End Homelessness Winnipeg Begins Preparation for November 2026

October 13, 2026

End Homelessness Winnipeg is preparing for Winnipeg's November 2026 Point-in-Time (PiT) Count, also known as the Street Census. This important community-wide initiative helps us better understand the experiences of people experiencing homelessness and identify the supports and resources needed to help people find safe, stable housing.

Previous Street Census reports in 2015, 2018, 2021/22 and 2024 have helped build our understanding of the diverse experiences of people experiencing homelessness in Winnipeg. The findings help inform community responses, strengthen collaboration, and guide efforts and investment to prevent and end homelessness. The reports have also consistently highlighted the significant over-representation of Indigenous people among those experiencing homelessness.

The Street Census provides an important opportunity to hear directly from people experiencing homelessness and better understand the circumstances they face, including the barriers to finding and maintaining safe, stable housing. This information helps identify gaps between people's needs and the resources available to meet them, including access to deeply affordable housing, adequate income, and accessible supports. By centering the voices and experiences of people experiencing homelessness, the Count helps inform community planning and reinforce the importance of ensuring that appropriate housing and supports are available when people need them.

The November 2026 Count will bring together information from two important sources. Emergency shelters across Winnipeg will provide information on the number of people who stayed in a shelter on the designated night, while outreach teams will survey people experiencing homelessness who are living unsheltered. Together, these efforts will help build a clearer picture of homelessness in Winnipeg and ensure that the experiences of our unsheltered relatives are at the heart of our work to end homelessness.

As preparations move forward for the 2026 Count, reliable, meaningful information will be especially important. Recent quality assurance processes identified issues with the Homeless Individuals and Families Information System (HIFIS) that currently affect the reliability of some administrative data. These issues, which date back to at least September 2024, relate to closure requirements within the federal HIFIS system. Work with Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC) to resolve them is ongoing.

At a time when public conversations about homelessness are occurring, the Street Census is an opportunity to listen, deepen our understanding of the experiences of people experiencing homelessness, and recognize the humanity and dignity of our unsheltered relatives.

Every person deserves a safe place to call home. The 2026 Street Census is another important step in ensuring that the experiences, needs, and voices of people experiencing homelessness remain at the centre of our shared work.

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Media Contact:
Email: media@endhomelessnesswinnipeg.ca
Phone: 431-793-5083

About End Homelessness Winnipeg
End Homelessness Winnipeg is an Indigenous organization that supports the whole community. We work with partners across the homelessness-serving sector to strengthen coordination, data, funding, system planning, and community relationships, with the goal of ending chronic houselessness in Winnipeg.

 

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