The Housing and Homelessness Advisory Committee in Kingston, Ontario, will meet on March 26, 2026, to discuss the city’s ongoing efforts to help more people find stable places to live. The meeting is set to begin at 1:00 PM and comes as recent data shows a significant increase in the number of local residents without a home.
According to a report from the United Way KFL&A, a count in 2024 found 483 people were experiencing homelessness in the city, which is a 133 percent increase since 2021. More recent local records from early 2026 suggest that as many as 572 people are currently looking for housing and support services on the city’s By-Name List.
To help address the crisis, the city approved $10.1 million in its 2026 budget for supportive housing initiatives that include mental health and substance use services. This investment follows a strategy to decentralize services that included the 2025 purchase of three single-family homes in suburban neighborhoods—located on Sheila Court, Palmerston Crescent, and Braemar Road—to offer support to people outside of the downtown area.
A new 30-bed emergency shelter at 928 Sydenham Road also opened in February 2026 to provide more space for those in need of a place to stay. This site is run by CFOC-Doors of Compassion and helps replace the Adelaide Street Shelter at 38 Cowdy Street, which is preparing to close its doors on March 31, 2026.
Community members are encouraged to contact the mayor or local councillors with questions or suggestions regarding these housing topics. Groups like Path Home Kingston note that finding affordable places to live remains a challenge, as the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the city reached $1,503 in 2025.
