Canada’s Urban Crisis: The Rise of Tent Cities in Major Cities

In recent years, a troubling trend has emerged across Canada’s urban landscape: the proliferation of homeless tent encampments. From Vancouver to Toronto, Halifax to Calgary, these makeshift communities have become a stark reminder of the nation’s growing housing affordability and homelessness crisis.

Once confined to a few isolated areas, tent cities have now become a common sight in parks, under bridges, and along riverbanks in virtually every major Canadian city. The reasons behind this surge are multifaceted, including skyrocketing housing costs, stagnant wages, mental health issues, substance abuse problems, and the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, one of the most visible examples of this crisis, hundreds of tents line Hastings Street and nearby alleys. Similar scenes play out in Toronto’s Moss Park, Winnipeg’s Rooster Town, and Montreal’s Notre-Dame Street. These encampments have grown despite efforts by city officials to dismantle them, often citing health and safety concerns.

Critics argue that these evictions merely displace the problem rather than address its root causes. Homeless advocates stress the need for affordable housing, better mental health services, and harm reduction programs. They point out that for many, these tent cities offer a semblance of community and safety that shelters, often overcrowded and underfunded, cannot provide.

The federal government has pledged billions through its National Housing Strategy to combat homelessness, but the crisis continues to worsen. Municipalities, facing budget constraints and jurisdictional challenges, struggle to cope. Meanwhile, housed residents express a mix of compassion, frustration, and concern over the impact on public spaces and property values.

Winter time, the plight of those in tent cities becomes even more precarious. Without a coordinated, comprehensive strategy that involves all levels of government, non-profits, and the private sector, Canada’s tent cities may become a permanent feature of its urban fabric—a visible scar on the nation’s social conscience.

It’s clear that Canada, often lauded for its social safety net, is at a crossroads. The tent cities are more than just a housing issue; they are a call to re-examine our values, policies, and commitment to ensuring that every Canadian has a place to call home.