When do these rules begin to apply?

The amendments to the regulation come into force on January 1, 2020.

The provincial rule on the refusal of offers begins to apply on a date chosen by the Service Manager that is no later than January 1, 2021 ~ or if no date is chosen, January 1, 2021.

Until the Service Manager implements the provincial rule on the refusal of offers, any local eligibility rule that was made by the Service Manager under section 39, as it read immediately before it was revoked, continues to apply.

Alt Service Managers are required to comply with the provincial rule on the refusal of offers by January 1, 2021.

Service Managers are required to make reasonable efforts to notify households of the provincial rule on the refusal of offers.

Service Managers must make reasonable efforts to notify households on the waiting list of the new provincial rule on the refusal of offers before the rule begins to apply.

What could be considered an extenuating circumstance?

Service Managers may determine that a househoid remains eligible for rent-geared-to-income assistance if the Service Manager is satisfied that there are extenuating circumstances. Exampies of potential extenuating circumstances could inctude situations where at the time of an offer from a Service Manager an appEicant is in the hospital, receiving treatment for addiction, or if an applicant is a survivor of domestic viotence or human trafficking and a preferred buitding is no longer safe due to the proximity of an abuser‘

How will the changes impact special priority applicants?

The provincial rule on refusal of offers would apply to alt applicants on centralized waiting lists, inctuding special priority applicants (SPP)? Service Managers have the discretion to consider extenuating circumstances and are encouraged to use their discretion to consider potential extenuating circumstances for special priority appiicants to ensure they are not negatively impacted. The ministry intends to devetop guidance material'in collaboration with partner ministries related to special priority applicants

Current regulatory provisions for SPP applicants remain in place, including the ability of SPP households to request to place their applications on hold (once) for up to one year and maintain their piace on the waiting list, if they are or will be living with the abusing individual (section 46, paragraph 9).

1 The Special Priority Policy (SPP) gives survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking priority access to RGi housing. Under Ontario Regulation 367/11 of the Housing Services Act, 2011, the prescribed provincial priority rules establish that a household in the SPP category has priority over other households seeking RGi assistance.