A Bruce County homelessness enumeration found 77 residents were experiencing homelessness.
The snapshot review done October 18, 2021, discovered 52 percent of respondents are chronically homeless, which means they have no home for 180 cumulative nights in a year.
The survey also found 33 percent of respondents were staying in a municipally funded motel the night of the count, while 34 percent of respondents reported staying with friends and family or a self-funded motel.
Bruce County's Human Services Committee received the Homelessness Enumeration Report and approved a local rule for housing priority to offer one in every ten units to individuals or families from the Bruce County ‘By-Name List’.
Other findings included: •47% of respondents were under the age of 35. 49% of respondents identified as having a Medical Illness or Condition • 38% of respondents identified as having a Physical Limitation • 38% of respondents identified as having a Learning or Cognitive Limitation • 67% of respondents identified as having a Mental Health Concern • 21% of respondents identified as having a Substance Misuse/Use concern • 20% of respondents identified as Indigenous.
“The homelessness enumeration is a means to garner information about the number of people who are homeless, the services they currently use, and potential gaps in services,” said Christine MacDonald, Interim CAO and Director of Human Services, “This information will help Bruce County build a strong housing response system for vulnerable residents. Thank you to volunteers and community organizations that assisted in the enumeration.”