Homelessness is on the rise in Canada as rents and housing prices rise.

Tens of thousands of individuals have been priced out of rental and real estate markets in Canada, forcing them to live on the streets of the prosperous country. Researchers warn that government data is grossly underestimating the number of homeless people across the country, as the social plague extends from major cities to tiny communities.

According to a new survey published in September, one in every two homeless people in Quebec can be located in rural areas of the eastern province, rather than primarily in Montreal, as was previously the case.

Danny Brodeur-Cote, a 39-year-old janitor, has been living in a temporary camp in Granby, Quebec, since being evicted from his flat in June. According to a Quebec government assessment, approximately one in every four homeless people ended up on the street after being evicted from housing.

The number of homeless persons in Quebec increased by 44% between 2018 and 2022, with Indigenous people, particularly Inuit, being over-represented on the streets. Granby has decided to save the "places of tolerance" rather than demolish the camps. Because of rising living costs and inflation, the situation is worse than recent figures indicate.

Due to reasons such as the pandemic and record immigration, Quebec is experiencing a housing crisis. Homelessness is on the rise in Canada, according to experts, with government figures indicating 235,000 homeless persons across the country. Quebec Premier Francois Legault has described the situation as a "perfect storm" and has called for a humanitarian catastrophe.