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Shelter Capacity Report 2015

Introduction

The annual Shelter Capacity Report provides capacity statistics for emergency homeless shelters in Canada. The number of shelter facilities and the number of permanent beds are reported for each province and territory, as well as by community. In addition, brief overviews of Transitional Housing facilities and Violence Against Women shelters are provided in the appendices.

The information contained in this report was obtained from the National Service Provider List. The National Service Provider List is a comprehensive listing of homeless shelters in Canada. It is compiled by the Community Development and Homelessness Partnerships Directorate as part of the National Homelessness Information System (NHIS), a data development initiative that focuses on the collection and analysis of homeless shelter data in Canada.

Types of Shelters

Emergency Shelters

Emergency Sherlters are defined as facilities providing temporary, short-term accommodation for homeless individuals and families. This may or may not include other services such as food, clothing or counselling.

Transitional Housing

Transitional Housing provides temporary shelter, but can be differentiated from emergency shelters by the longer length of stay and greater intensity of support services offered to clients. Transitional housing is an intermediate step between emergency shelter and permanent housing. Support services help clients gain stability and self-sufficiency to maintain permanent housing. Stays are typically between three months and three years.

Violence Against Women Shelters (VAW)

VAM are defined as facilities providing temporary shelter to single women or women with children fleeing domestic abuse. They may function in either a crisis capacity or as transitional or second-stage housing.

Emergency shelters and transitional housing are further characterized according to the clients they serve

  • Men’s shelters provide services to adult males. Some also accept youth.
  • Women’s shelters provide services to adult females. Some also accept youth.
  • General shelters provide services to adult males and females. Some also accept youth.
  • Youth shelters provide services to youth. Shelters have varying definitions of youth, which may include a range of ages from 12 to 29 years.
  • Family shelters provide services to families and adults with dependents. Some also accept single adult women without dependents.

Shelter Capacity

The data for this graph is located below
Text Description: Shelter Capacity

There are 399 emergency shelters and 15,428 permanent shelter beds in Canada.

These numbers have remained relatively stable over the past five years.

Emergency Shelter Beds By Clientele Served

  • 35% of shelter beds in Canada are found in general shelters serving both men and women.
  • Men’s shelters account for a greater percentage of all shelter beds (30%) compared to women’s shelters (14%).
  • Family shelters account for 7% of shelters and 11% of beds.
  • One-quarter of shelters exclusively serve youth. These shelters tend to be smaller in size, accounting for 10% of all emergency shelter beds.
The data for this graph is located below
Text Description: Emergency Shelter Beds by Clientele Served

The breakdown of shelter beds by clientele served in emergency shelters is as follows

  • General 35%
  • Men’s 30%
  • Women’s 14%
  • Youth 10%
  • Family 11%

Community

The majority of shelter beds (81%) are found in large cities. While smaller communities have fewer shelter beds, they still account for nearly half (41%) of all emergency shelters.

The average number of beds is 18 per shelter in small communities versus 53 per shelter in large communities.

The data table for this graph is located below
Text Description: Community Breakdown Graphic

In Canada, 41% of emergency shelters are found in small communities with a population of less than 300,000.

In Canada, 59% of emergency shelters are found in large communities with a population of 300,000 or more.

In Canada, 19% of permanent shelter beds are found in small communities with a population of less than 300,000.

In Canada, 81% of permanent shelter beds are found in large communities with a population of 300,000 or more.

National Summary: Emergency Shelters (2015)*

Province/Territory 2015 2013-2014 2012
Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds
Newfoundland and Labrador 5 53 5 53 5 64
Nova Scotia 7 193 7 188 7 188
New Brunswick 9 150 8 155 8 182
Prince Edward Island 1 7 1 7 1 8
Quebec 79 1,995 86 2,091 83 2,057
Ontario 145 6,715 137 6,843 136 6,640
Manitoba 15 661 16 713 15 706
Saskatchewan 21 459 24 513 23 451
Alberta 36 3,182 36 2,853 36 2,900
British Columbia 72 1,859 74 1,907 83 2,232
Yukon 3 20 3 16 3 16
Northwest Territories 4 100 4 109 5 119
Nunavut 2 34 2 34 2 32
CANADA 399 15,428 403 15,482 407 15,595

*Changes in the reported number of shelters and beds during the years 2012 to 2015 primarily reflect updated information rather than actual changes in national shelter capacity.

