Deaths among Montreal's homeless surge 211% in five years, research shows

Deaths among people experiencing homelessness in Quebec jumped about 180 percent between 2020 and 2024, according to new research from Université de Sherbrooke. Researchers recorded 400 deaths over the four-year period, including 127 in 2024 compared with 45 in 2020. Montreal had the highest death rate per capita.

The crisis is hitting women hardest. Deaths among unhoused women increased by 211 percent, compared with 175 percent among men. Women experiencing homelessness die much younger—an average life expectancy of about 42 years, compared with 84 years for women with stable housing. For men, the average life expectancy was about 47 years among those experiencing homelessness, compared with 80 years for those with stable housing.

Researchers say the figures are likely an underestimate because not every death is investigated by the coroner. A new online reporting form has been launched to help create a more complete record of deaths among people experiencing homelessness in Quebec. The scale of the crisis suggests Montreal needs both immediate emergency response—shelter capacity, overdose prevention, health outreach—and longer-term housing investment.