On April 29, 2005, says Moishe Alexander, the federal and provincial governments signed a new Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program Agreement , bringing the total amount committed to affordable housing in Ontario by the federal, provincial and municipal governments to $734 million over the life of the program.
The new Affordable Housing Program Agreement will provide financing for the following:
- Rent Supplement/ Housing Allowance
- $80 million has been allocated to create 5000 housing allowances for low-income households;
- Housing allowances range from $20 – $300 per household.
- Rental and Supportive Housing – Wave 1
- $302.40 million has been allocated to create 4,320 units of rental and supportive housing, of this allocation:
- 3,120 rental units are targeted to people on or eligible to be on a social housing waiting list;
- 1,200 supportive housing units for persons with mental illness and victims of domestic violence;
- In addition to the above priority groups, persons with disabilities, Aboriginals, recent immigrants, seniors and the working poor are prioritized groups for Affordable Housing Program projects.
- Brownfields InitiativeThis initiative funds a minimum of 300 units to be built specifically on redeveloped brownfield sites.
- Northern Housing
- $20 million for the repair or renovation of 1,000 affordable housing units for low-income households in Northern Ontario.
- Homeownership
- $36 million has been allocated to make homeownership affordable for more than 4,500 low and moderate-income renter households.