County releases report on 10-year homelessness strategy

NEWS RELEASE
SIMCOE COUNTY
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MIDHURST – The County of Simcoe has released its tenth annual report card, Housing Our Future: 2023 Annual Report, to measure and evaluate the implementation of recommendations contained in Our Community 10-Year Affordable Housing and Homelessness Prevention Strategy.

The strategy set a minimum goal of 2,685 new affordable housing units between 2014 and 2024. As previously communicated, the County not only met, but exceeded that goal, one year ahead of schedule. However, work and investments continued in 2023. As of December 31, 2023, 3,250 new affordable homes had been created across the region since 2014, with more in the process of being built across the region, including larger builds in Orillia (open in 2024), Bradford West Gwillimbury (now accepting applications), and in Barrie (expected to open in 2026/2027). The report also highlights other targets and goals achieved as part of the larger 10-Year Strategy.

“We continue to impact the lives of residents with each new unit and investment in affordable housing,” said Warden Basil Clarke. “As we officially close out our previous 10-year plan, our Council and staff are committed to having an even stronger and bolder 10-year affordable housing strategy to present in the coming months that will continue building up the lives of our residents and starting new stories of homes, lives, and hope.”

Highlights of Housing Our Future: 2023 Annual Report

• Creation of 475 new affordable housing spaces in 2023, contributing to the overall total of 3,250 new housing spaces created since the inception of the strategy in 2014, which exceeded the original target of 2,685 new affordable units by 2024
  • Affordable housing spaces created since 2014 include:
    • An additional 1,478 new government-funded Rent Supplements and housing allowances delivered
    • 141 new affordable homeownerships through the County’s Affordable Homeownership Program and by community partners including Habitat for Humanity and OAHS
    • 243 government-funded secondary suites through programs like the County of Simcoe’s Secondary Suites Program, which provides forgivable loans to eligible individuals creating affordable secondary suites in their home
    • 804 unfunded secondary suites (unfunded second suites not deemed affordable as of 2022 based on market survey. Previously, a discount rate was applied to reflect affordability levels, e.g. 25% of units created deemed affordable based on data at the time)
    • Built 485 new units in affordable rental developments
    • Created 99 new units in supportive housing developments
• Distribution of $1.4 million in rent supplement/housing allowance subsidies, including 409 new households housed in 2023, contributing to the total of 1,478 households made affordable through rent supplements through 2014
• Distribution of $130,790 in affordable homeownership down-payment supports – through this program, 141 households have been housed since 2014 with affordable homeownership down-payments
• Direct funding of $650,000 under the Municipal Secondary Suites program, creating an additional 25 affordable secondary suites toward the total of 243 new units since the onset of the strategy
• Distribution of an additional $250,000 to address urgent home repairs through the Ontario Renovates Program, contributing to the total of 362 units supported with urgent home repairs and/or accessibility modifications
• Provided $534,635 in Housing Retention Program for eviction prevention
• Continued progress on large affordable housing construction projects, including 130 units in Orillia (which welcomed its first residents earlier this year), 50 units in Bradford West-Gwillimbury (now accepting applications), and solidified plans to build 215 units at what will be the County’s largest affordable housing investment to date at the County’s Rose Street location in Barrie
• Celebrated the official opening of the County’s creation of 14 units of supportive housing at 77 Tiffin Street in Barrie for people experiencing mental health and addiction challenges, persons with disabilities, as well as those experiencing homelessness, with the Busby Centre and the Elizabeth Fry Society providing support services, supported by $2.5 million from the Government of Ontario’s Social Services Relief Fund (SSRF)
• As of December 31, 2023, the total number of applicants on the Centralized Waitlist was 4,696, a decrease of 3.7% over the waitlist reported in 2022
• 132 households assisted with transitional housing
• 144 individuals supported by the County of Simcoe’s Domiciliary Care Program
• 29 individuals supported by the Seniors at Home Program
• 206 households assisted with Housing First

Funding for the affordable housing strategy comes from a variety of sources, including the County of Simcoe, the cities of Barrie and Orillia, and governments of Canada and Ontario.

The County’s strategy will continue to focus on supporting residents through maximizing funding, achieving targets, and working with area partners to create affordable housing units for residents across the County. More information on this can be found at simcoe.ca/ourahhps.

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