Over the last half decade, Niagara has experienced a growing demographic in its homeless population — older adults.

Since 2020, the number of homeless people 55 years of age and over has nearly doubled, in part due to the housing and affordability crisis.

Data released by Niagara Region show in August 2020 the region had 96 seniors experiencing homelessness. That number has grown to 187 as of August 2025.

When Susan Papov, 60, found herself homeless in March after the Start Me Up Niagara transitional housing program ended due to a lack of regional program funding, she was scared.

“I was broken beyond repair, I spent the first 10 days weeping for the position I found myself in,” she said.

Papov, an Ontario Disability Support Program recipient, bounced between shelters, couches, tents a

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