Following the results of numerous Point-in-Time (PiT) counts, which assess approximately how many unhoused people live in a specific region, the BC government has determined homelessness is only getting worse.
The Province says that the PiT results show more support is needed for those who are unhoused or at-risk of homelessness.
Of the 20 communities assessed in the 2025 homeless counts, a dozen of those saw an increase in the number of unhoused individuals, while just eight recorded a decrease.
In Greater Victoria for instance, 1,749 unhoused individuals were counted in the 24-hour timeframe the PiT count occurs.
This represents a 4.8% increase from 2023’s PiT count, which determined there were at least 1,665 people experiencing homelessness in the region.
Related:
1,749 unhoused individuals identified in 2025 Greater Victoria Point-in-Time count
“We know more needs to be done to help the most vulnerable members of our communities, and that’s why we’re building safe, secure homes and providing needed supports to help people overcome the cycle of homelessness,” said Christine Boyle, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs.
“We are seeing some positive results through our Belonging in BC plan, as our homeless and encampment response and temporary housing solutions are providing rapid, co-ordinated, multidisciplinary responses when encampments arise.”
The PiT counts are done every few years to provide a snapshot of information about gender, age, Indigenous identity, racial identity, health conditions, service use and what factors contribute to homelessness.
Similarly to past PiT counts, Indigenous people and former children in care are still over-represented in the counts. In Victoria’s PiT count, 30% of those surveyed identified as Indigenous, even though Indigenous people only represent 5% of Victoria’s population.
Though the Province has been working to open new supportive housing facilities throughout BC, many municipalities, including Victoria, have been asking for more to be done.
Housing is primarily under the provincial government’s umbrella of responsibilities, but municipalities are often having to take on the financial burden of finding solutions for its residents, whether they are housed or not.
One example of Victoria taking matters into their own hands was the opening of the SOLID Outreach facility on Dowler Place.
Though this transitional housing facility was a topic of controversy to begin with, it has now helped numerous people overcome the odds that were stacked against them, find permanent housing and get clean of drugs.
At the recent Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) convention, which was held in Victoria, numerous resolutions were brought forth that call on the Province to do more for the unhoused people of BC.
With the results of the PiT counts and the pressure coming from numerous municipal governments, the Province has more pressure than ever to provide more support for those experiencing or at-risk of homelessness.
