St. Thomas-Elgin is bucking a national trend, with more people moving into housing than falling into homelessness during the first half of 2026.
According to St. Thomas-Elgin Social Services, 79 people moved from homelessness into housing between January 1 and June 30, while 69 people became homeless during the same period.
Officials say the trend is uncommon, as many communities across Canada continue to see more people entering homelessness than exiting it.
The community’s By-Name List, which tracks people experiencing homelessness locally, has also dropped to 86 individuals, marking a 34 per cent decrease compared to the same time last year.
“This is proof that when a community comes together with a shared plan and shared compassion, we can change the course of something as difficult as homelessness,” said St. Thomas Mayor Joe Preston. “We still have work ahead of us, but this shows we are on the right track, and a functional end to homelessness in our community is within reach.”
The community continues to expand supportive and affordable housing initiatives as it works toward its goal of achieving a functional end to homelessness by 2027.
Written by: Kennedy Freeman
