5. PROGRAM DELIVERY

Benefits under the COHB program will be delivered consistent with, but with appropriate modifications to, Housing Services the PHB Framework set out in Schedule 4.1 of Ontario Regulation 367/11 under the Act, 2011. This will provide a number of benefits, including:

• Ensuring a similar calculation of the benefit across the province and a consistent programmatic approach, while being responsive to local conditions;
• Enabling households to retain in-year increases in income; and
• Allowing applicants to live in communities that best suit their needs (e.g., education, child care, employment opportunities, community engagement).

5.1 Application Process

1. The Service Manager provides COHB program information to households it has identified and determined are eligible, including:

• The criteria for assessing the initial and continued eligibility of an applicant for the COHB program;
• The method used in calculating the benefit at the time of application, for annual renewals and for in-year reassessments;
• How RGI assistance would be calculated if the household received an offer of RGI assistance;
• The effect of the receipt of a COHB benefit or RGI assistance on social assistance payments that a member of the household is receiving or is entitled to receive under Ontario Works or the Ontario Disability Support Program; and
• Advising the applicant that they may be contacted by MOF to provide and receive additional information on the benefit.

To support the applicant’s informed consent and decision to apply to the COHB program, the Service Manager must include in this communication any support persons that the applicant requests and consents to being involved.

2. The Service Manager provides a COHB program application form to an interested eligible applicant.

“Service Manager Use Only” section of the application form and 3. The Service Manager completes the assists the applicant with the completion of the application form and applicable schedules.

4. The Service Manager will determine household net income and adjusted family net income (AFNI) for applicants, and complete the Schedule 2 form (Income Tax Filing Exemption), if:

• The household has not filed the required income tax return(s) in the previous calendar year; or
• The most recent income tax return(s) does not reflect the household's current financial circumstances.

See 6.6 “Exemption from Automated Income Verification” on page 14 for details on this process.