NEW BRUNSWICK POINT-IN-TIME COUNT Key Highlights - 2023 Homelessness PiT Counts in New Brunswick
WHAT IS A POINT-IN-TIME (PIT) COUNT?
A PiT Count is an enumeration and a self-report survey of people experiencing homelessness at a specific point in time. On April 17th and 18th, 2023, the Human Development Council (HDC), in partnership with the government of NB and community organizations, conducted its largest ever PiT Count, surveying people at homeless shelters, unsheltered locations, and correctional facilities across New Brunswick. A PiT Count is one tool of many that the HDC uses to understand the scope of homelessness in NB.
BENEFITS OF A PIT COUNT SNAPSHOT 687 people were counted as experiencing absolute homelessness in Moncton, Fredericton, Saint John, Bathurst, Miramichi, St. Stephen, and Edmundston, excluding corrections. For corrections data click here. COMPARISON 107% more people were counted as experiencing absolute homelessness in Saint John, Moncton, and Fredericton in the 2023 Pit Count than in the 2021 Count.
SURVEY 576 surveys were conducted in Moncton, Fredericton, Saint John, Bathurst, Miramichi, and St. Stephen.
VOICE PiT Counts are an opportunity for the homeless population to communicate their need for housing and the barriers preventing them from getting housed.
SURVEY RESULTS 65%
18%
Homel ess Shel t er
17%
Gender
Unshel t ered Ot her i n Publ i c (Enc a mpment , Spa c e Vehi c l e, et c .)
70% Man 2 6 % Wo m a n
85% heterosexual 11% 2SLGBTQI+ 1% Unsure
4% Other
Income Sources
76% on Social Assistance
Inf orma l Inc ome Sourc es
11
GST/ HST R ef und
11
Di sa bi l i t y Benef i t (Prov i nc i a l Benef i t )
6
Seni ors Benef i t s
5
24%
31
75% reported being homeless 180 days or more in the last year.
Age of First Homeless Experience
Age of Participants
41
Chronic Homelessness
% With the Following:
was the average age of survey participants.
22%
Under 18
20%
18-27
17%
28-37
11%
was the average age homelessness was first experienced.
5%
48-57 58+
33%
reported always being in the local community.
67%
reported moving to the community.
52%
G ra d D e g re e Some or Completed Post-Secondary
Most Reported Reasons for Housing Loss
High School/GED Less Than High School Completion
35%
Most Reported Challenges of Finding Housing
Not Enough Inc ome
Unfit/unsafe housing
22%
40%
Of those who moved said they moved from within NB.
25% 25%
La ndl ord/ Tena nt Conf l i c t
2%
Education
Of those who responded to questions about residency...
Spouse/ Pa rt ner Conf l i c t
19% identified as Indigenous. For more Indigenous PiT Count data click here.
38-47
17% 17% 11% 11% 9% 9%
45% said their most recent housing loss was due to an eviction.
R ent s t oo Hi gh Not Enough Inc ome
75% 75% 63% 63%
Addi c t i on
20% 20%
Poor Housi ng Condi t i ons
20% 20%
SOCIAL SYSTEMS Youth In Care 30% of those surveyed indicated that they lived in foster care or a youth group home prior to experiencing homelessness. Of those 30% who gave a time estimate, 38% said they became homeless within a year of leaving care. Additionally, 84% of people who said they were in care and gave an answer regarding their thoughts on CPS said that CPS was not helpful in transitioning them to independence.
Emergency Services
In the past year...
Survey results indicate
I n t e ra c t e d W i t h Police
59%
Visited an E m e rg e n c y R o o m
58%
that people experiencing homelessness frequently interact with emergency services.
31%
We re I n c a rc e ra t e d
25%
We re H o s p i t a l i z e d
When asked if participants identified having any of the following health challenges, respondents reported: Substance Use
69%
Mental Health
65%
Health Services
42% of the people surveyed reported accessing addiction or mental health
Illness or Medical Condition
44%
services in the last 12 months. For more PiT
Physical Limitations
40%
Learning or Cognitive Limitations
Count data on health click here.
37%
RESOURCES Homelessness is a complex social issue that too many New Brunswickers are experiencing. For more information on the scale and circumstances of homelessness in New Brunswick, please visit our website at sjhdc.ca. For more information on homelessness in New Brunswick’s urban centres check out our homelessness dashboards by clicking here. To read past reports on homelessness click here.