Count captures snapshot of local homelessness – TBNewswatch.com

2021 point-in-time homeless count indicates majority of those experiencing homelessness are Indigenous, nearly half spent time in foster care.

THUNDER BAY – A point-in-time count of those experiencing homelessness in Thunder Bay offers valuable insight, despite lower-than-usual participation, organizers say.

The results of the 2021 count, led by the Thunder Bay District Social Services Administration Board (TBDSSAB) and Lakehead Social Planning Council (LSPC), were officially released this week.

The count returned 221 valid surveys across the Thunder Bay District, compared to 474 in 2018, and 289 in 2016.

That doesn’t reflect a drop in the local homeless population, the DSSAB emphasized, saying the lower number was partly influenced by the pandemic. CAO Bill Bradica said the survey also came at a moment of increased stigma against the homeless in Thunder Bay.

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