County Warden Chris White took an unusual step of reading a prepared statement of cause and effect for the poor during the report on social services on Nov. 24.
He was explaining thinking behind that committee’s recommendation to supply rent subsidies to needy families rather than building more social housing – something he acknowledged is also in desperate need of an increase.
White said, “Approximately 70% of the individuals currently receiving the housing allowance are on Ontario Works or [the Ontario disabilities support program], or with the remaining 30% identified as the working poor. These individuals are the most marginalized and vulnerable of the population we service and it is important to note normally cannot afford to live in affordable housing units as the rent and utilities are too expensive and they would be at high risk of being homeless.”
He cited the impact on one family a single mother of two who is receiving Ontario Works payments.
“The family receives $627 per month for rent, heat, and hydro and $344 for basic needs as well as $184 from the Ontario child benefit.
“The average market rent for a two bedroom unit is $863 per month plus the individual has to pay utilities on top of that. Therefore, with the housing allowance and the shelter allowance the family does not have to use their basic needs or Ontario child benefit to offset the rent.
“However, without the housing allowance, this family would have to use $236 of their basic living allowance or Ontario child benefit to pay the rent, leaving the family with $292 to pay for food, utilities clothing, transportation, etc. for the rest of the month, for three people. If the family cannot live on this amount of money and falls behind in it rent, they will ultimately be evicted ad have to turn to family or friends or a shelter for short term living arrangements.”
White added, “If the family goes to a shelter, which has a maximum stay of one month, the county pays the shelter $4,257 for the family of three … The family is no longer in receipt of Ontario Works as the shelter is being paid for them, so the family would lose benefit coverage they were getting from Ontario Works.
“Therefore, by not providing the $250 housing allowance to this family, the overall system is spending approximately $2,852 for short term shelter for a single mother and her two children. The impact on the family is tremendous as the family no longer has a place to live, the children have had to leave their neighbourhood and move to another location, changing schools, friends and being placed in an unstable housing environment.”
He added, “Mom will not longer participate in attending school or looking for employment as her main concern will be to find a home for her children. Often the families are split with the children going to live with different family members or friends, and separated from their mother – and often each other.
“If the mother cannot find friends to help and is at the end of her stay at the shelter, they will be forced to move again to another area to access they shelters there or her children will be placed in a foster home until the mother can find suitable living arrangements.”
White said he is hearing from community members and agencies people are having to turn to shelters because there is no affordable housing and they are on a waiting list.
“For some, shelters are becoming more than an emergency, short term solution.”
He noted the definition of affordable housing, 20% below market cost, is still not affordable to many people.
White concluded there are numerous problems for the most vulnerable in society and the best solution is “continue rent subsidies.”
