New Data From Fred Victor Finds Half of Canadians Have Normalized Homelessness

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--New data from Fred Victor, a registered charity and leader in ending homelessness in Toronto, found that half of Canadians (49%) agree that homelessness has become so common in their community it’s now seen as a normal part of life, rather than an urgent issue requiring action. The number of Torontonians that have normalized homelessness is even higher (54%).

Avoidance also remains the most common response to people experiencing homelessness (35%, compared to 38% in 2024) and less than one-in-five Canadians (17%) say they view people experiencing homelessness as part of their community.

“We’ve grown used to something we should never accept. Worse yet, we've grown apart,” said Keith Hambly, CEO of Fred Victor. “In Toronto, homelessness has risen by 25 per cent in just one year. A symptom of that is a growing social divide. We have to start seeing the person, not the problem, if we want any chance at real progress.”

Despite the increased visibility of homelessness, the survey found that stereotypes are preventing Canadians from seeing the reality of the crisis: When encountering a person who appears to be experiencing homelessness, one-third (32%) of Canadians assume the person is dangerous, has made bad choices, or is responsible for their situation.

Being seen is the first step

These findings inspired Standing Together, a public installation and campaign launching ahead of National Housing Day (Saturday, November 22) – a day dedicated to recognizing the importance of safe, stable and affordable housing for all. The installation features 15 figures standing for the 15,000 Torontonians who will be homeless for the holidays.

“The first step to solving homelessness is seeing it,” said Hambly. “Through this campaign, we want Torontonians not just to look but to truly see homelessness, and to stand together as a community to help us solve it.”

Check out the installation at Sankofa Square, 1 Dundas Street East, Toronto:

• Friday, November 21, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
• Saturday, November 22, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

There’s a will and there’s a way

The data shows that while Canadians want to help people experiencing homelessness, support often stops short: Less than one-quarter of Canadians (23%) report offering money, food, clothing, or resources when they encounter a person that appears to be experiencing homelessness – down from 28 per cent in 2024.

Even simple acts of support remain unchanged: Just 15 per cent of Canadians report acknowledging a person that appears to be experiencing homelessness with a smile (16% in 2024) and only 4 per cent had a friendly conversation or interaction (6% in 2024).

Uncertainty is a major barrier: Half of Canadians (52%) want to help, however, among this group, three-quarters (76%) say that they don’t know how. Among all respondents, uncertainty about what helps (35%), not knowing what their money will be used for (30%), and feeling overwhelmed and unsure of where to start (29%) are among the top cited barriers to providing support.

“This isn’t a crisis of compassion. Canadians have the heart – but recognize that they don’t have the how,” said Hambly. “At Fred Victor, we bring over 130 years of experience providing services that help Torontonians get back on their feet.”

The campaign aims to raise $500,000 to continue providing over 3,000 people a day with stable shelter, food and other services. Make a contribution online at fredvictor.org.

About Fred Victor

Established in 1894, Fred Victor is a leader in ending homelessness in Toronto, providing essential services that help people rebuild their lives and regain stability. Rooted in a “housing-first” approach, Fred Victor prioritizes permanent housing as a foundational step, recognizing that housing security is critical to improving health outcomes and achieving financial independence. With over 25 sites across Toronto, Fred Victor serves over 3,000 people daily, providing affordable and transitional housing, shelters, food, health support and pathways to employment. Learn more at www.fredvictor.org.

About the Survey

The survey, conducted by Earnscliffe Strategies’ opinion research team, was in field from November 11 to 13, and engaged a representative stratified sample of 1,650 respondents living in Canada who are members of Leger’s LEO panel. For comparison purposes only, a survey of this size would have a margin of error of +/- 2.4 percentage points at a confidence level of 95 per cent.