Home / Health / Vancouver Homelessness Surges: Women, Indigenous Face Crisis
Vancouver Homelessness Surges: Women, Indigenous Face Crisis
14 Apr
Summary
- Vancouver's homeless population reached a record high of 2,715 in 2025.
- Women now comprise 28% of the homeless, up from 23% in 2023.
- Indigenous and Black individuals represent disproportionately large and growing segments.
Vancouver has recorded its highest ever homeless population, with 2,715 individuals counted in 2025. This figure represents a 12 percent increase from 2023 and accounts for over half of the regional homeless count, despite Vancouver housing only a quarter of the region's population.
The demographic makeup of those experiencing homelessness is shifting. Women now constitute 28 percent of the homeless population, up from 23 percent in 2023, though this number may be an underestimate due to women being less likely to be counted. Indigenous people comprise 42 percent of the homeless count, an increase from 39 percent in 2023, and nine percent identify as Black or of African diaspora, up from seven percent.
The report highlights complex factors contributing to homelessness, including evictions, low incomes, substance use, and fleeing conflict or abuse. While the city has implemented various initiatives like providing sites for social housing and expanding mental health programs, primary responsibility for addressing the crisis is pinned on provincial and federal governments.
