Senior homelessness is rising in Canada as housing and food costs outpace fixed incomes, according to federal data showing a growing share of older adults turning to emergency shelters.
The National Shelter Study 2024 Update from Infrastructure Canada reports that adults aged 50 and older represented 23.5 per cent of shelter users in 2021, up from approximately 14 per cent in 2005 — a shift the government attributes to both population aging and increased financial vulnerability among seniors. While those 65 and older remain a minority of shelter users, researchers say the trend is accelerating as rents climb and affordable units disappear.
Health experts warn older homeless adults face rapid health decline. A CMAJ review notes that people experiencing homelessness age faster and face higher rates of chronic disease, cognitive impairment and mobility challenges. A 2024 CBC report highlighted geriatric specialists in Toronto raising alarms over seniors pushed from long-term housing due to rising rents and “renovictions.”
“Older adults who experience homelessness often have the health profile of someone ten to twenty years older,” said Toronto geriatrician Dr. Samir Sinha, quoted by CBC.
In recent years, Canada has faced sharp escalations in both rent and food prices, exacerbating affordability challenges amid post-pandemic recovery, immigration-driven demand, and global supply disruptions.
Rents surged dramatically from 2021 to 2024, with annual increases of 8-12% nationally and over 24% in high-demand cities like Toronto and Vancouver, pushing average two-bedroom asking rents from around $2,560 in early 2019 to peaks near $2,920 by late 2023; by mid-2025, however, they began cooling with a 3.2% year-over-year decline to $2,123 amid rising supply and softening interest rates.
Food prices rose even more acutely, climbing over 27% cumulatively since 2020 and peaking at 10.4% inflation in early 2023; while easing to align with general inflation, projections for 2025 forecast 3-5% hikes, adding up to $801 annually to a family of four's grocery bill, with meats expected to jump 4-6%.
Advocates say targeted housing supports, income assistance and medical outreach are needed as Canada’s senior population expands.
Statistics Canada projects that more than one in four Canadians will be 65 or older by 2050, raising concerns that without policy action, senior homelessness could continue to grow.