Homelessness is a growing challenge in Winnipeg, but the city isn’t facing it alone. Over 1,000 delegates from across the country are gathering here this week to share ideas, discuss what’s working and look for solutions. The hope is that those conversations will lead to real change, both nationally and right here in Winnipeg.
“It would make them see it through new glasses, I went to u of m for three years and it’s not like, I didn’t expect to be in this position,” said Andy, a homeless man.
Andy has made his home along the bank of the Red River, just south of the RBC Convention Centre where the conference is being held. He believes there’s a key reason why someone ends up in a position like he has.
“Not having that solid foundation, that’s really, that’s really what hurts,” said Andy.
The three day conference is made up almost entirely of service providers, one of them is the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness.
“You’re often isolated in your own community and you think you’re the only one with a particular problem. Turns out, other communities have the same challenges and often have new solutions that you can just pick up,” said Tim Richter, the founder, president & CEO of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness.
According to most recent numbers by the federal government, over 65,000 people were homeless on a single night across 75 participating communities in 2025. Seven per cent were in encampments, 20 per cent in outdoor locations, 56 per cent in emergency shelters and 17 per cent in transitional housing.
Helen Robinson Settee is with End Homelessness Winnipeg.
“All the different community based organizations, the ones that are serving our relatives… it’s wonderful to see all of the different vans from the different organizations like sunshine house, like main stream project, you know, different organizations,” said Robinson Settee.
The conference wraps up on Thursday.
National homeless convention. (Justin Hardy, CityNews)
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