The Shelter Capacity Report is a descriptive account of capacity statistics for emergency homeless shelters in Canada. The number of emergency 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.
This report is provided annually by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), Homelessness Partnering Strategy (HPS). The information in this report was obtained from the National Service Provider List (NSPL), a comprehensive listing of homeless shelters in Canada. This list is maintained by ESDC 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.
2018 Update
ESDC conducted a comprehensive update of the NSPL in 2018. Between August and December 2018, community entities (CE) were given the opportunity to update and validate information on services in their community. There was an 85% response rate from designated communities. Services in the remaining 15%, as well as non-designated communities with no CE were contacted directly to update their information. This approach sets a new baseline for the NSPL and ensures higher accuracy of findings. As a result, changes in the reported number of shelters and beds between 2017 and 2018 primarily reflect updated information rather than actual changes in national shelter capacity.
Types of shelters
Emergency shelters
Facilities that provide 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
Facilities that provide 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
Facilities that provide 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, often ranging from 12 to 29 years of age.
Family shelters provide services to families and adults with dependents. Some also accept single adult women without dependents.
National shelter capacity
Figure 1: Total number of emergency shelters and permanent shelter beds in Canada.Figure 1 - Text version
There are 392 emergency shelters and 15,859 permanent shelter beds in Canada.
Emergency shelter beds by clientele served
Figure 2: Emergency shelter beds in Canada by clientele servedFigure 2 - Text version
General 38%
Men’s 30%
Women’s 13%
Youth 9%
Family 10%
38% of shelter beds are in general shelters that serve both men and women.
Men’s shelters account for a greater percentage of all shelter beds (30%) compared to women’s shelters (13%).
Family shelters account for 10% of all shelter beds.
Shelters that exclusively serve youth tend to be smaller in size. Although they make up almost a quarter of all shelters, they account only for 9% of all emergency shelter beds.
Community
The majority of emergency 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 per shelter is 18 in small communities versus 55 in large communities.
Figure 3: Emergency shelters and permanent shelter beds between large and small communities in CanadaFigure 3 - Text version
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 (2018)*
Emergency shelters and shelter beds by year
Province/Territory
2018
2017
2016
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Newfoundland and Labrador
7
67
6
61
5
53
Nova Scotia
9
220
9
217
8
208
New Brunswick
9
157
9
148
9
150
Prince Edward Island
1
7
1
7
1
7
Québec
65
1,757
75
1,934
74
1,948
Ontario
149
6,898
149
6,764
147
6,622
Manitoba
13
650
15
661
15
661
Saskatchewan
18
476
21
443
21
439
Alberta
35
3,304
36
3,182
36
3,182
British Columbia
78
2,170
77
2,069
76
2,019
Yukon
3
27
3
27
3
27
Northwest Territories
3
82
3
76
4
100
Nunavut
2
44
2
34
2
34
Canada
392
15,859
407
15,623
401
15,450
*Changes in the reported number of shelters and beds during the years 2016 to 2018 may reflect updated information rather than actual changes in capacity.
Emergency shelters by clientele served (2018)
Emergency shelters and shelter beds by clientele
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
3
32
0
0
0
0
3
20
1
15
7
67
Nova Scotia
1
16
3
138
3
42
2
24
0
0
9
220
New Brunswick
4
82
2
45
2
20
1
10
0
0
9
157
Prince Edward Island
0
0
1
7
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
7
Québec
20
363
7
887
12
220
25
274
1
13
65
1,757
Ontario
27
1,053
39
2,701
27
1,067
32
774
24
1,303
149
6,898
Manitoba
8
520
0
0
0
0
2
24
3
106
13
650
Saskatchewan
2
56
6
156
7
225
3
39
0
0
18
476
Alberta
17
2,485
4
320
4
197
8
132
2
170
35
3,304
British Columbia
43
1,338
14
483
10
221
10
126
1
2
78
2,170
Yukon
1
14
1
2
0
0
1
11
0
0
3
27
Northwest Territories
