By Staff
September 12, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
How does a person with a serious housing needs get to take part in the $876,000 of new funding under the Survivors of Domestic Violence Portable Housing Benefit Pilot program?
The provincial government selected Halton, which includes Burlington, Oakville, Milton and Halton Hills, as one of 22 communities across the province to test the pilot.
Currently, survivors of domestic violence are given priority access to rent-geared-to-income social housing. The problem with this approach is that there just isn’t enough affordable housing available.
Women’s issues have always been front and centre for Eleanor McMahon – she was a champion of the pilot project that is now in place for Burlington.
Under the new pilot, those people approved under the Special Priority Policy will have the option of receiving “a portable housing benefit” which basically means cash they can use to find housing in their community immediately instead of waiting for a social housing unit to become available.
Based on the outcomes of the pilot, Ontario will consider ways to enhance the program and extend the portable housing benefit to other communities.
Burlington MPP and Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, Eleanor McMahon points out that Halton Women’s Place has seen the number of clients served annually decrease, not because fewer families are experiencing violence, but because women are forced to stay in shelter for longer periods of time, which reduces access to people who need to find shelter to get away from abusive relationships.
Last year, 1126 families were referred elsewhere because shelter facilities were at or over capacity.”
McMahon says “This pilot program is an important step in helping to ensure that survivors fleeing domestic violence can quickly obtain affordable and adequate housing of their choice in Burlington and Halton.”
So – where does one go for help through the pilot program?
Employment Housing & Social Services Division: 690 Dorval Drive, 7th Floor, Oakville, ON L6K 3X9 Tel: (905) 825-6000 or Toll Free: 1-866-442-5866
Staff at the Region are supportive and patient
This initiative also supports the Ontario government’s goals of ending violence against women and providing better supports for survivors which includes the government’s It’s Never Okay: Action Plan to Stop Sexual Violence and Harassment.
