Item No. 7.2

Council Report: S 73/2020

Subject: Implementation of the Windsor Essex Housing Benefit (WEHB) and the Canada Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB) - City Wide

Reference:

• Date to Council: 6/3/2020
• Author: Tina Moore
• Coordinator of Housing Development and Administration
• 519-255-5200 x 5153
• tmoore@citywindsor.ca

• Jolayne Susko
• Coordinator, Housing Administration and Policy
• 519-255-5200 x 6278
• jsusko@citywindsor.on.ca
• Housing and Children's Services
• Report Date: 5/14/2020
• Clerk's File #: SS/11710

To: Mayor and Members of City Council

Recommendation:

Recommendation: THAT this report from the Executive Director of Housing and Children’s Services regarding the implementation of the Canada Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB) and the Windsor Essex Housing Benefit (WEHB) BE RECEIVED FOR INFORMATION.

Executive Summary:

Background:

Background: The City of Windsor is the Service Manager with respect to Social Housing for the City of Windsor and the County of Essex. As legislated in the Housing Services Act 2011, the City must ensure that rent-geared to income (RGI) assistance is provided in Windsor/Essex for a minimum number of units/service level for which the income of the tenant is not greater than the “Household Income Limit (HIL)” prescribed in legislation. The cost of Social Housing is shared with the County of Essex using the arbitrated weighted assessment formula.

Municipal Housing Benefit

In September of 2017, the Province announced new provisions under the Housing Services Act (HSA) providing Service Managers the ability to offer a municipal housing benefit as an alternative to RGI assistance. Unlike RGI assistance, a municipal housing benefit is paid directly to the household and is not tied to a specific tenancy or unit. A recipient of a municipal housing benefit can apply the benefit towards the cost of any market rent unit in the Windsor Essex service area.