Emergency Shelters by Clientele Served (2015)

Province/
Territory		 General Men’s Women’s Youth Family Total
Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds
Newfoundland and Labrador 2 24 0 0 0 0 2 17 1 12 5 53
Nova Scotia 0 0 3 130 3 43 1 20 0 0 7 193
New Brunswick 3 66 2 45 2 24 2 15 0 0 9 150
Prince Edward Island 0 0 1 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 7
Quebec 27 431 10 954 13 273 28 330 1 7 79 1,995
Ontario 29 930 35 2,579 25 1,042 37 760 19 1,404 145 6,715
Manitoba 10 534 0 0 0 0 2 24 3 103 15 661
Saskatchewan 4 70 5 141 9 237 3 11 0 0 21 459
Alberta 17 2,416 4 389 4 134 10 183 1 60 36 3,182
British Columbia 36 1,043 10 356 11 285 12 140 3 35 72 1,859
Yukon 1 14 0 0 1 2 1 4 0 0 3 20
Northwest Territories 0 0 1 35 1 23 1 10 1 32 4 100
Nunavut 0 0 1 22 1 12 0 0 0 0 2 34
CANADA 129 5,528 72 4,658 70 2,075 99 1,514 29 1,653 399 15,428

Emergency Shelters and Shelter Beds by Community (2015)

Newfoundland and Labrador

General Men’s Women’s Youth Family Total
Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds
St. John’s 2 24 0 0 0 0 2 17 1 12 5 53
TOTAL 2 24 0 0 0 0 2 17 1 12 5 53

Nova Scotia

General Men’s Women’s Youth Family Total
Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds
Halifax 0 0 2 120 2 36 1 20 0 0 5 176
Sydney 0 0 1 10 1 7 0 0 0 0 2 17
TOTAL 0 0 3 130 3 43 1 20 0 0 7 193

New Brunswick

General Men’s Women’s Youth Family Total
Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds
Bathurst 1 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 6
Fredericton 0 0 1 25 1 14 0 0 0 0 2 39
Miramichi 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 5 0 0 1 5
Moncton 2 60 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 60
Saint John 0 0 1 20 1 10 1 10 0 0 3 40
TOTAL 3 66 2 45 2 24 2 15 0 0 9 150

Prince Edward Island

General Men’s Women’s Youth Family Total
Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds
Charlottetown 0 0 1 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 7
TOTAL 0 0 1 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 7

Quebec

General Men’s Women’s Youth Family Total
Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds
Amos 1 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 8
Baie-Comeau 0 0 1 17 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 17
Drummondville 1 8 0 0 0 0 1 9 0 0 2 17
Fermont 0 0 0 0 1 6 0 0 0 0 1 6
Gatineau 1 55 0 0 0 0 1 6 0 0 2 61
Granby 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 15 0 0 1 15
Grand-Mère 1 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 15
Ham Sud 1 17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 17
Joliette 1 10 0 0 0 0 2 21 0 0 3 31
Mont-Laurier 1 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 9
Montréal 5 85 6 832 10 247 17 226 1 7 39 1,397
Quebec City 3 49 2 102 1 12 2 15 0 0 8 178
Rouyn-Noranda 1 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 15
Saguenay 2 45 1 3 0 0 1 10 0 0 4 58
St-Eugène-de-Guigues 1 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 14
Sherbrooke 1 22 0 0 1 8 1 8 0 0 3 38
St-Georges 2 17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 17
Thetford Mines 1 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 10
Trois- Rivières 2 26 0 0 0 0 1 11 0 0 3 37
Valleyfield 2 26 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2
Victoriaville 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 9 0 0 1 9
TOTAL 27 431 10 954 13 273 28 330 1 7 79 1,995

Ontario

General Men’s Women’s Youth Family Total
Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds
Barrie-Simcoe 1 20 1 20 0 0 1 15 0 0 3 55
Brantford 1 36 1 38 0 0 1 20 0 0 3 94
Crochrane 0 0 1 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 10
Dufferin Region 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 20 0 0 1 20
Durham Region 0 0 1 40 1 45 1 13 1 20 4 118
Guelph 0 0 1 18 1 14 3 32 2 35 7 99
Halton Region 2 35 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 35
Hamilton 0 0 3 215 1 20 1 20 1 103 6 358
Jarvis 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 8 0 0 1 8
Kenora 1 25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 25
Kingston 2 39 1 18 2 24 1 15 0 0 6 96
Lindsay 1 19 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 19
London 1 45 2 255 1 31 0 0 1 41 5 372
Niagara Region 3 81 0 0 1 20 2 30 1 16 7 147
Nipissing/North Bay 1 19 0 0 1 10 0 0 0 0 2 29
Ottawa 1 12 3 449 2 115 2 24 3 554 11 1,154
Peel Region 1 119 1 60 0 0 1 14 1 225 4 418
Peterborough 0 0 1 40 1 10 1 15 1 15 4 80
Red Lake 1 18 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 18
Sarnia 2 46 0 0 0 0 1 9 1 8 4 63
Sault Ste. Marie 0 0 1 24 1 7 1 10 1 7 4 48
Sioux Lookout 2 34 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 34
Stratford 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 14 0 0 1 14
Sudbury 0 0 1 36 0 0 1 16 1 20 3 72
Thunder Bay 1 42 2 34 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 76
Timmins 1 28 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 28
Toronto 4 247 12 1,198 12 735 10 405 3 240 41 2,825
Waterloo Region 1 40 1 39 0 0 4 40 1 60 7 179
Windsor 2 25 1 56 1 11 1 10 0 0 5 102
York Region 0 0 1 29 0 0 2 30 1 60 4 119
TOTAL 29 930 35 2,579 25 1,042 37 760 19 1,404 145 6,715

