The City of Abbotsford revealed Monday the results of its 2026 point-in-time count, reporting a total of 521 people experiencing homelessness — a decrease of 133 individuals compared with the 2025 tally and a 20.7 per cent decline. The count, conducted on Oct. 7 by the Mennonite Central Committee, represents the first year-over-year reduction in the city’s homeless population since 2011.
City credits encampment closures and provincial supports
City officials said the reduced numbers reflect a co‑ordinated effort involving BC Housing, the provincial government and local service providers. The municipality noted that recent closures of encampments at Cole Road, McCallum Road, Peardonville Road and Whatcom Road contributed to the decline after outreach and housing transitions were implemented for many residents of those sites.
“We are grateful for the province’s continued investment through BC Housing, and for the strong collaboration among our government partners and local service providers,” said Mayor Ross Siemens. “These organizations and their frontline staff do tremendous work every day helping people access housing and the support they need.”
Siemens also said the city’s homelessness action plan will be updated to develop further strategies to address the challenge, while acknowledging that any number of people without stable housing is unacceptable.
Where people were found
The 2026 count catalogued the locations and settings where people were staying at the time of the survey. The city reported:
- 248 people were unsheltered;
- 223 people were staying in emergency shelters;
- 28 people were recorded as having no fixed address at the hospital;
- 22 people were in transitional housing.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Unsheltered | 248 |
| Emergency shelters | 223 |
| No fixed address at hospital | 28 |
| Transitional housing | 22 |
| Total | 521 |
Context and consequences for local services
The drop of 20.7 per cent is being framed by city leaders as progress, but officials and service providers must still contend with hundreds of people who remain without secure housing. The composition of the count — with nearly half of those identified unsheltered — underscores ongoing pressures on outreach teams, emergency shelters and hospital social services.
City statements credit coordinated transitions out of encampments for portions of the reduction. Those actions typically involve temporary shelter placements, referrals to supportive housing and help navigating provincial programs. The announcement said many individuals living in the closed encampments were transitioned into other forms of housing with assistance from BC Housing and community partners.
Updating the homelessness action plan signals a policy response intended to lock in gains and address gaps revealed by the count. How quickly the city and its partners can convert temporary moves into long-term, stable housing will determine whether the decline is sustained.
For residents and local service agencies, the figures offer both relief and a reminder: counts capture a single night snapshot and are sensitive to operations such as encampment clearances, shelter capacity and seasonal factors. Officials have not suggested the root causes of homelessness in Abbotsford have diminished; rather, they point to targeted interventions that have altered where and how many people were found during the Oct. 7 survey.
As the municipality revises its homelessness action plan, priorities will likely include bolstering shelter capacity, increasing access to supportive and transitional housing, and sustaining partnerships with provincial funders and frontline providers — all while monitoring whether future counts confirm a downward trend.
The Mennonite Central Committee conducted the count for the city and provided the data released Monday. The city emphasised continued collaboration with BC Housing and other partners as it moves to update its strategy.
