On Wednesday, April 28, Council approved changes to the municipal housing benefit programs, which provides rent subsidies either directly to a landlord or as a housing allowance paid to a household. These programs are at capacity, and the approved changes will reallocate more than $2.3 million from other municipal housing programs and provincial funding programs, enabling the City to continue funding current recipients and take on new applicants.
The changes approved also include updating the City’s housing allowance framework to be consistent with current provincial housing benefits. With that change, new recipients of City housing benefits will be better able to afford the costs associated with securing and maintaining an affordable home in the private rental market.