Ontario Investing in Additional Supports for People Experiencing Homelessness in the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville

New Homelessness Prevention Program Helping Break the Cycle of Home Insecurity

March 18, 2022

BROCKVILLE — The Ontario government is investing an additional $25 million annually in a new Homelessness Prevention Program to help more people experiencing or at risk of homelessness find the right housing services and other supports. The new program will simplify and streamline operations so municipal service managers can spend less time on paperwork and more time working with their clients to help find housing and other supports, and help those at-risk of homelessness stay in their homes. The additional funding brings Ontario’s total annual investment in the program to close to $464 million – almost half a billion dollars.

“Our government inherited a homelessness prevention system administered through several different government programs that was underfunded, fragmented and overly complex,” said Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and MPP for Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes. “With Ontario’s new Homelessness Prevention Program, we are simplifying the delivery of services and increasing funding, including here in Leeds-Grenville, so our service providers can spend more time focusing on providing vulnerable Ontarians with the supports they need to stay in their homes or get the housing they need.”

This includes $1,592,300 to the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, which is a $177,333 increase over 2021-22:

The Cooperative Care Centre, formerly known as the Warming Centre, provides a safe and secure place where those experiencing homelessness can stay warm or cool overnight. In 2021-22, the province invested $132,000 to the Cooperative Care Centre. Through the new Homelessness Prevention Program, there is a planned increase of $368,000 to support the Cooperative Care Centre.
Connect Youth offers a wide range of services for youth who are currently experiencing or at risk of homelessness in Leeds and Grenville, including intensive case management, life skills education, referrals to community agencies and assistance with searching for long term housing, and community outreach. In 2021-22, the province provided $103,000 to Connect Youth. Through the new Homelessness Prevention Program, there is a planned increase of $207,000 to support Connect Youth.

The Homelessness Prevention Program launches on April 1, 2022, combines three programs: Community Homelessness Prevention Initiative, Home for Good, and the Strong Communities Rent Supplement Program. It will give service managers more flexibility to target funding where it is needed the most and allow for greater financial accountability by measuring service managers’ progress in reducing and preventing homelessness in their communities.

Access to this funding will be based on having in place a By-Name List that meets the provincial requirements and contains detailed, up-to-date information from individuals experiencing homelessness to help connect them to local supports.

The shortage of housing supply impacts all Ontarians, no matter their background or budget. The province’s ongoing work to increase the supply of market housing complements historic investments to increase the supply of supportive and affordable housing for the most vulnerable. As part of the consultations through the Community Housing Renewal Strategy, the government is working with service managers and housing providers to make community housing more efficient and sustainable – helping to protect essential community housing stock and ensure Ontario’s most vulnerable people remain housed.

QUICK FACTS

The Cooperative Care Centre, formerly known as the Warming Centre, is located at 1805 County Road 2 in Brockville. It is open seven nights a week and can accommodate up to 14 people per night.

Connect Youth operates 5 transitional apartments for youth ages 16-24 with units located in Prescott, Spencerville, Kemptville and two locations in Brockville

On top of Ontario’s $464 million investment in the Homelessness Prevention Program, the government is also investing an additional $6.7 million in the Indigenous Supportive Housing Program, bringing the total annual investment to $30 million.

Social Services Relief Fund (SSRF) – one of the biggest investments the province has made in affordable housing and homelessness supports in Ontario’s history. Thanks to Ontario’s SSRF, the government is helping to create approximately 1,200 new supportive housing units.

Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness with up to $600,000 in 2022-23 to deliver by-name list training and implementation support related to HPP.

The Homelessness Prevention Program is a direct response to feedback from the 2020-21 Supportive Housing Consultation. The changes made through the creation of the new program address recommendations in the Auditor General’s 2021 value-for-money audit on homelessness, although development of the program was already underway before the audit was published.

MEDIA CONTACT

Erin Merkley

Constituency Assistant

erin.merkley@pc.ola.org

Group photo details: Cooperative Care Centre Director Shane Melcher, at left, showing Minister Steve Clark the women’s room. Also shown is Westport Mayor Robin Jones.