New Provincial Rent Bank and Energy Emergency Fund
The Province has announced one-time funding of $10 million to establish rent banks that will provide low-income tenants with short-term assistance to deal with rent arrears. In recent years, rent banks have been created in a number of Ontario communities, and have proven successful in reducing evictions.
As Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister John Gerretsen noted in making the announcement, "short-term arrears is the most common reason tenants lose their apartments and end up in shelters." Indeed, a large number of evictions result from arrears of less than $1,000.
Tenants will be able to apply for assistance from the rent bank once in a two-year period, and the maximum amount will be limited to two months of rental arrears. The provincial funding will be provided to Ontario's 47 Consolidated Municipal Service Managers - the local organizations established to administer social assistance, social housing and childcare. Service managers will determine how the program is administered, and the eligibility requirements, on a local basis.
In a related announcement, Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister John Gerretsen and Community and Social Services Minister, Sandra Pupatello announced the creation of a $2 million Energy Emergency Fund. The fund will allow low-income tenants one-time help to pay for arrears on energy bills, security deposits, or reconnection fees. The program will be administered by municipalities, and is expected to be operational by mid-summer. The announcement coincides with the introduction of new higher electricity rates. As of April 1st Ontario's price for electricity, which had been capped at 4.3 cents per kilowatt-hour, rose to 4.7 cents for the first 750 kilowatt-hours consumed in a month, and to 5.5 cents thereafter. The cost of natural gas is also forecast to increase sharply during the coming months.
For more information please visit:
http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/userfiles/HTML/nts_1_16649_1.html
orhttp://www.cfcs.gov.on.ca/CFCS/en/newsRoom/newsReleases/040329.htm
Source: United Ways of Ontario's Government Relations Bulletin - Issue dd April 30, 2004
Other news ...
Consultation
Launched on Rental Housing
Legislation to Curb Sixty-Hour Work Week
New Provincial Rent Bank and Energy Emergency Fund
Legislation to Allow Family Medical Leave
Report Finds Domestic Homicides Predictable and Preventable
Minimum Wage Workers and Low-paid Worker Mobility
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Page last updated April 30, 2004