Canada faces a problem that is increasingly getting more and more drastic: homelessness

Canada is grappling with an escalating homelessness crisis, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) predicts a nearly threefold increase in numbers by the end of the decade.

Presently, estimates by the Homeless Hub, a research organization affiliated with York University, suggest that between 150,000 to 300,000 people in Canada are experiencing homelessness.

An AI prediction by Calgary-based technology company HelpSeeker indicates that by 2030, the homeless population in Canada may surge to approximately 550,000 to 570,000.

During a press conference on December 4th, Alina Turner, CEO of HelpSeeker, clarified that the prediction does not solely refer to visible homelessness, encompassing various levels such as rough sleeping, encampments, unsafe situations, and individuals couch-surfing.

HelpSeeker’s AI utilized diverse data from Canadian municipalities, incorporating shelter usage, hidden homelessness estimates, inflation trends, unemployment figures, housing and rental stock, and anticipated population growth, potentially reaching 42.9 million to 52.5 million by 2043, according to Statistics Canada.

Considering these factors, the AI projected an 83 percent increase in homelessness by the end of the decade. Overall, almost a million Canadians face the risk of homelessness, including hidden homelessness, which could reach around 300,000 people by 2030. The prediction also indicated that those experiencing absolute homelessness, without a physical home and relying on emergency shelters, could number around 200,000 by 2030.

Addressing this challenge, researchers proposed increasing beds with medical care by 103,000, adding 50,000 recovery and transitional care beds, 30,000 emergency shelter beds, and constructing 1.3 million non-market housing units. HelpSeeker estimates the cost for this comprehensive approach at over $169 billion for construction, requiring an additional $16 billion annually for maintenance.

Despite the substantial investment, Turner emphasizes the urgency of building these systems promptly, warning that without action, these trajectories will remain unchanged.