WELLINGTON COUNTY – The County of Wellington will receive more than $2 million from a third round of social services relief funding announced on Dec. 15.
The Ontario government is allocating an additional $120 million “to help municipalities and Indigenous community partners protect the health and safety of vulnerable people during COVID-19,” provincial officials state.
This investment builds upon the second phase of social services relief funding announced this fall and brings the government’s total allocation to $510 million.
“Our government is responding to the ongoing challenges of the pandemic by targeting $120 million of the Social Services Relief Fund to where it is needed most,” said minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark.
“This additional funding will help our community partners respond to local housing pressures and help vulnerable Ontarians find – and keep – the housing they need.”
The County of Wellington, which also administers social services for the City of Guelph, will receive $2,074,700 from the latest allocation, bringing its total for all three phases of the funding to $5,371,567.
The province says municipalities and Indigenous community partners can use the discretionary funding to improve the delivery of critical services, protect homeless shelter staff and residents, renovate and purchase facilities to create longer-term housing solutions, add to rent banks and support plans to prepare for potential future outbreaks and/or emergencies.
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, which aims to help municipalities protect the health and well-being of the residents while delivering critical public services.
In March, Ontario launched the Social Services Relief Fund with an initial allocation of $148 million. Wellington County received about $1.3 million from that initial allocation.
In October, over $241 million was allocated to municipalities and Indigenous community partners to help improve shelters and create opportunities for longer-term housing.
Wellington’s share of the second phase funding was just under $2 million.
