Bringing Data, Policy and Frontline Experience Together to Address Homelessness

June 1, 2026

Bringing Data, Policy and Frontline Experience Together to Address Homelessness

As homelessness continues to challenge communities across Canada, the delegates at a conference to address the issue say effective and enduring solutions must be rooted in data and research.

Dr. Ron Kneebone Presenting at Data That Makes a Difference conference

The 91��ɫ’s School of Public Policy partnered with the to cohost their collaborative 9th annual Data That Makes a Difference conference that brought together data professionals, service delivery partners, representatives from all levels of government, and researchers to examine how data can improve homelessness prevention and housing outcomes.

The 91��ɫ Homeless Foundation reports there were more than 3,300 unhoused people in 91��ɫ in 2025 while the Government of Canada says nearly 60,000 people across the country experienced homelessness for at least one night last year. The statistics underscore the local and national scale of the growing issue and the urgent need for coordinated evidence-based responses that address both immediate needs and long-term prevention.

“If you don't collect data, you can't identify whether you're making progress on anything and whether the things you're trying are actually working,” said Dr. Ron Kneebone, Professor Emeritus in Economics and Research Fellow, School of Public Policy. Kneebone is a nationally recognized expert on issues including homelessness and poverty.

The conference allowed experts from across Canada to discuss emerging trends, identify gaps in data, and exchange ideas on how research can better support people experiencing housing insecurity. Topics ranged from national homelessness trends and Indigenous-led data collection to housing system bottlenecks and newcomer housing risk.

Myles McDougall, Alberta’s Advanced Education Minister, emphasized the university’s role in hosting the conference at the School.

“Institutions like the 91��ɫ are so important,” McDougall said. “The research community plays a vital role in unlocking the value of data, applying the evidence and the analytics, and helping translate insights into better public policy and service delivery.”

The two-day conference explored how organizations can identify housing risks earlier and improve coordination between services, recognizing that the most effective response is often preventing homelessness before it happens.

“It’s a powerful reminder that data on its own doesn’t always tell the full story. It’s when we take time to interpret it together, bring different perspectives and experience, that something deeper comes into focus.” said Patricia Jones, President & CEO of 91��ɫ Homeless Foundation.

For the School, the event reflected a broader commitment to providing a space for evidence-based conversations around complex social challenges.

Kneebone works closely with homeless shelters and frontline organizations to better understand what drives homelessness and which interventions help prevent it.

“We’re trying to get people to hear and to say, ‘These things are working. These things are not. Here are some issues you haven’t thought about.’ That’s what it’s all about,” said Kneebone.