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Local 'encampment to housing' funding 3rd-lowest in Ontario

Nipissing District missed out while other northern centres were awarded HART Hubs and our northern neighbours received much higher allocations of shelter and encampment cash in the funding frenzy that preceded election campaigning
Stu Campaigne
Stu Campaigne
2020 11 26 Tent City Hall 3 (Campaigne)
A 2020 file photo of an encampment outside North Bay City Hall, home to the main offices of the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board.Stu Campaigne/Village Media

Earlier this week, the Ontario government earmarked up to $75.5 million to 37 communities across the province to create more emergency shelter spaces and affordable housing units to provide vulnerable Ontarians with appropriate short-term and long-term housing alternatives to encampments.

Funding for the projects from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing will flow through municipal service managers and Indigenous program administrators working in communities across the province.

At $94,300, the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board received the third-lowest funding allotment, ranking 35th. Topping the funding list was the Regional Municipality of Waterloo with $5.94 million, the Regional Municipality of York with $5.39 million, and the Regional Municipality of Durham at $4.72 million.

Northern communities receiving funding:

  • Thunder Bay District Social Services Administration Board $3.97 million
  • Kenora District Social Services Administration Board $3.26 million
  • Cochrane District Social Services Administration Board $3.19 million
  • City of Greater Sudbury $2.66 million
  • Algoma District Social Services Administration Board $1.21 million
  • Sault Ste. Marie District Social Services Administration Board $301,100
  • District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board $94,300

"Unfortunately," said freshly-acclaimed DNSSAB Board Chair Mark King in his first remarks of the new term on Jan. 29, "funding through the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing was unsuccessful.

"These processes are extremely competitive, with a large number of applications. Despite this, DNSSAB will continue to advocate at both the provincial and federal level for a greater allocation of funding to support those most vulnerable in our district."

King thanked DNSSAB staff for their efforts with the applications, adding, "Hopefully we'll have better results going forward."

A funding condition directs service managers and program administrators to report back to the province on the number of people moved from encampments into new accommodations, according to a media release from Municipal Affairs and Housing issued Jan. 27. Spending plans must also be submitted to the MMAH for "review and approval, to ensure the province's $700 million yearly investment in the Homelessness Prevention Program and Indigenous Supportive Housing Program is being used effectively and in line with the shared provincial and municipal goal of ending encampments by providing safe and stable housing for people at risk of homelessness."

Asked for clarification on the funding formula, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing responded, "Allocations for the service managers were determined based on their unique local needs and conditions. This includes regions with significant numbers of encampments and/or population sizes in encampments. This funding will support individuals transitioning from encampments to stable housing.

"Regional differences were considered to ensure funding distribution and adjustments were made for regions with limited shelter capacity or other constraints."

No HART Hub in Nipissing District

See related: Mayor Chirico 'hopeful' for HART Hubs in 5 major northern cities

"The NOLUM group is asking the provincial government for five HART sites in the major cities in Northern Ontario," Mayor Peter Chirico, also a DNSSAB Board member, confirmed on Dec. 6, 2024. "Not just pick one or two, we want all five."

On Jan. 27, the Ontario government announced the approval of 18 more Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hubs, joining 9 HART Hubs approved earlier this year to help "create safer communities and support people struggling with addiction and mental health issues.

See also: Sault Ste. Marie getting two HART hubs

"Nipissing was unsuccessful in securing HART Hub funding," noted King during the DNSSAB meeting. "We will continue to advocate for the importance of adequately funding homelessness and housing initiatives."

The original nine HART Hubs will be in Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton, Kitchener, Guelph and Thunder Bay. The 18 new approved HART Hubs will be located in:

  • Fourcast – Four Counties Addictions Services Team (Peterborough)
  • CMHA Peel Dufferin (Brampton)
  • Health Sciences North/ Horizon Santé Nord (Greater Sudbury)
  • The HART of Simcoe (Barrie)
  • Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare (Windsor)
  • CMHA Hastings and Prince Edward County (Belleville)
  • Durham Community Health Centre (Oshawa)
  • CMHA Thames Valley (London)
  • CMHA Algoma (Sault Ste. Marie)
  • Services and Housing in Province (Dufferin County)
  • Lanark, Leeds and Grenville Addictions and Mental Health (Lanark, Leeds and Grenville)
  • Oxford Ontario Health Team (Oxford County)
  • County of Renfrew (Renfrew County)
  • Gateway of Niagara (Niagara)
  • CMHA Lambton Kent Sarnia (Sarnia)
  • Pinecrest Queensway Community Health Centre (Ottawa)
  • Kenora Chiefs Advisory (Kenora)
  • Maamwesying (Sault Ste. Marie)

See: Sudbury to get funding for a HART Hub for homelessness, addictions

Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli has hinted a HART Hub-like operation could rise from the ashes of the failed Canadore College addictions centre on Lakeshore Drive, only at a different location. That announcement will have to wait until after the election.

According to a media release issued by the Ontario Ministry of Health, the "new Hubs are part of the province’s plan to support safer communities by investing $529 million to create a total of 27 HART Hubs across the province while also banning drug injection sites from operating within 200 metres of schools and licensed child-care centres."

And: Timmins not on list of approved HART Hubs

The 18 new HART Hubs locations were chosen as a result of a provincewide call for proposals last summer. All HART Hubs will have the goal of being operational by April 1. Earlier this year, the province announced that nine drug injection sites in Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton, Kitchener, Guelph and Thunder Bay are required to close due to being located within 200 metres of a school or licensed child-care centre have been approved for transition to a HART Hub. This brings the total number of HART Hubs across the province to 27.

"Our government is helping more people get the treatment and support they need, when and where they need it, by taking the next step to improve access to mental health and addictions services,” said Minister of Health Sylvia Jones. “Our investment to create a total of 27 new HART Hubs will keep communities safe and ensure timely and comprehensive access to mental health support, addictions care, primary care, supportive housing, and employment services, no matter where you live.”

HART Hubs, similar to existing hub models in Ontario, including two in London, that have successfully provided people with care, will reflect regional priorities by connecting people with complex needs to comprehensive treatment and preventative services. These include a range of services to meet local needs such as primary care, mental health services, addictions care, social services and employment support. HART Hubs will also add an estimated 540 highly supportive housing units across all 27 HART Hubs, in addition to addiction recovery and treatment beds, helping thousands of people each year transition to more stable long-term housing.

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