Manitoba

General Men’s Women’s Youth Family Total
Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds
Brandon 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 9 2 12
Dauphin 1 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 6
Flin Flon 1 26 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 26
Swan River 1 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 10
The Pas 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 34 1 34
Thompson 1 24 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 24
Winnipeg 5 465 0 0 0 0 2 24 1 60 8 549
TOTAL 10 534 0 0 0 0 2 24 3 103 15 661

Saskatchewan

General Men’s Women’s Youth Family Total
Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds
Moose Jaw 1 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 12
North Battleford 1 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 16
Prince Albert 1 22 0 0 2 58 0 0 0 0 3 80
Regina 0 0 3 89 3 88 0 0 0 0 6 177
Saskatoon 1 20 2 52 4 91 3 11 0 0 10 174
TOTAL 4 70 5 141 9 237 3 11 0 0 21 459

Alberta

General Men’s Women’s Youth Family Total
Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds
Calgary 5 1,746 1 80 2 18 3 45 1 60 12 1,949
Edmonton 4 307 1 249 2 116 2 88 0 0 9 760
Grand Prairie 1 92 0 0 0 0 1 14 0 0 2 106
High Level 1 20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 20
Lethbridge 1 80 0 0 0 0 1 14 0 0 2 94
Lloydminster 0 0 1 28 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 28
Medicine Hat 1 30 0 0 0 0 1 6 0 0 2 36
Red Deer 2 61 0 0 0 0 1 8 0 0 3 69
Wood Buffalo 2 80 1 32 0 0 1 8 0 0 4 120
TOTAL 17 2,416 4 389 4 134 10 183 1 60 36 3,182

British Columbia

General Men’s Women’s Youth Family Total
Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds
Abbotsford 1 20 0 0 0 0 1 14 0 0 2 34
Campbell River 1 22 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 22
Chetwynd 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3
Chilliwack 1 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 11
Courtenay 1 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 14
Dawson 1 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 8
Duncan 1 30 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 30
Fort Nelson 1 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 6
Fort St. John 1 20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 20
Kamloops 1 35 0 0 0 0 1 6 0 0 2 41
Kelowna 1 60 0 0 1 20 1 10 0 0 3 90
Nanaimo 0 0 1 23 1 10 0 0 0 0 2 33
Nelson 1 17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 17
Penticton 1 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 11
Port Alberni 1 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 12
Prince George 1 30 1 21 1 30 1 10 0 0 4 91
Prince Rupert 1 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 10
Quesnel 1 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 10
Smithers 1 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 9
Squamish 1 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 15
Terrace 1 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 16
Vancouver 13 545 7 291 7 200 7 90 2 30 36 1,156
Vernon 1 25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 25
Victoria 1 84 1 21 1 25 1 10 1 5 5 145
Williams Lake 1 30 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 30
TOTAL 36 1,043 10 356 11 285 12 140 3 35 72 1,859

Yukon

General Men’s Women’s Youth Family Total
Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds
Dawson City 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 1 2
Whitehorse 1 14 0 0 0 0 1 4 0 0 2 18
TOTAL 1 14 0 0 1 2 1 4 0 0 3 20

Northwest Territories

General Men’s Women’s Youth Family Total
Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds
Yellowknife 0 0 1 35 1 23 1 10 1 32 4 100
TOTAL 0 0 1 35 1 23 1 10 1 32 4 100

Nunavut

General Men’s Women’s Youth Family Total
Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds
Iqaluit 0 0 1 22 1 12 0 0 0 0 2 34
TOTAL 0 0 1 22 1 12 0 0 0 0 2 34

Appendix A: Transitional Housing by Clientele Served (2015)

Province/Territory General Men’s Women’s Youth Family Total
Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds Shelters Beds
Newfoundland and Labrador 2 74 1 2 2 12 2 25 0 0 7 113
Nova Scotia 0 0 1 19 3 42 2 15 0 0 6 76
New Brunswick 0 0 0 0 1 12 1 8 0 0 2 20
Prince Edward Island 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Quebec 26 598 19 457 12 188 31 367 5 79 93 1,689
Ontario 18 742 17 506 5 125 21 292 4 446 65 2,111
Manitoba 7 159 3 75 0 0 2 10 2 42 14 286
Saskatchewan 3 71 6 103 3 36 13 170 1 16 26 396
Alberta 12 525 3 315 6 182 8 80 2 101 31 1,203
British Columbia 18 586 4 70 3 34 3 57 0 0 28 747
Yukon 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Northwest Territories 0 0 1 32 0 0 0 0 1 5 2 37
Nunavut 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
CANADA 86 2,755 55 1,579 35 631 83 1,024 15 689 274 6,678

Appendix B: Violence Against Women Shelters (2015)

Province/Territory Shelters Beds
Newfoundland and Labrador 14 136
Nova Scotia 17 244
New Brunswick 15 215
Prince Edward Island 3 45
Quebec 95 1,130
Ontario 118 2,291
Manitoba 20 387
Saskatchewan 18 301
Alberta 45 934
British Columbia 94 994
Yukon 5 37
Northwest Territories 5 44
Nunavut 5 34
CANADA 454 6,792
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