Shelters Adjusting as More Older Canadians Becoming Homeless, Non-Profits Say

A homeless camp on Port of Vancouver property adjacent to Crab Park, in Vancouver on June 10, 2020. Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press

Canadian non-profit groups are seeing an increase in the number of older individuals seeking assistance at shelters, and they say it’s changing the way their organizations respond to the rising homeless population.

The Mustard Seed senior director of shelter operations Samantha Lowe says her organization experienced a “consistent” rise in the number of individuals aged 55 and older seeking shelter between 2023 and 2024.

The Christian non-profit organization, which operates shelters in seven cities across Alberta and Saskatchewan, has seen a 2 percent increase in the number of older individuals using shelters over the last two years, and it’s impacted the way the organization operates, Lowe told The Epoch Times in an interview.

”We’re seeing a lot more need for knowledge within our staff of how to navigate those older adult services; whether that’s income, whether that’s finding long-term care supports in tandem with health, whether that is dealing with cognitive concerns,” Lowe said.

The Salvation Army’s Islington Seniors’ Shelter in Toronto has also witnessed an uptick in seniors seeking support, according to spokesperson Glenn van Gulik. The Salvation Army has been operating the shelter for the past eight years.

“Individuals are walking through our doors at the Islington Seniors’ Shelter expressing that they’ve just got nowhere else to turn,” he said in an interview with The Epoch Times.

The shelter has been working with the City of Toronto to tackle the increasing number of individuals aged 55 and older who are either experiencing homelessness or are at risk of it, van Gulik said, noting that many of the older adults they see have needs specific to their age.

“There are a variety of medical conditions, whether it’s physical health, mental health, spiritual health—those are all things that evolve over time, just like they evolve with any of us over time,“ van Gulik said. ”Maybe it’s dental, maybe it’s mobility challenges, maybe it’s dietary needs, high blood pressure or diabetes—those kinds of things that are being presented by seniors in a way that needs additional or specific supports.”

Various Causes

Lowe said a number of factors can contribute to older adults experiencing homelessness, especially if they have lived in poverty throughout their lives.

She said a major life event, such as the death of a spouse or a health crisis, can “push” an older individual into homelessness.

“If somebody, say, has dementia, if they don’t have enough support to mitigate a lot of those cognitive concerns, then they can fall behind on their bills, and then, unfortunately, would be turned out of their housing.”

Relationship breakdowns and loss of social networks, as well as a shortage of affordable housing can compound the issue, Lowe said.

It’s something the Salvation Army shelters are also seeing, van Galik said.

“There’s loneliness with so many individuals that are coming to us,“ he said. ”That poverty of community. Needing to connect with other individuals who have similar interests or share some of the same challenges.”

Canada has also been experiencing declining economic indicators in recent years, including lowering per-capita GDP and labour productivity.

The country also experienced high inflation rates after the pandemic, though the rates have recently declined compared to the initial jump. Surveys have shown that cost-of-living issues continue to be a top concern for Canadians.

Food Bank Needs

The Canadian Food Bank has also seen an increase in older users accessing its services.

A total of 6.8 percent of individuals using its services in 2019 were 65 years old or older, its most recent Hunger Count report notes. That number increased to 8 percent in 2023, dropping slightly to 7.7 percent in 2024.

Regionally, British Columbia saw the highest number of those 65 or older using the food bank in 2024, at 11 percent. Ontario had the second highest number at 8.3 percent. In Quebec, 7.5 percent of those using the food bank were over the age of 65.

Other provinces that have rates of more than 5 percent include Newfoundland and Labrador at 6.9 percent, Nova Scotia at 6.4 percent, New Brunswick at 5.6 percent, Manitoba at 5.4 percent, and Prince Edward Island at roughly 5 percent.

Alberta and Saskatchewan each reported 4.7 percent of food bank clients were 65 and older. The Territories recorded 3.9 percent of its food bank users in the same age group.