November 22 is National Housing Day, an important reminder that everyone has the right to safe and affordable housing. Yet, thousands of Ontarians are still without a place to call home. According to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), more than 80,000 Ontarians experienced homelessness in 2024—a 22% increase since 2022. More than half face prolonged or repeated episodes. Without urgent action, the number of people experiencing homelessness could more than triple by 2035.
Homelessness among people relying on Ontario’s social assistance programs—Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) and Ontario Works (OW)—has doubled since 2022, with 25,387 recipients experiencing homelessness as of July 2025. More and more people on income supports are ending up on the streets or in shelters that are already at capacity.
Both ODSP and OW include a basic needs amount and a shelter allowance. But the shelter allowance—$390 per month for OW and $599 per month for ODSP for a single adult—is withdrawn if someone doesn’t have a fixed address. This reduces OW to just $343 per month and ODSP to $809, making it nearly impossible to secure housing and perpetuating the cycle of homelessness. This is particularly challenging when the median monthly rent for a bachelor apartment in Toronto is $1,456, the waitlist for social housing is 8 to 15 years, and the cost of living continues to rise. People experiencing homelessness feel the impact of this policy firsthand.
Marc has been homeless for over a year. Living with a disability, he was only recently approved for ODSP. “Until June 2024, I was living with my brother. I was on OW at the time, but they took it away because I didn’t have a fixed address. I stayed in parks, survived on my credit card for a few months. I was sleeping at the Kennedy subway station when a street outreach worker asked if I need help.”
Marc is hopeful—he received $500 in training support and expects to start a full-time job soon. But securing stable housing remains a challenge. “The biggest issue I see right now is to save for the first and last months’ rent. That itself is $3,000-4,000. Personally, I know four people who have the same issue… I am virtually on every housing waitlist” he says.
A simple fix: Combine the basic needs and housing benefits
There is a solution that could help thousands of people living in parks and on the streets today. Anti-poverty and disability advocates, including the Commission for the Review of Social Assistance in Ontario, have long recommended simplifying the social assistance rate structure. This could be achieved by merging the basic needs and shelter components into a single, consistent benefit, regardless of someone’s housing status.
Merging the two benefits would simplify the system and strengthen Ontario’s response to homelessness and the growing encampment crisis. It would give people the financial stability they need to move from shelters into housing more quickly, reducing the cycle of homelessness and supporting greater dignity and choice for those who are struggling.
Alternatively, when a recipient becomes unhoused, their shelter benefit could be placed in a reserve fund and held in escrow until they secure housing. These savings—capped at six months of shelter benefits—would give individuals the resources for first and last month’s rent while providing transparency that the funds are used for permanent housing.
This is a targeted policy change with the power to transform lives—and reduce homelessness across Ontario.
Housing for everyone
This National Housing Day, let’s demand a system that offers dignity, stability, and real choices to people seeking a home—one that truly supports people on their path to safety and security.
Contact your elected officials and help build a future where everyone has a place to call home.
