City of Toronto: Shelter, Support and Housing Administration

Social housing in Toronto gets $220 million boost
A program jointly funded by Ottawa (part of the Economic Action Plan) and Queen’s Park (related to the Poverty Reduction Strategy) will give $220 million for much needed repairs and energy retrofits to Toronto social housing operators--$98 million in 2009-10 and another $121 million in 2010-11. Intended to help kick start the economy, the happiest people of all under the Social Housing Renovation and Retrofit Program may be the tenants who are seeing new money for much needed maintenance in the City’s social housing stock--1,200 projects in year one alone. These range from fridge, stove and hot water tank replacement, to improvements in surveillance and accessibility of units. The Social Housing Unit, which is managing the complex administration of this massive rollout, reports that the current year’s funds are almost all at work now. Read the current information report.

Housing is good medicine
The Ontario government is developing a long-term strategy for mental health and addiction services. An all-party Select Committee has been hearing from Ontarians for several months about ideas and strategies that should be included. Shelter, Support and Housing Administration recently provided input to represent the most vulnerable mentally ill and addicted people of all: those who are homeless and precariously housed. Main message: for these people, housing is the first medicine to consider. See full submission.

Electricity and tenants
In August 2009, the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) released an order invalidating any smart sub-metering installation in multi-unit rental buildings from November 3, 2005 onwards, and providing direction on what a landlord must do to re-introduce sub-metering to remove electricity as a service included in the rent and have tenants pay their electricity directly. The OEB recently decided that the order will not be reviewed, which means that it is final for the time being. This is a complex issue and City Council has made it clear that informed consent by tenants is necessary. Affected tenants should make sure they know their rights. Learn more

Your City can help
The City of Toronto offers many programs and services to help residents and businesses. These are even more important in times of economic uncertainty. We are improving our services to help Torontonians - especially seniors, youth and people looking for work. Many programs are available now and new or expanded services are included in the 2009 budget. If your housing situation is vulnerable because of the economic situation, be sure to check out new housing assistance programs and information under tenants and landlords on our Need Help pages.Go directly to information on the Rent Bank.

City Council strongly endorses housing plan for Toronto
City Council has strongly endorsed the Housing Opportunities Toronto (HOT) Action Plan 2010-2020, which was released in May following more than a year of consultations. HOT will help a cross-section of Torontonians, from people living on the street to seniors struggling to maintain and repair their own homes. It will serve as a road map to guide government investment, as well as public and private sector activity, while recognizing the limits of the City's financial resources. A first for a Canadian city, it also includes a housing charter. Learn about HOT.

New resources for collaborating with the business sector
Two new resources are now available to social service agencies looking to connect with the private sector. Collaborating with the Business Sector to End Homelessness in Toronto is a manual that outlines a six-step process for engaging with businesses. It provides solid examples of successful partnerships. Ending Homelessness is Good Business is a four-page brochure designed to be used by agencies when they approach businesses for funding and operational assistance. For more information, go to Strengthening Community Organizations Program.

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