The City of Toronto released its annual Winter Services Plan for people experiencing homelessness on Monday, with the centerpiece being a significant increase in shelter and housing spaces compared to previous years. Warming centres and extended hours at several daytime drop-in centres are also part of the plan as well as more street outreach and adding surge capacity during extreme cold weather alerts.In a news release on Monday, the City announced it will open up 1,533 additional shelter and housing spaces – up 18 per cent from last year. With an emphasis on emergency response and moving people into permanent housing, that number includes up to 588 permanent supportive and subsidized units and approximately 505 new shelter and 24-hour respite spaces.Related:Poll finds majority in Toronto, GTA want people moved from encampments to support facilitiesWhen temperatures hit -5 C or winter weather even warnings are issued, 254 warming centre spaces across five sites will be activated. An additional 186 surge capacity spaces will be opened when temperatures hit -15 C.Drop-in programs that provide food, health care, showers, laundry and recreational activities will extend hours, for a total of 252 extra hours of service each week.While City staff regularly conduct outreach activities to provide services and warm clothing, sleeping bags and other winter supplies throughout the season, additional street outreach teams will be dispatched during extreme cold weather to encourage people to come indoors.“The City will continue to review, evaluate and improve its homelessness supports during the winter season to respond to the needs observed by staff on the ground,” read the news release.People in need of homelessness services down since 2024The City says there was been a decrease in the number of people who need homelessness services since the 2024 Street Needs Assessment was conducted.More than 4,100 people moved from the shelter system into permanent housing in the last year according to the City. Citing a new report by the Financial Accountability Office of Ontario, the City says while homelessness in the province rose by 17.9 per cent, in fell by 8.2 per cent in Toronto.In addition, while the City was providing accommodations to 9,000 people every night last year, that number has currently dropped to 7,000. The number of encampments are also down from more than 353 in October 2025 to approximately 118 in October 2026 – a reduction of 67 per cent according to the City.“While the winter services plan provides emergency spaces during the cold weather, work to stabilize the shelter system by developing 1,600 long-term shelter spaces is also underway through the City’s Homelessness Services Capital Infrastructure Strategy,” read the release.