Ontario Helps Protect Most Vulnerable People in Huron-Bruce from COVID-19

Ontario Helps Protect Most Vulnerable People in Huron-Bruce

from COVID-19

MPP Thompson announces social services relief funding to support emergency shelters, homelessness prevention,

food provisions and rent relief

NEWS For immediate release October 23, 2020

Huron-Bruce – The Ontario government is providing municipalities and Indigenous community partners with over $241 million to help protect the province’s most vulnerable from COVID-19, including those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

Today, MPP Thompson announced that the County of Bruce will receive $680,190 and the County of Huron will be granted $360,589 in social services relief funding.

“Our government is investing in important projects like this to help protect our most vulnerable citizens from COVID-19,” said Thompson “We’re working hand in hand with our partners to make sure they have the tools and flexibility they need to keep people safe.”

She added, “I very much appreciate the leadership in both Huron and Bruce Counties and I am proud that our government continues to stand with them in support of their efforts.”

The provincial funding is part of the government’s $510 million investment to help protect the health and safety of the province’s most vulnerable people. Funding will be delivered through the Social Services Relief Fund and will go towards protecting and supporting homeless shelter staff and residents, creating or renovating over 1,500 housing units, expanding rent support programs and creating longer-term housing solutions.

“We know that our municipal and Indigenous partners are facing extraordinary challenges, which is why these significant investments are so important,” said Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Steve Clark. “Our investments are helping to build longer term solutions as well as meet ongoing, immediate needs related to COVID-19.”

The Social Services Relief Fund is part of the up to $4 billion being provided to Ontario municipalities under the federal-provincial Safe Restart Agreement. It will help municipalities protect the health and well-being of the people of Ontario while delivering critical public services, such as public transit and shelters, as the province continues down the path of economic recovery.

QUICK FACTS

In March, Ontario launched the Social Services Relief Fund with an initial $148 million investment to help protect the health and safety of the province’s most vulnerable people in response to the outbreak of COVID-19. In July, an additional $150 million was committed to help improve shelters and create opportunities for longer-term housing. In August, Ontario committed another $212 million in funding, bringing the government’s assistance to service managers and Indigenous program administrators to $510 million.
Ontario’s service managers and Indigenous program administrators help provide shelter or housing for those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, victims of domestic violence, and members of Indigenous communities who are in need.
In September, the Ontario government passed the Helping Tenants and Small Businesses Act, which freezes rent in 2021 for the vast majority of Ontario’s 1.7 million renters in both rent-controlled and non-rent-controlled residential units.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

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Media contacts:

Diane Foxton

[email protected]