0
0
1
49
1
25
1
8
0
0
3
82
Nunavut
0
0
1
32
1
12
0
0
0
0
2
44
Canada
126
5,959
79
4,820
67
2,029
88
1,442
32
1,609
392
15,859
Emergency shelters and shelter beds by community (2018)
Newfoundland and Labrador
Community
General
Men’s
Women’s
Youth
Family
Total
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Happy Valley – Goose Bay
1
8
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
8
Natuashish
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
3
0
0
1
3
St. John’s
2
24
0
0
0
0
2
17
1
15
5
56
Total
3
32
0
0
0
0
3
20
1
15
7
67
Nova Scotia
Community
General
Men’s
Women’s
Youth
Family
Total
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Halifax
0
0
2
126
2
36
1
20
0
0
5
182
New Glasgow
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
4
0
0
1
4
Sydney
0
0
1
12
1
6
0
0
0
0
2
18
Truro
1
16
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
16
Total
1
16
3
138
3
42
2
24
0
0
9
220
New Brunswick
Community
General
Men’s
Women’s
Youth
Family
Total
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Bathurst
1
12
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
12
Fredericton
1
10
1
25
1
10
0
0
0
0
3
45
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
4
82
2
45
2
20
1
10
0
0
9
157
Prince Edward Island
Community
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
Community
General
Men’s
Women’s
Youth
Family
Total
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Alma
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
Drummondville
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
18
0
0
2
18
Fermont
1
6
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
6
Gatineau
1
55
0
0
0
0
2
16
0
0
3
71
Joliette
1
6
0
0
0
0
2
21
0
0
3
27
La Pocatière
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
9
0
0
1
9
Mont-Laurier
1
9
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
9
Montreal
7
132
4
811
9
185
9
125
1
13
30
1,266
Quebec City
2
52
1
39
3
35
4
37
0
0
10
163
Rimouski
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
10
0
0
1
10
Rouyn-Noranda
1
15
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
15
Saguenay
0
0
1
29
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
29
Saint-Georges
1
23
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
23
Saint-Hyacinthe
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
9
0
0
1
9
Salaberry-de-Valleyfield
1
20
0
0
0
0
1
9
0
0
2
29
Sherbrooke
1
18
1
8
0
0
1
9
0
0
3
35
Trois-Rivières
2
26
0
0
0
0
1
11
0
0
3
37
Total
20
363
7
722
12
220
25
274
1
13
65
1,757
Ontario
Community
General
Men’s
Women’s
Youth
Family
Total
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Barrie-Simcoe
2
38
2
34
0
0
1
15
0
0
5
87
Brantford
1
36
1
28
0
0
1
20
0
0
3
84
Cobourg
1
20
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
20
Cochrane
0
0
1
6
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
6
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
22
1
16
1
16
1
0
4
54
Halton Region
1
32
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0*
2
32
Hamilton
0
0
3
215
3
51
1
20
1
103
8
389
Kenora
1
20
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
20
Kingston
1
29
0
0
0
0
1
15
1
19
3
63
Lindsay
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
19
1
19
London
2
58
2
198
1
10
1
36
1
41
7
343
Niagara Region
2
55
2
32
2
40
2
20
1
18
9
165
Nipissing/North Bay
1
19
0
0
1
10
0
0
0
0
2
29
Ottawa
1
76
3
459
2
125
1
28
3
277
10
965
Owen Sound
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0*
1
0
Peel Region
1
119
1
86
0
0
2
54
1
225
5
484
Peterborough
0
0
1
40
1
10
0
0
1
30
3
80
Red Lake
1
16
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
16
Sarnia
1
25
1
20
0
0
1
9
1
3
4
57
Sault Ste. Marie
0
0
1
23
1
7
1
12
1
4
4
46
Sioux Lookout
1
20
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
20
Sudbury
0
0
1
22
0
0
1
16
1
26
3
64
Thunder Bay
1
42
1
17
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
59
Toronto
5
244
14
1,347
12
715
9
391
4
382
44
3,079
Waterloo Region
1
78
1
51
0
0
4
47
1
66
7
242
Windsor
2
108
1
31
1
11
0
0
0
0
4
150
Woodstock
1
18
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
10
2
28
York Region
0
0
1
30
1
27
3
42
1
60
6
159
Total
27
1,053
39
2,701
27
1,067
32
774
24
1,303
149
6,898
* This is an emergency motel program with no fixed capacity. They only provide a bed in a motel when it is needed.
