City of Brantford keeps facing the increasing overlap of people seeking help regarding homelessness, addictions and unemployment.
SOAR Community Services is a Brantford-based agency that provides a Housing Resource Centre and an Emergency Shelter Intake Line, and many of their clients face housing instability, mental health concerns, substance addiction and employment barriers all at the same time.
“The challenges facing our community are complex, but they are not insurmountable,” said Kim Baker, Chief Executive Officer of SOAR Community Services. “Losing housing can make it difficult to find or keep a job. Untreated mental health or substance use concerns can create barriers to both housing and employment. At the same time, financial stress and unemployment can contribute to worsening mental health and substance use.”
During the 2025-26 fiscal year, SOAR’s Housing Resource Centre has supported 1,979 individuals and families. 347 of those received financial assistance to secure or maintain their housing, while the Emergency Housing Intake Services logged 12,765 in-person visits over the same period, including 145 first-time clients.
Baker explained that the demand for housing support continues to outpace what is available.
“There are more people seeking assistance than there are housing options available, which creates pressure throughout the entire system,” said Baker. “Even when clients are ready to move, the options stay limited.”
Maria Visocchi, Director of Communications for the City of Brantford said the municipality views the issues the same way.
“Housing instability, mental health and addiction challenges, unemployment, and poverty are linked through the social determinants of health, and for many people, one crisis can quickly trigger another, creating barriers to recovery and stability,” said Visocchi.
Visocchi continued, saying people experiencing this crisis has a “domino effect,” where the loss of a job may create financial hardship, which will further lead to losing housing and then having mental health issues and falling into addiction.
Visocchi went on to address a January 2026 Association of Municipalities of Ontario report that found nearly 85,000 Ontarians experienced homelessness in 2025, with homelessness increasing faster than available funding.
“While SOAR is providing strong local service delivery, addressing these challenges more effectively will require continued collaboration and increased investment from provincial and federal partners,” said Visocchi.
SOAR is also advocating for homelessness and the Addiction Recovery Treatment Hub in Brantford and Brant. The agency has recently expanded its Mental Health and Substance Use Walk-in crisis services for people to use when they need them.
“Local community organizations are doing important work, but lasting solutions require continued investment from all levels of government and collaboration across all sectors,” said Baker.
