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.

• 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.