United Housing — Support New Non-Profit Housing in Perth and Huron

United Housing is Perth-Huron’s first non-profit housing organization dedicated to creating and sustaining mixed rental units.

Learn more about United Housing.

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Western Ontario Wardens’ Caucus / Ontario Big City Mayors — Solve the Crisis

The Solve the Crisis campaign asks the Government of Ontario to use its resources to solve the homelessness crisis, which cities have been facing without adequate support.

Add Your Voice

County of Huron — How We Grow

The How We Grow videos highlight the many types of housing being built to meet housing needs in Huron County.

County of Huron — New Community Housing

County of Huron is developing new affordable housing projects. This will be a major achievement for the community.

City of Stratford — Brittania Street Housing

City of Stratford has developed new affordable housing owned and operated by the city, a major achievement for the community.

Tell leaders you support more projects like this.

Invest Stratford – Let's be Neighbours

The Let’s be neighbours campaign provides concrete ways Stratford residents can support housing affordability.

City of Stratford – Grand Trunk Renewal

The redevelopment of the Grant Trunk site in downtown Stratford is a major opportunity to invest in housing affordability.

Support housing as a priority in the Grant Trunk Renewal.

City of Stratford – Official Plan Review

The update of Stratford’s Official Plan is a major opportunity to prioritize housing affordability.

Support housing as a priority in the Stratford Official Plan.

Perth County – Official Plan Review

The update of Perth County’s Official Plan is a major opportunity to prioritize housing affordability.

Support housing as a priority in the Perth County Official Plan.

• Funding for affordable housing
• Home buying incentives
• Housing benefits

Historically, the Government of Canada has been the largest funder of community housing in Canada, funding the construction of significant numbers of community housing units, especially in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Almost all of the rent-geared-to-income units in Perth and Huron date from this period.

In the 1990s, the federal government mostly stopped funding new community housing. Significant federal investment in community housing began again in 2017 through the National Housing Strategy.

The federal government raises funding for housing initiatives through taxes and deficit spending. Federal funding and incentives are generally provided through the Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation (CMHC). Funding is typically provided to provinces, although CMHC also provides funding directly to municipalities and to non-profit housing providers.

CMHC also sets many policies which affect housing markets, including rules about down payments and mortgages.

If you want to support the Government of Canada in making housing more affordable, you can reach out to your local MP.

Contact Your Representatives

• Funding for affordable housing
• Homelessness programs
• Housing benefits
• Landlord-tenant rules (rent controls, evictions, Landlord-Tenant Board)
• Social assistance rates (OW/ODSP)
• Supportive housing
• Zoning and planning

The Government of Ontario creates the rules, tools, and goals which municipalities use to plan for housing development and offer housing programs. This includes high-level rules on planning, heritage, municipal finance, environmental conservation, and building code.

The provincial government built and managed large numbers of community housing units particularly in the late 80s and early 90s, sometimes independently and sometimes funded by the Government of Canada.

In the 1990s, the provincial government mostly stopped funding new community housing. Responsibility for funding and managing housing programs was downloaded to municipalities in the late 90s. The Government of Ontario is still the primary funder of homelessness programs and supportive housing programs.

The provincial government raises money for housing initiatives through taxes and deficit spending. They provide loans and grants for municipalities and non-profit housing providers to develop community housing.

The province sets rates for income support programs like Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Program. It also funds the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit.

The provincial government sets the rules around rent controls, landlord-tenant disputes, and evictions.

If you want to support the Government of Ontario in making housing more affordable, you can reach out to your local MPP.

Contact Your Representatives

• Development approvals
• Funding for affordable housing
• Housing and homelessness program delivery
• Property taxes
• Zoning and planning

Municipalities in Ontario play a front-line role in delivering government housing programs. The province sets the “overall vision” and legal framework, and Municipal “Service Managers” develop plans and services according to local needs.

Municipalities are the main funders and operators of community housing programs. This is different from other provinces, where housing programs are centrally funded and operated by the province. It used to be that way in Ontario. That responsibility was “downloaded” to municipalities in the late 90s. The Government of Ontario is still the primary funder of homelessness programs and supportive housing programs.

Municipalities manage existing community housing built through different provincial and federal programs. In some cases, municipalities will build new community housing.

The powers of municipalities are entirely defined by the province, and they have limited abilities to raise money to build new community housing. Most of municipal revenue comes from property taxes.

Municipalities influence local housing supply through official plans, local zoning rules, and decisions on individual housing developments.

Municipalities also facilitate income support programs like Ontario Works, Ontario Disability Support Program, and the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit, and sometimes provide their own financial assistance related to housing.

If you want to support your municipality in making housing more affordable, you can reach out to your local representatives.

Contact Your Representatives

It’s important to recognize the difference between elected officials and government staff. Typically, elected officials make policy decisions and staff implement those decisions. If you want something about government to change, it’s important to share that with your elected officials first and foremost.