The City of Windsor will begin its federally mandated Point In Time (PiT) count and survey for Windsor-Essex starting Wednesday into Thursday.
Dozens of trained volunteers will be deployed throughout the city and county to engage with individuals, families and youth experiencing homelessness, giving them an opportunity to be counted and surveyed.
Windsor's commissioner of human and health services Andrew Daher says the survey will touch on the demographics of unhoused individuals.
"We're trying to really understand who is experiencing homelessness, age, what their situation is. And we're also trying to understand how long they've been experiencing homelessness and what are those difficulties and challenges that they're facing, and really what are their main reasons why they lost housing in the first place."
This is the fourth PiT Count conducted in the region, with previous counts happening in 2016, 2018 and 2021.
The last count showed there were 251 people experiencing homelessness in 2021, an increase from 197 in 2018.
Daher says officials aren't sure what to expect this year.
"We know that the complexity of mental health and addictions is really at the forefront right now, and we're seeing an increase in mental health and addictions in our community, so I'm sure that the survey results that will come about from that will see an increase."
He says following the survey, a report will be presented to council that will help shape future decisions.
"Produce really any recommendations based on the feedback that we can maybe further enhance our ten year housing and homelessness master plan, any of the current services that are provided. When we look at the H4 or maybe our shelters and really working with our community partners."
Daher says a report is expected to council in the new year.
