St. Thomas-Elgin Reaches Major Milestone in Efforts to End Homelessness
Posted on 08/11/2026
St. Thomas-Elgin has hit a significant milestone in its work toward a functional end to homelessness by 2027: for the first time, the number of people moving out of homelessness and into housing is outpacing the number of people becoming homeless.
Between January 1 and June 30, 2026, 79 people in St. Thomas-Elgin moved from homelessness into housing, while 69 people became homeless during the same period. This means more people exited homelessness than entered it — a result that stands in sharp contrast to most communities across Canada, where the flow generally moves the other way.
The community's By-Name List, which tracks people experiencing homelessness locally, has also dropped to 86, a 34 per cent reduction compared to the same time last year. New supportive and affordable housing initiatives are underway to build on this progress.
"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 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."
"These numbers represent real people whose lives have changed because of a coordinated, front-line response," said Danielle Neilson, Acting Director of St. Thomas-Elgin Social Services. "Every person who moved into housing this year is the result of partners working together instead of in silos, and I want to thank every front-line worker, volunteer, and agency who made that possible."
St. Thomas-Elgin's homelessness response is built on close coordination between the municipality, front-line service providers, community partners, and volunteers. The community continues to work toward its goal of a functional end to homelessness by 2027.