• In the past, ESPC reported homeless trends through data from PiT counts. According to PiT count data, the number of persons experiencing homelessness peaked at 3,079 persons in 2008. In 2009, the 10 year plan to end homelessness was implemented, and numbers dropped to 1,752 by 2016.
• For this indicator, data from the Edmonton By-Names List (BNL) is used. Reporting is quarterly; Quarter 1 (Q1) refers to January through March, Quarter 2 (Q2) refers to April through June, Quarter 3 (Q3) refers to July through September, and Quarter 4 (Q4) refers to October through December. These three months are averaged for the quarter.
• BNL data shows how homelessness in Edmonton fluctuates throughout the year.
• The BNL list only began in May of 2018, so there is a lack of long term data. Please refer to the 2018 edition of Tracking the Trends for long-term data using PiT counts.

Built Environment. For almost everyone, housing represents the largest living cost. The availability, affordability, and adequacy of housing is therefore crucial to quality of life for both renters and homeowners.

Renters tend to have lower and more variable incomes and are therefore less able to afford substantial rent increases or the cost of purchasing a home. Vulnerable groups that face barriers, such as recent immigrants, refugees, and Indigenous peoples, often live in crowded or substandard housing.

Home ownership rates are an indicator of the overall level of financial independence in a community. Buying a home requires savings that many low- and moderate-income families do not have. Rising housing costs can make it more difficult to enter the housing market.

Incomes are intricately linked to housing affordability. If incomes do not keep up with the rising cost of housing, people’s ability to cover other living costs and to save for their future (education, retirement, etc.) declines.