Everyone Counts. 2021 Point in Time Connection underway

HAMILTON, ON – Hamilton will complete it’s third Point-in-Time Count of homelessness this week, November 15 to 19, 2021.

The initiative, referred to locally as the Point in Time Connection, is jointly planned by the City of Hamilton’s Housing Services Division and the local Urban Indigenous community through the Coalition of Hamilton Indigenous Leadership (CHIL).

Information gathered from the Point in Time Connection will highlight housing, health and social needs to work toward connecting participants to the right types and levels of supports within the community. This initiative helps us to better understand the nature and extent of homelessness in our community and the circumstances of the people experiencing homelessness, while providing information to help shape Hamilton’s homelessness system services and responses. 

The voluntary survey will be conducted by agency staff at all emergency shelters, violence against women shelters, transitional housing and drop in locations, and by outreach staff amongst those sleeping rough and in encampments. There will be an Indigenous led magnet event to provide an opportunity for Indigenous community members to be surveyed by Indigenous surveyors.

We are committed to sharing back Hamilton’s Point in Time Connection results with the community. The goal of Housing Services and the Coalition of Hamilton Indigenous Leadership is to share key preliminary findings in early December, and, at a later date, report a comprehensive update on the influences and experiences of homelessness in our community. In keeping with the principles of Indigenous data sovereignty, such as Ownership, Control, Access and Possession®, CHIL will lead the analysis of Indigenous respondent data and the City of Hamilton will not use this data without the approval of CHIL.

Survey results from Hamilton’s 2016 and 2018 Point-in-Time initiatives are available at www.hamilton.ca/pointintime

“Ending homelessness is a key priority and tackling the problem requires better understanding of the current health, social and housing needs of people experiencing homelessness in our community. The Point-in-Time Count is a key tool which ensures we account for everyone while gathering accurate information essential to moving the dial toward ending homelessness.” - Mayor Fred Eisenberger

Quick facts

• Point-in-Time Count is intended to identify how many people in a community experience homelessness at any given time – it is not an exhaustive count.
• The 2021 Point-in-Time Count is directed by the Federal Government through Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy, in addition to a requirement of the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
• Hamilton was the second community in Ontario to undertake homelessness enumeration in 2016 and one of the first to put in place a Coordinated Access system underpinned by a By-Name Priority List.
• Hamilton’s PiTC was initially planned for April 2020, however was postponed by the City of Hamilton and CHIL due to COVID-19 response and impacts.