Point-in-Time Count

Point-in-Time Counts provide a snapshot of the number of people experiencing homelessness within a community in a 24-hour period. The Point-in-Time Count serves two functions. First, it provides a count of the number of people experiencing homelessness in Kamloops over a specified period.  It also gathers information on the demographics and service needs of the local population of unhoused individuals. Point-in Time Counts are conducted every two years in communities across Canada.

The Point-in-Time Count methodology is representative of how many people are experiencing homelessness on a given day. It provides a baseline for understanding the most visible and often most vulnerable individuals in our community. The number of people experiencing homelessness is likely much greater. The information within Point-in-Time Count reports should not be taken in isolation. Other forms of data should be used to provide a more fulsome understanding of homelessness in our community. 

Funding for this initiative comes from the federal government’s Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy grant.

2023 Point-in-Time Count

Kamloops' 2023 Point-in-Time Count took place on April 12 and April 13, 2023. Over 75 volunteers—composed of outreach workers, shelter staff, people with lived experiences of homelessness, cultural educators, social workers, and more—participated in the Kamloops Point-in-Time Count. 

Data was provided from eight shelters, and surveys were completed throughout the community along various walking routes on streets, in parks, along riverbanks, and at two magnet events designed to encourage participation. 

During the 24-hour period, 312 individuals were counted and 220 surveys were completed. The information collected in these surveys will help guide decision makers, planners, and service providers in advocating for and developing programs and services that support our community’s most vulnerable. 

What is evident from the data is that the causes of homelessness are a combination of structural factors, systems failures, and individual circumstances. To better support the vulnerable people in our community, there is a need for changes to key institutions and policies. This includes the development of more inclusive and directed programs. It will also need to involve a notable change in the attitudes, biases, and treatment towards the unhoused population.

2023 Point-In-Time Count Full Report  2023 Point-In-Time Count Key Findings