More than 1,200 volunteers spent last night fanned out across Metro Vancouver, conducting the region's 2017 homeless count.

Volunteers are still at it today and, for the first time, this year's count includes rural areas and waterways.

The last homeless tally in 2014 found just under 2,800 people did not have a home in Metro Vancouver, but experts expect that number could reach 4,000 this year.

Preliminary results from the 2017 count are expected in April.