness Survey. Toronto: Canadian Observatory on Homelessness Press.