2020-2021
Housing Programs
Parry Sound District Housing
Corporation
Homelessness & Integrated
Services
Esprit Place Women’s Shelter
www.psdssab.org
District of Parry Sound
Housing and Homelessness
Plan Report
Table of Contents
Letter from the Board Chair Page 2
Achievements Page 3
Enumeration Page 4
Housing Programs Page 5
Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB) Page 6
Parry Sound District Housing Corp. Page 7
Homelessness & Integrated Services (HIS) Page 8
Community Homelessness Prevention Initiative (CHPI) Page 9
Esprit Place Page 10
Golden Sunshine / Beaucrest Page 11
Positive Outcomes Page 12
Food Programs Page 13
Appendix Page 14
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On behalf of the District of Parry Sound Social Services Administration Board, I am pleased to
present our 2020-2021 Housing and Homelessness Annual Report.
Our communities have been faced with significant challenges as a result of COVID-19.
Accordingly, we had to expand and develop programs to address the needs of our vulnerable
population. Despite the upheaval that came with COVID-19, we have had the opportunity to
utilize funding that was released as part of the ‘Safe Restart’ program, specifically the Social
Services Relief Fund. We were able to financially support a number of community partners,
such as; food security, virtual connections for ongoing counselling and group sessions, and
programs that support youth, seniors and Indigenous groups.
A significant accomplishment in 2020-2021 was the development of temporary, short-term
housing for people experiencing homelessness in our district. We have rented 26 rooms
throughout the district at two hotels and have Homelessness Prevention staff working onsite.
We partnered with Community Mental Health Association, West Parry Sound Health Center,
Community Paramedicine, Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinics and the OPP to provide wraparound
supports.
As always, we will continue to rise to the challenges that are presented to us. I’d like to extend
a heartfelt thank you to all the staff and community partners in our district for continuing to
move forward in a positive direction while supporting the housing and homelessness issues that
we are facing.
Sincerely,
Mr. Rick Zanussi,
Board Chair
District of Parry Sound Social Services Administration Board
Housing & Homelessness Plan Annual Report
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Enumeration 2021
Enumeration was originally scheduled for 2020 but was put on hold by the Ministry,
partly due to COVID-19 restrictions and also to rethink the strategy for collecting the
data. For Enumeration 2021, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) has
introduced a By-Name List approach by using a Point-in-Time Count method. Our agency
is currently in the planning stages with an estimated Point-in-Time Count date sometime
this fall.
What is a Point-in-Time Count method?
A Point-in-Time Count is a count of sheltered and unsheltered homeless persons on a single
night. A Point-in-Time Count is intended to capture numbers and basic demographics of
persons experiencing homelessness at a single point in time.
What is a By-Name List?
A By-Name List is a real-time list of all people experiencing homelessness in our community. The
list will be created by conducting a Point-in-Time Count which includes collecting demographic
information about people experiencing homelessness using a set of 17 common questions that
align with the enumeration approach used by the federal Reaching Home Program.
By-Name Lists for people experiencing homelessness can help connect people to services and
can create a foundation for better service coordination. They provide a more standardized
approach for assessment and referral protocols to make sure clients are being matched to the
services they need.
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6
5
2
Number of Applications
Received: 72
Total Waitlist:
409
Number of
People Housed:
27
Rent
Supplement
17 households receive a rental supplement. Paying rent-geared-to
income rents in a private or non-profit market rental.
Housing
Allowance
30 households recieve a housing allowance of $225 monthly
through this Affordable Housing program.
Home
Ownership
13 households have maintained their Homeownership agreement. 2
have been discharged in the 2020 year.
Ontario
Renovates
92 households have maintained their Ontario Renovates
agreement. 4 have been discharged in the 2020 year.
Housing Programs 2020 Calendar Year
Social Housing Waitlist
Housing Assistance Programs
Special Priority Program (SPP)
Applications Received
Approved Applications
Approved
Applicants Housed
SPP applications are available for
people fleeing domestic violence
situations and victims & survivors
of human trafficking.
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Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB)
The Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB), a new funding program in 2020, provides a
Portable Housing Benefit to assist with rental costs. This provincially mandated benefit is
available to eligible priority groups who are on the Centralized Waitlist.
A Portable Housing Benefit is a monthly subsidy provided to low-income households to assist
with housing costs. This is tied to the household and can be used to help pay rent anywhere in
Ontario.
The COHB pays the difference between 30 per cent of the household income and the average
market rent in the area. For recipients of social assistance, the COHB will pay the difference
between the shelter allowance and the household rent and utilities costs.
The program is administered by the Province of Ontario and the benefit amount will be
reviewed every year.
If you receive a COHB, you must agree to be removed from the Centralized Waitlist as required
by Provincial program guidelines.
The Parry Sound DSSAB has secured the new COHB funding for 33 individuals or families
and exhausted our funding for the 2020 year. Beginning in March, 2021, we have received
additional funding for 6-8 more spots and are currently working to get those filled in the
coming months.
