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20 1 6 WA I T I NG L I S T S S URV E Y R E POR T
17.
The priorities in the LTAHS reflect a commitment to increasing housing stability for a number of groups including youth, Indigenous Peoples, the
chronically homeless, and individuals exiting provincial institutions through the development of a Supportive Housing Policy Framework, an Indig-
enous Housing Strategy, and increased funding for the Community Homelessness Prevention Initiative and the Investment in Affordable Housing
Program.
move into a specific rental unit, households
would receive a benefit directly which would
help them to afford the housing of their
choice, in the community in which they would
like to live. Eligible households could use the
benefit to rent a unit in the private market
or in non-profit and co-operative housing,
and would be able to move
between units, as their
needs change, without losing
their financial assistance.
The LTAHS also includes a
commitment to changing
the way in which housing
waiting lists operate and
the types of assistance
they connect applicants to.
A new waiting list system
would not only include other forms of financial
assistance beyond RGI, but also referrals
to non-financial support services that help
applicants succeed when they move into
their new homes. These changes reflect the
Province’s commitment helping households
achieve stable, successful tenancies. But by
adding another layer of complexity to the
waiting lists, they make it even more difficult
to contrast and compare them at a provincial
level. As systems of housing assistance
become increasingly localized and unique, we
can no longer rely on data from RGI waiting
lists to generate province-wide conclusions
about housing need
or affordability.
The Ontario
Government’s
commitment to the
evolution of housing
assistance and belief
in the importance of
locally designed and
implemented solutions
are evident in the
LTAHS. The expansion of supportive housing
and commitment to developing best practices
through consultation with stakeholders signals
a renewed commitment to affordable rental
housing in Ontario
17
.
As systems of housing
assistance become
increasingly localized and
unique, we can no longer rely
on data from RGI waiting lists
to generate province-wide
conclusions about housing
need or affordability.