The Ontario government has announced over $874,000 in funding for the City of Windsor to help people maintain or secure housing.
The funding announced Monday by Premier Doug Ford is part of a plan to add $42-million to a portable housing benefit, giving communities across the province funding to assist with rent expenses for at-risk populations and asylum claimants.
The premier says the money through the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit will help about 4,000 new households in Ontario, going toward keeping or moving more people into housing while also freeing up shelter space.
Kirk Whittal, executive director of Housing and Children's Services for the City of Windsor, says this program has been available to the local community since 2019.
"We already currently have 441 people that are using this program and what it does it help them with rent expenses to potentially help pay their rent. It's available to people who are eligible to be on centralized wait lists," he says.
There is currently over 7,500 households on the local Central Housing Registry wait list of which 500 have already applied for the program.
Whittal says the additional funding could help between 144 to 176 additional applicants.
"It's partly why we're excited because, once again, this is helping a good chunk of people that might be looking to have some help with their household rent and expenses," he says.
Whittal says anything that helps people maintain housing or get new housing is exciting for the community.
"This benefits the whole community and once again, I would just emphasize from our perspective, as long as you get yourself on that list you could be considered for this program. It might be a program that could benefit you," he adds.
The City of Toronto received over $26-million from the funding announcement as it struggles to accommodate a rise in refugee and asylum claimants in the Ontario capital.
As of Sept. 8, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) lists 643 asylum claimants being shelted between two hotels in Windsor.
The City of Windsor's Ontario Works Department continues to support all claimants who are receiving Ontario Works and living in Windsor-Essex County.
The asylum seekers were transported to Windsor in early 2023 as the federal government had to contend with an influx in asylum claimants, the majority intercepted at the Quebec and New York border, specifically at the irregular crossing at Roxham Road.
Click here and here to find more details on the program and how to apply for funding.