The Government of Ontario passed legislation to
freeze rent at 2020 levels. This means that rents
will not increase in 2021 for the vast majority of
rented units covered under the Residential
Tenancies Act. This includes all rent-geared-to-
income units and market rent units in community
housing, as well as any affordable housing units.
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Parry Sound District Housing Corp.
Tenant & Maintenance Services
2020 was a challenging year for Parry Sound Housing Corp. with staffing changes, retirement of
senior staff, and COVID-19. We had to make sure COVID restrictions and protocols were put in
place for all of our buildings across the district. Part of that was providing PPE to staff, tenants,
and custodians, increasing cleaning and sanitizing, closing public washrooms and common
rooms, self screening for tenants and more in depth screening for contractors coming into the
building, as well as information sharing and keeping tenants up to date in order to keep them
safe.
Wellness
As the pandemic brought things to a halt last year, the Paramedicine program
suspended it’s services for a while, so the Community Relations Workers
(CRW's) stepped up are making monthly phone calls to our tenants to check in
on their health & well-being. The CRW's offered community information
including where to access mental health services, food bank info, tax
information, etc. On average the CRW's are collectively making approximately
40 wellness checks per month.
The Paramedicine program resumed in both East & West Parry Sound late fall.
They currently visit 7 of our multi-unit buildings.
The CRW's assisted many of our most vulnerable tenants with the scheduling
and arranging of their COVID vaccinations including in some cases
transportation.
The CRW's continue to laisse with community partners on behalf of tenants who
need supports or extra services. They continue to work with programs and
agencies such as: The Friends, COAST, Community Mental Health, Community
Living Parry Sound & Almaguin Highlands Community Living, Ontario Public
Guardian & Trustee, Ontario Works, Ontario Disability Support Program,
Ontario Provincial Police, ORKIN, Home and Community Care Support Services,
and many other agencies and partners.
Maintenance
Between April 2020 and present the Maintenance department created 784
work orders for maintenance.
Tenant
Engagement
Instead of running in person workshops, our CRW's designed more newsletters
and ran contests to engage tenants and children. Our most recent was a
children’s colouring contest for spring along with a word search for adults. All
adult submissions were put into a draw for grocery gift cards and all children
received a Spring activity package put together by the CRW's.
The team is currently working on a Spring Dog Owner package for all tenants
who own dogs.
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The number of participants to Ontario Works and referrals to the Homelessness Program were
less than compared to previous years, however the clients had more complex challenges that
required more communication and coordination from staff.
(**Client numbers may be down as people may have applied for and received CERB/CRB-
although not truly eligible. This will be identified during the 2020/21 Tax Season)
In July of 2020 it was announced by the Ontario Government that a new funding option was to
be available called the Social Services Relief Fund (SSRF), as part of a COVID-19 Action Plan to
Protect Vulnerable Ontarians.
The DSSAB was able to use this SSRF funding to secure 18 rooms at the Midtown hotel in Parry
Sound, and 8 rooms at The Caswell Hotel in Sundridge, in January, 2021. These rooms are to
provide transitional housing options to clients as the housing market and COVID-19 pandemic
have made it even harder to find adequate and affordable housing options. They are currently
both at full capacity.
The Community Relations Workers (CRW’s) for HIS are now working on site at the hotels and
have established partnerships with CMHA, WPSHC NP clinics, Paramedicine, and OPP, to assist
in supporting the clients when needed.
Homelessness & Integrated Services (HIS) 2020/2021
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Total Participants Across the District
Homeless At Risk of Homelessness Seniors
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(Numbers below reflect the combined, unduplicated issuance from the Homelessness &
Integrated Services Program and Ontario Works)
*Other may include but not limited to; supports to obtaining housing, emergency home repair, food
and/or transportation etc.
10%
18%
18%
19%
35%
Top 5 Reasons for Issuance in 2020
Moving Expenses
Overnight Accomodations
Heating
Shelter Deposit/Arrears
Other
Community Homelessness Prevention Initiative (CHPI) 2020
People Experiencing Homelessness
Total Households Assisted: 88
People At-Risk of Homelessness
Total Households Assisted: 306
The Community Homelessness
Prevention Initiative (CHPI) provides
funding to support low income people,
and people on fixed incomes. CHPI
funding is used to help keep clients
housed or prevent homelessness.
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Family Resource Centre 2020
Abuse is never ok.
Asking for help is.
Our counsellors are on duty
and ready to help 24 hours a day.
1-800-461-1707.
View from the Inside:
282
Crisis
calls
821
Hours of
Direct
Service
66 Women
supported
in the
Outreach
Counselling
Program
39 Women
supported in
the
Transitional
Support
Program
123
Shelter
Intakes
21
Participants
in the
Childrens
Voices
Program
99
Intakes
were
women
24 were
children
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Golden Sunshine is a seniors building located at 325 Catherine Street, Powassan, ON. The
building is independent living for people who are 65 years of age and older. The units consist of
18 one bedroom and 2 two bedroom units. In 2020, they were able to update all exterior doors
including new screen doors with OPHI funding.
