Date issued Effective date
August 16, 2018 Immediately

Applicability to Social Housing programs

The City Guideline is applicable to the programs for which there is an “X” in the table below.

Applicability Program
Housing Services Act, Part VII Housing Projects, Market and Rent-Geared-to-Income, Section 78 Housing Providers (formerly 110)

X

Housing Services Act, Part VII Housing Projects, 100% Rent-Geared-to-Income, Section 78 Housing Providers (formerly 110)
Federal Non-Profit Housing, Section 26/27
Federal Non-Profit Housing, Section 95
Rent Supplement Programs for Sections 26, 27, 95 and New Affordable Housing Providers
Toronto Community Housing Corporation

If your program is not checked in the Applicability column, this City Guideline does not apply.

About City Guidelines

Under the authority of the Housing Services Act, the City of Toronto, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration (SSHA) Division City Guidelines and Rent-Geared-to-Income (RGI) Manual are the authority for housing administration and RGI administration for social housing providers in the City of Toronto.

City Guidelines are the City of Toronto’s mandatory policies and procedures that social housing providers must follow. City Guidelines are most often issued when a Local Rule is established by the City of Toronto, the Rent-Geared-to-Income (RGI) manual is updated, or other relevant legislative changes or operational requirements occur. City Guidelines which impact RGI have been incorporated into the RGI Manual.

Please see www.toronto.ca/socialhousing for more information.

Background

The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing provides indices for costs and revenues used to calculate subsidies under the Housing Services Act, 2011 (HSA) on an annual basis. These are needed for the calculation of 2019 subsidies. This document provides a summary of these indices.

What you should know about Cost Factors

Cost factors are inflationary factors used to calculate:

  • the indexed Benchmark operating costs within the operating subsidy calculation; and
  • their capital replacement reserve fund allocations.

Housing providers must use the following cost factors when calculating their subsidies for fiscal years beginning in 2019.

Table 1 – 2017 Indices for Benchmark Costs for 100% RGI Non-Profit Projects

Item Index Description 2019 Index
Administration and maintenance Ontario CPI – All items 2.27%
Insurance Ontario CPI – Homeowner’s home and mortgage insurance sub-index 3.30%
Bad debt Ontario CPI – All items 2.27%
Electricity Ontario CPI – Electricity sub-index -10.91%
Water Ontario CPI – Water sub-index 5.10%
Natural gas Ontario CPI – Natural gas sub-index -2.75%
Oil and other fuel Ontario CPI – Oil and other fuel sub-index 21.22%
Capital reserves Ontario CPI – All items 2.27%

Actions required

Social housing provider RGI administrators (SHPs) must take the following actions:

  1. All 100% Rent-Geared-to-Income, Section 78 Housing Providers must use the indices indicated in Tables 1 to calculate the indicated benchmark costs items for fiscal years beginning in 2019.

Questions

If you have any questions, please contact your Housing Consultant or the HSS:

Housing Stability Services

Shelter, Support & Housing Administration

City of Toronto

Metro Hall, 55 John Street, 6th floor

Toronto, ON M5V 3C6

Telephone: 416-392-4126

Email: HSS@toronto.ca

Website: www.toronto.ca/socialhousing