Latest B.C. homeless count shows downward trend

New data released by the province Thursday suggests the number of British Columbians experiencing homelessness declined by 200 in the same year the pandemic began.

The 2020 Homeless Cohort report found 23,400 people experienced homelessness that year, compared to 23,600 in 2019.

In a statement announcing the findings Thursday, the province said the updated count is part of its Preventing and Reducing Homelessness Integrated Data project and offers “the ability to monitor the direction, causes and demographics of individuals in B.C. that experience homelessness.”

The project is a collaboration between the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, the Municipal Affairs Ministry and BC Housing, which helps the province break down where people are experiencing homelessness and for how long. It also captures who finds housing, accesses income assistance or uses a shelter each year.

The data shows 10,600 people who experienced homelessness in B.C. in 2019 did not have the same experience the following year. In 2020, there were 10,400 people who were newly identified as unhoused that hadn’t been the previous year.

Metro Vancouver represented more than 15 per cent of B.C.’s homeless population in 2020, according to the region’s most recent count, which recorded a total of 3,634 people experiencing homelessness.

A breakdown of the 2020 Homeless Cohort report shows 18 per cent of B.C.’s homeless population were aged 24 or younger, while 70 per cent fell between 25-54 and 12 per cent were 55+. Sixty-nine per cent of the cohort were reported male, and 31 per cent female.

The province plans to use this data to assist with government-funded programs including social services and housing.

The cohort, however, is limited to only those who used a shelter and/or other social services including income assistance. It’s unclear how many homeless people were unaccounted for during this report.

The province plans to release the 2021 data in the coming months, B.C.’s Ministry of Attorney General and Responsible for Housing said in an email to CTV News.