Beaucrest Update
Beaucrest is a 40 unit seniors building located at 21 Bowes Street in Parry Sound. OHPI funding
was also secured for Parry Sound Non-Profit Housing Corp. to update the windows at
Beaucrest. This project was to be completed in 2020, however, construction has been delayed
due to COVID. The hopes are that this project will be completed by the Fall, 2021.
Parry Sound District Housing Corporation 2020
Golden Sunshine Update
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Positive Outcomes Despite COVID-19
Esprit Place has been able to shift back to mandate at the
shelter. Due to lower capacity, only clients who are fleeing
violence or abuse currently are being admitted. This has allowed
staff to become reacquainted with the anti-violence work they
are actually meant for, while other programs have stepped up in
helping out those clients who don't fit the current mandate.
Housing Programs has had the opportunity to interact with
clients differently than before. Staff have been calling clients to
do waitlist updates which has reached quite a number of people
that they might not have otherwise. They have been able to do
wellness checks and share information at the same time as
updating their waitlist info. They have also adapted to a more
digitally friendly working environment which has allowed them
to be less paper based.
The HIS department was able to use the Social Services Relief
Fund to secure hotel rooms across the district for transitional
housing that was so desperately needed. Community
partnerships were also established which is key in providing
wrap around supports for our communities most vulnerable.
We have been adjusting to our 'new normal' and have made ongoing changes to our
practices ensuring that our staff, clients and community members are able to access our
services in a safe and appropriate manner. Even though it has been a challenging year, there
have been some positives.
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The Salvation Army Food Bank – 2020
2 or More
Night Hotel
Stay
15
Homeless
Served in
Food Bank
113
Emergency
Food Bags
66
Adults
Served
1755
Seniors
Served
147
Children
Served
932
Salvation Army
Rainbow County Church
Emergency Food Bank
61 Gibson Street
Parry Sound
705-746-5341
Tues - Fri 1-3 pm
*By appointment only
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Appendix A: Annual Reporting Template:
Reporting on the Progress of the Plan
Objectives
Outcomes
Measures
Targets
Annual Progress/
Achievements
To focus on creating
additional transitional units
within the District to assist
chronically homeless
people.
Increase transitional
housing including
supports.
Number of
transitional units
created per year.
Increase by one
unit per year.
One-year pilot
underway for the
“Hotel” project which
includes 25 total units:
18 West, 7 East
To work with Non-Profit
and private sector
developers to increase
market and affordable
homes within the District.
To improve access to
housing for people
across all levels of the
housing spectrum.
Number of market
and affordable
homes created per
year.
Create 10
affordable units
per year.
The NOAH project is
underway and will
house 25 Affordable
Units and 25 Market
Units.
To focus on building
stronger relationships with
our Indigenous
Communities.
To utilize COCHI funding to
support the sustainability of
our Indigenous Non-Profit
housing provider.
Working toward a
Memorandum of
Agreement to increase
partnerships,
coordinated access to
services with culturally
based services with
Indigenous Partners.
Number of
Indigenous rent-
geared-to-income
units supported by
COCHI.
Repair 5 units
through COCHI.
N/A
*PSDSSAB did not
receive COCHI in Year 1
or Year 2.
We will utilize Year 3
COCHI for
repairs/sustainability.
To provide Home
Ownership and Ontario
Renovates programs to
assist homeowners in
remaining in their homes &
supporting those looking to
enter the homeowner
market.
To assist with the high
cost of purchasing a
home & the costs
associated with aging
housing stock.
Number of
households
supported through
Home Ownership &
Ontario Renovates
programs.
Complete two
Home Ownership
agreements &
eight Ontario
Renovates
projects over five
years.
Due to COVID and rising
real estate market in
our district, Home
Ownership was not a
viable option for new
home owners. Currently
1 Ontario Renovates in
progress, with more
possibly coming soon.
OPHI funding was able
to provide funding to 3
Non-Profit housing
providers for repairs.
To continue to work toward
development of innovative
Housing First strategies in
an attempt to reduce
homelessness.
To continue rapid
rehousing & providing
the supports necessary
to achieve long-term
housing stability.
CHPI statistics
including number
of people housed.
Successful
interventions as
determined by
the number of
people housed.
The Homelessness
department has been
able to house 32
individuals or families.
To focus on the
development and
maintenance of
relationships with
community partners and
services across the District.
To continue to build and
maintain coordination
and communication
networks to further
support clients.
Ongoing
commitment to
participating in
networks.
Continuing active
participation in
community
networks.
Developed a newsletter
for HOME Network
group to update on the
year. Continue to
attend IMPACT
(Situation Table on a bi-
weekly basis).
Housing
Programs
Esprit Place
Women's
Shelter
Homelessness
& Integrated
Services
Parry Sound
District Housing
Corporation
“We are
committed to the
provision and
promotion of
services that
assist individuals
in attaining an
optimum quality
of life and that
contribute to the
well-being of the
community”
1 Beechwood Drive
Parry Sound, ON
P2A 1J2
www.psdssab.org