St. Thomas

St. Thomas is a mid-sized city in Elgin County, about twenty minutes south of London, with a quiet, working-class feel shaped by its railway history and slow shift from manufacturing toward healthcare and logistics jobs. The average household income sits around $85,000, but that figure hides real gaps, since a sizable share of residents live on fixed incomes, disability support, or minimum wage work that doesn't stretch far once rent is paid. Elgin County's 2021 point-in-time count identified roughly 60 people experiencing homelessness, a number local workers say has climbed since, mirroring pressure felt across Southwestern Ontario. If you're here, Inn Out of the Cold runs an overnight shelter and warm meals during the colder months, and the Salvation Army St. Thomas has long offered food support, clothing, and emergency assistance. Second Stage Housing and the Elgin-St. Thomas community resources network can help connect you to longer-term housing options and basic supports if a shelter bed isn't what you need right now. None of this is easy, and you shouldn't have to carry it alone — people in this city do care, and there are doors here that will open for you.