Homeless population in Prince Albert nearly doubled since 2022

(Jasmine Pelletier/CTV News)

Prince Albert saw a sharp increase in its homeless population from 2022 to late 2024, according to a recent count. Local service organizations have taken notice.

“Our wait list is longer to get into our Homeward Bound program,” said YWCA Prince Albert CEO Donna Brooks. “Our turn aways are higher at our shelters. You can see it on the street.”

The 2024 Point-In-Time (PIT) count, conducted by the River Bank Development Corp. (RBDC) at the end of October, found 230 individuals are experiencing homelessness. Of these, 106 were identified as unsheltered, meaning they were not couch-surfing, using a shelter, or staying in transitional housing.

This is nearly double the number recorded in 2022, when the PIT count identified a total of 120 individuals.

Organizer Diana Rodas, who works as a project officer for the RBDC, says it’s part of a larger trend.

“We’re seeing this all over Canada. There’s been a double, for amounts of people being counted all over the country.”

She says the data doesn’t paint a complete picture of homelessness in a community.

“It’s really just a snapshot for that night,” explained Rodas. “The reason why PIT counts are completed is because people experiencing homelessness don’t have an address, so they’re not included in censuses.”

The municipality is working with local service groups to find solutions, which include finding a permanent emergency shelter location.

“It looks like trying to understand the whole housing continuum,” said city community safety and well-being manager Anna Dinsdale. “How much transitional housing do we have available? How much supported housing do we have available right now? How many affordable houses do we have available?”

There will be a community meeting to discuss the results on March 14 at the Friendship Centre.