Today we learned that DURHAM REGION is receiving $6.7M additional funding to help the most vulnerable.
Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing wrote the province “is committed to ensuring municipalities have the resources they need to keep their communities safe, and today’s funding will help our local partners deliver critical services, support vulnerable people, and unlock affordable housing in their communities.”
This is part of the $307 million the Province announced yesterday to help municipalities and Indigenous community partners deliver critical services, create longer-term housing solutions and keep people safe.
It is the second roll out of the $765 million dollars of Social Services Relief Funding (SSRF) announced in 2020- 2021, for a total support to communities of over $1 billion.
Yesterday's $307 million announcement includes $21 million of funding under the previously announced Canada-Ontario Community Housing Initiative (COCHI) that is being allocated to help support community housing.
"Community housing is housing owned and operated by non-profit housing corporations, housing co-operatives and municipal governments or district social services administration boards. These providers offer subsidized or low-end-of market rents – housing sometimes referred to as social housing and affordable housing."
QUESTION: as the Region has carriage of Social Services, how is this new $6.7M going to be allocated?
Also, where is the $10.3 million the Federal government provided to Durham Region 4 weeks ago going, which was earmarked, according to the press release: "to create an estimated 41 new affordable homes for individuals and families in Durham region through the Cities Stream under expanded Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI). These housing units will support Canadians who are in uncertain housing situations, experiencing or at risk of homelessness, or living in temporary shelters because of the pandemic."
Money in, but, money out is where?
In Oshawa with its alarming homelessness, mental health and drug addictions issues, it would be beneficial to learn what is the project/program selection process, specifically what are the locations in the Region lacking services, and the timeline and number of new housing units for the vulnerable being made available.
Some background links: Ontario News Release
news.ontario.ca/en/release/1000737/ontario-providing-more-support-to-communities-during-covid-19
AMO - the Association of Municipalities of Ontario - Backgrounder: Ontario's Housing and Homelessness Crisis and COVID-19 Recovery
"AMO will continue to highlight municipal priorities to guide provincial and federal investments, legislation, and other measures." For more information on AMO positions on housing and homelessness, please see Fixing the Housing Affordability Crisis: Municipal Recommendations for Housing in Ontario. https://www.amo.on.ca/.../FixingHousingAffordabilityCrisi...
"AMO also feels strongly about finding ways to simplify the more than 800 rules governing social assistance." AMO, municipal governments, and District Social Service Administration Boards (DSSABs), are working in partnership with the provincial government, by taking steps to implement a new vision for Social Assistance Recovery and Renewal. This will significantly realign the provincial and municipal delivery roles. AMO supports the proposed transformation and will co-design the new social assistance program to ensure conditions for success. AMO will be involved in the ongoing development of policy, regulation, and funding decisions to successfully implement the vision https://www.amo.on.ca/.../social-assistance-change...
Ontario’s Housing and Homelessness Crisis and COVID-19 Recovery Ontario’s Housing and Homelessness Crisis and COVID-19 Recovery
Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing wrote the province “is committed to ensuring municipalities have the resources they need to keep their communities safe, and today’s funding will help our local partners deliver critical services, support vulnerable people, and unlock affordable housing in their communities.”
This is part of the $307 million the Province announced yesterday to help municipalities and Indigenous community partners deliver critical services, create longer-term housing solutions and keep people safe.
It is the second roll out of the $765 million dollars of Social Services Relief Funding (SSRF) announced in 2020- 2021, for a total support to communities of over $1 billion.
Yesterday's $307 million announcement includes $21 million of funding under the previously announced Canada-Ontario Community Housing Initiative (COCHI) that is being allocated to help support community housing.
"Community housing is housing owned and operated by non-profit housing corporations, housing co-operatives and municipal governments or district social services administration boards. These providers offer subsidized or low-end-of market rents – housing sometimes referred to as social housing and affordable housing."
QUESTION: as the Region has carriage of Social Services, how is this new $6.7M going to be allocated?
Also, where is the $10.3 million the Federal government provided to Durham Region 4 weeks ago going, which was earmarked, according to the press release: "to create an estimated 41 new affordable homes for individuals and families in Durham region through the Cities Stream under expanded Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI). These housing units will support Canadians who are in uncertain housing situations, experiencing or at risk of homelessness, or living in temporary shelters because of the pandemic."
Money in, but, money out is where?
In Oshawa with its alarming homelessness, mental health and drug addictions issues, it would be beneficial to learn what is the project/program selection process, specifically what are the locations in the Region lacking services, and the timeline and number of new housing units for the vulnerable being made available.
Some background links: Ontario News Release
news.ontario.ca/en/release/1000737/ontario-providing-more-support-to-communities-during-covid-19
AMO - the Association of Municipalities of Ontario - Backgrounder: Ontario's Housing and Homelessness Crisis and COVID-19 Recovery
"AMO will continue to highlight municipal priorities to guide provincial and federal investments, legislation, and other measures." For more information on AMO positions on housing and homelessness, please see Fixing the Housing Affordability Crisis: Municipal Recommendations for Housing in Ontario. https://www.amo.on.ca/.../FixingHousingAffordabilityCrisi...
"AMO also feels strongly about finding ways to simplify the more than 800 rules governing social assistance." AMO, municipal governments, and District Social Service Administration Boards (DSSABs), are working in partnership with the provincial government, by taking steps to implement a new vision for Social Assistance Recovery and Renewal. This will significantly realign the provincial and municipal delivery roles. AMO supports the proposed transformation and will co-design the new social assistance program to ensure conditions for success. AMO will be involved in the ongoing development of policy, regulation, and funding decisions to successfully implement the vision https://www.amo.on.ca/.../social-assistance-change...
Ontario’s Housing and Homelessness Crisis and COVID-19 Recovery Ontario’s Housing and Homelessness Crisis and COVID-19 Recovery