HOUSING HELP · CANADA & U.S.

Emergency shelter and housing help

Who to call tonight, what intake is actually like, what to bring, and the arrears and eviction-prevention help that can stop this before it starts.

Last reviewed 15 September 2026.

If tonight is the problem

Call 211, or your city's central shelter intake line. They can tell you which beds are open and how to get there, including transit tokens or a ride in some cities.

If you are fleeing violence, say so. Violence against women and family shelters have separate intake, confidential addresses and different rules, and can usually act faster.

During extreme cold or heat, most cities open additional warming or cooling centres with no intake and no eligibility test.

What happens when you arrive

Intake is a short set of questions: who is with you, any medical needs, medication, and safety concerns. Tell staff about medication and mobility needs immediately.

You will be shown a bed or a room, storage for belongings, and the meal and curfew times. Ask what time you must return each evening to keep your place.

Bring medication, identification if you have it, a phone charger, and a change of clothes. Keep valuables and documents on your person.

Help before things get that far

Rent-arrears, utility-arrears and eviction-prevention funds can pay off what you owe and stop the process. They exist in most municipalities in Canada and through emergency rental assistance and community action agencies in the U.S.

Legal clinics and tenant advice lines will review a notice for free. Many eviction notices are invalid on their face — wrong form, wrong dates, wrong reason.

Talk to the landlord in writing and propose a repayment schedule you can actually keep. A documented plan is evidence in your favour at a hearing.

The next steps after a bed

Ask the shelter for a housing worker on day one. They hold the applications for subsidised housing, rent supplements and rapid re-housing programs.

Get on every waiting list you are eligible for, even the long ones, and keep your contact details current — offers are commonly lost because an agency could not reach someone.

Keep copies of everything: the eviction notice, correspondence, income documents and identification. Each new program asks for the same paperwork.

Common questions

Who do I call if I have nowhere to sleep tonight?

Dial 211 in most of Canada and the United States — it connects you to shelter intake, cold or heat alerts and housing help in your area. Cities often also run a dedicated central intake line for shelter beds.

Do I need identification to enter a shelter?

Not to be admitted in an emergency. Bring whatever you have, because identification helps with the next steps like income support or housing applications, but a lack of it should not leave you outside.

Can I keep my family together in a shelter?

Family shelters exist specifically to keep households together. Say at intake that you are a family, and ask for a family placement rather than a single-adult shelter.

Is there help before I lose my home?

Yes, and it is far easier than re-housing. Eviction-prevention and rent-arrears funds exist in most provinces and states, often through municipal housing offices, community agencies or legal clinics. Call as soon as you receive a notice, not on the last day.

Official sources

If you are in immediate danger, call 911 or your local emergency number. Shelter availability changes hourly — the 211 lines above have the live picture.