Election 2026: how Durham Region can solve homelessness, experts say

Nearly 2,000 people in Durham Region have asked for help escaping homelessness. Front-line workers and a criminologist say voters should press Oct. 26 candidates on funding, legislation and a coordinated continuum of care.

By Daily Durham News

Oct 15, 2026, 8:19 a.m. ET1 min read

Downtown Oshawa streetscape with storefronts, trees and a parked vehicle; no people visible — A downtown Oshawa streetscape (illustrative photo). · Credit: Dillan Payne (PascalHD), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Nearly 2,000 people in Durham Region have requested help escaping homelessness, and the issue is emerging as a defining question of the Oct. 26 municipal election, according to reporting by DurhamRegion.com.

Taylor Uden of the Back Door Mission in Oshawa says the region needs a coordinated "continuum of care," calling current services a "Band-Aid" response to a deepening crisis.

Ontario Tech criminologist Tyler Fredericks says there is no one-size-fits-all fix and urges decision-makers to pull "every lever" available, from housing to treatment.

Residents living near Ajax's temporary shelter describe neighbourhood impacts including debris and fires. The report urges voters to ask candidates where they stand on funding, legislation, expertise and compassion before election day.

Behind the story