Manitoba
Community
General
Men’s
Women’s
Youth
Family
Total
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Brandon
1
25
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
12
2
37
Dauphin
1
17
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
17
Flin Flon
1
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
10
Swan River
1
9
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
9
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
3
435
0
0
0
0
2
24
1
60
6
519
Total
8
520
0
0
0
0
2
24
3
106
13
650
Saskatchewan
Community
General
Men’s
Women’s
Youth
Family
Total
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Moose Jaw
0
0
1
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
10
North Battleford
1
34
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
34
Prince Albert
1
22
0
0
1
50
0
0
0
0
2
72
Regina
0
0
2
64
2
76
1
15
0
0
5
155
Saskatoon
0
0
3
82
4
99
2
24
0
0
9
205
Total
2
56
6
156
7
225
3
39
0
0
18
476
Alberta
Community
General
Men’s
Women’s
Youth
Family
Total
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Brocket
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
Calgary
3
1,723
1
80
2
61
1
18
2
170
9
2,052
Edmonton
2
330
1
180
2
136
3
81
0
0
8
727
Grande Prairie
1
92
0
0
0
0
1
12
0
0
2
104
High Level
1
20
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
20
Lac La Biche
1
9
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
9
Lethbridge
1
80
0
0
0
0
1
8
0
0
2
88
Lloydminster
0
0
1
28
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
28
Medicine Hat
1
30
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
2
31
Red Deer
2
72
0
0
0
0
1
12
0
0
3
84
Standoff
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
Strathmore
1
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
10
Wood Buffalo
2
119
1
32
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
151
Total
17
2,485
4
320
4
197
8
132
2
170
35
3,304
British Columbia
Community
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
6
0
0
2
26
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
2
57
0
0
0
0
1
7
0
0
3
64
Courtenay
1
14
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
14
Dawson Creek
1
8
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
8
Duncan
1
15
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
15
Fort Nelson
0
0
1
6
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
6
Fort St. John
1
24
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
24
Hope
1
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
4
Kamloops
1
42
0
0
0
0
1
4
0
0
2
46
Kelowna
0
0
1
60
1
20
1
10
0
0
3
90
Mission
1
20
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
20
Nanaimo
0
0
1
23
1
14
0
0
0
0
2
37
Nelson
1
17
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
17
Penticton
1
16
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
16
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
8
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
8
Quesnel
1
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
10
Sechelt
1
19
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
19
Smithers
1
9
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
9
Squamish
1
12
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
12
Terrace
1
16
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
16
Vancouver
18
821
8
328
6
132
4
79
0
0
36
1,360
Vernon
1
25
1
24
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
49
Victoria
1
84
1
21
1
25
1
10
1
2
5
142
Williams Lake
1
30
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
30
Total
43
1,338
14
483
10
221
10
126
1
2
78
2,170
Yukon
Community
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
11
0
0
2
25
Total
1
14
0
0
1
2
1
11
0
0
3
27
Northwest Territories
Community
General
Men’s
Women’s
Youth
Family
Total
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Yellowknife
0
0
1
49
1
25
1
8
0
0
3
82
Total
0
0
1
49
1
25
1
8
0
0
3
82
Nunavut
Community
General
Men’s
Women’s
Youth
Family
Total
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Shelters
Beds
Iqaluit
0
0
1
32
1
12
0
0
0
0
2
44
Total
0
0
1
32
1
12
0
0
0
0
2
44
Appendix A: Transitional housing by clientele served (2018)
Transitional housing in Canada by clientele served
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
1
74
0
0
1
3
2
25
0
0
4
102
Nova Scotia
0
0
1
19
4
55
3
45
0
0
8
119
New Brunswick
1
4
0
0
0
0
1
10
0
0
2
14
Prince Edward Island
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Québec
26
447
14
668
26
745
42
566
6
96
114
2,522
Ontario
23
519
18
646
24
398
34
442
5
183
104
2,188
Manitoba
6
144
2
58
0
0
2
27
0
0
10
229
Saskatchewan
5
106
5
88
5
65
6
62
1
7
22
328
Alberta
10
296
7
575
6
151
13
152
1
3
37
1,177
British Columbia
20
667
4
109
4
57
5
68
0
0
33
901
Yukon
0
0
1
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
2
Northwest Territories
0
0
1
32
1
18
1
13
0
0
3
63
Nunavut
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Canada
92
2,257
53
2,197
71
1,492
109
1,410
13
289
338
7,645
Figure 4: Transitional Housing by Clientele ServedFigure 4 - Text version
General 30%
Men’s 29%
Women’s 19%
Youth 18%
Family 4%
Appendix B: Violence against women shelters (2018)
Violence against women shelters in Canada
Province/Territory
Shelters
Beds
Newfoundland and Labrador
15
176
Nova Scotia
15
192
New Brunswick
18
298
Prince Edward Island
3
45
Québec
95
1,360
Ontario
119
2,466
Manitoba
17
364
Saskatchewan
14
283
Alberta
46
1,223
British Columbia
93
953
Yukon
5
49
Northwest Territories
6
44
Nunavut
5
41
Canada
451
7,494
Report a problem or mistake on this page
Thank you for your help!
You will not receive a reply. For enquiries, contact us.