Homeless Babies and
Families in Waterloo Region
The scale of the housing crisis facing mothers and young children

Across Waterloo Region thousands of families with young children are struggling to find safe and stable housing.

Approximately 4,000 single mother led households in Waterloo Region are currently living in housing that is unaffordable, overcrowded, or unsafe.

For many families the difference between housing instability and homelessness can be one unexpected event such as job loss, illness, or relationship breakdown.

For babies and young children these early experiences can shape the course of their lives.

Children Experiencing Homelessness

Homelessness among children is often hidden from view.

Many families experiencing homelessness are not living on the street. Instead they move between temporary accommodations, stay with friends or relatives, or rely on emergency shelters when no other options are available.

According to the 2024 Waterloo Region Point in Time Count an estimated 550 children and youth are currently experiencing homelessness in the region.

Across Ontario children aged 0 to 15 account for 11.5 percent of the chronically homeless population. This means thousands of young children are experiencing prolonged homelessness during critical developmental years.

The Long Term Impact

Research shows that early experiences of homelessness can have lasting consequences.

Infrastructure Canada data shows that 44% of people experiencing homelessness first lost stable housing before age 25. In other words childhood homelessness is one of the strongest predictors of lifelong housing instability.

The Cost of Chronic Homelessness

Chronic homelessness also carries significant social and economic costs.

Research shows that chronic homelessness costs public systems between $55,000 and $135,000 per person each year due to emergency shelter use, healthcare services, policing, and justice system involvement.

Emergency shelters cost more than $2,500 per person per month while supported transitional housing costs less than $1,200 per month.

Investing in prevention and transitional housing is not only compassionate. It is fiscally responsible.

The Role of Marillac Place

Marillac Place was created to address a critical gap in housing support for pregnant women and mothers with infants.

Marillac Place has space for only 10 families at a time.

In 2025 alone 203 women contacted Marillac Place seeking support. The program conducted 30 intakes including 19 women and 11 babies.

Marillac Place has operated at full capacity since 2019 with waitlists reaching up to eleven women each month.

Breaking the Cycle for the Next Generation

Program data shows that 36 percent of women currently living at Marillac Place experienced homelessness as children themselves.

Without early intervention housing instability can repeat across generations.

Providing stability for mothers and babies during the earliest years of life is one of the most effective ways to interrupt that cycle.

Helping Families Find Stability

The need for safe and specialized housing for pregnant women and mothers with infants continues to grow across Waterloo Region.

When you support Marillac Place you are helping ensure that no baby starts life homeless.

Homeless Babies and Families in Waterloo Region The scale of the housing crisis facing mothers and young children