Provincial investment will support youth experiencing homelessness in the community
Oshawa — The Ontario government is providing over $4.9 million to help create 26 supportive housing units in Oshawa that will support youth experiencing homelessness. Located at 357 Simcoe Street South, the two-storey converted school building will include studio apartments, as well as four accessible units. It will also have a community centre on the main floor. Residents will have access to laundry facilities, shared common space, and storage lockers. The building will be energy efficient and accessible, with an elevator and wide hallways.
The funding was announced by Paul Calandra, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “Our government’s housing plan is designed to ensure that all Ontarians have a safe place to call home, and that includes supporting our most vulnerable residents,” said Minister Calandra. “Supportive housing not only provides people in need with a roof over their head, it also connects them to services that can give them an opportunity for a better life. That is why this funding is such a key part of our government’s work to tackle the housing crisis.”
Residents will be close to schools, grocery stores, transit, and employment opportunities. In addition, other community organizations will be invited to provide services on site. Today’s announcement is part of the province’s Social Services Relief Fund, which has provided over $1.2 billion of support throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, to help municipal service managers and Indigenous program administrators create longer-term housing solutions and help vulnerable people in Ontario, including those who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness.
The Ontario government is also investing an additional $202 million each year in homelessness prevention programs – the Homelessness Prevention Program and Indigenous Supportive Housing Program – bringing Ontario’s total yearly investment to close to $700 million. This includes an increase of $7 million over the next three years through the Homelessness Prevention Program for Durham Region, bringing the total to nearly $19 million annually.