York Region homeless shelters receive $10.7M to help fight COVID-19

Newmarkettoday.ca
March 22, 2021

The Ontario government is providing $10,769,029 to help the Regional Municipality of York respond to an increase in COVID-19 cases in some emergency shelters and help keep vulnerable people safe. The new funding will protect homeless shelter staff and residents, and help prevent more people from becoming homeless.

“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, our local service providers in York Region have been working closely with local homeless and emergency shelters to provide critical services to some of our most vulnerable community members,” said Christine Elliott, MPP for Newmarket-Aurora. “Today’s announcement of over $10.7 million for York Region will help support these efforts and help protect shelter residents and staff against COVID-19.”

“Throughout the COVID-19 global pandemic the health, safety and well-being of all residents has been the top priority of York Regional council,” said York Region chairman and CEO Wayne Emmerson. “Thanks to the provincial government’s continued support, York Region is able to ensure appropriate measures are in place in our emergency shelters to keep our most vulnerable residents and those who support them safe and healthy.”

Today’s announcement is part of the province’s additional $255 million investment through the Social Services Relief Fund. Municipal service managers and Indigenous program partners can use the funding to acquire motel and hotel spaces to support physical distancing of shelter residents, hire more shelter staff, purchase personal protective equipment (PPE) and cleaning supplies, and add to rent and utility banks to prevent more people from becoming homeless.

“Our government is once again taking immediate action to save lives by responding to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in some emergency shelters across the province,” said Steve Clark, minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “This investment will ensure our municipal service managers can keep vulnerable people and shelter workers safe by providing them with the financial ability to take any means necessary to stop the spread of COVID-19 in shelter spaces.”

Under the Social Services Relief Fund, Ontario has provided $765 million to help service managers and Indigenous program partners support shelters, create longer-term housing solutions and help vulnerable Ontarians affected by COVID-19, including those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.