10-Year Housing and Homelessness Plan
2026 to 2035 Housing and Homelessness Plan
Housing is the foundation for health, financial stability and community well-being. When people find safe, affordable housing they are better able to manage their health, work, contribute to their communities and achieve their goals.
While affordable housing is essential for everyone, housing affordability remains a key challenge in York Region. Despite progress made implementing the Region’s first 10-Year Housing and Homelessness plan, system pressures continue to grow. More residents are struggling to find housing they can afford. Emergency and transitional housing is regularly at or near full capacity and people are staying longer before moving into housing they can afford.
Together with our partners, York Region is committed to taking action to increase and accelerate housing options across the system and provide the right supports to meet the needs of residents of all ages, abilities, income levels and stages of life.
In 2026, York Regional Council approved the 2026 to 2035 Housing and Homelessness Plan.
The 2026 to 2035 plan is the blueprint for the Region and its partners to respond to these challenges together. It builds on the work of previous plans and was informed by engagement with residents, community partners, housing providers and local municipalities to better understand needs and opportunities to improve the system.
The 2026 to 2035 plan carries forward objectives, actions and milestones of the Homelessness Service System Plan (HSSP), bringing the Region’s housing and homelessness priorities under one long-term plan. HSSP formed a critical foundation for this plan and reflects York Region’s commitment to ensuring homelessness is rare, brief and non-recurring.
Over the next decade, the Region and its partners will work to increase and maintain non-market housing supply, help people find and keep housing and strengthen and advocate for the housing and homelessness system by building capacity and improving coordination.
York Region's First Housing and Homelessness Plan (2014 - 2023)
In 2014, York Region adopted its first Housing and Homelessness Plan, Housing Solutions: A place for everyone. The plan provided a roadmap to help ensure residents could access a range of housing options and services at all ages and stages of their lives. In 2019, York Regional Council approved phase two of this plan, building on accomplishments from phase one and responding to evolving needs and challenges.
See how the Region made progress toward the goals and objectives set out in the first 10-year plan.
Phase 2 Progress Reports: 2019 to 2023
Phase 1 Progress Reports: 2014 to 2018
2024 to 2027 York Region Homelessness Service System Plan
In 2024, York Regional Council adopted the 2024-2027 Homelessness Service System Plan, which identified a vision, goals and priority areas to prevent and reduce homelessness in York Region.
Guided by the aspirational goals of Ending Chronic Homelessness and Strengthening the Region’s Human-Rights Based Approach to
Addressing Homelessness, the System Plan focused around four priority areas:
- Enhancing Prevention and Diversion services that help people stay housed
- Delivering Intervention and Housing Stability supports that meet the needs for safety, shelter and food of people who experience homelessness
- Building a Systems Response, working collaboratively with partners across the homelessness service system to connect people to appropriate and effective supports
- Strengthening York Region’s Advocacy and Engagement with other levels of government to address service system gaps, in partnership with the community
The Homelessness Service System Plan set out a comprehensive and evidence-informed plan for actions the Region will take to achieve these goals and priorities, working with the federal, provincial and local municipal governments, community-based agencies, and many other partners to prevent and address homelessness.
These commitments have been carried forward into the Region’s new housing and homelessness plan.
If you or someone you know is at risk of or experiencing homelessness, please contact the York Region Emergency Housing Central Intake Line at 1-877-464-9675 ext. 76140. This phone line is answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays. For more information on available supports, please call Access York at 1-877-464-9675 Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or visit york.ca/EmergencyHousing
Related Resources
Council Report – 2026 to 2035 Housing and Homelessness Plan
2026 to 2027 Action Plan and Advocacy Positions
Financial Implications of Proposed 2026 to 2035 Housing Homelessness Plan
Council Presentation – 2026 to 2035 Housing and Homelessness Plan
