Ministry of Municipal Affairs
and Housing
Office of the Minister
777 Bay Street, 17th Floor
Toronto ON M7A 2J3
Tel.: 416 585-7000
August 16, 2021
Bruce Killah
Board Chair, Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB
210 Mead Boulevard
Espanola ON P5E 1R9
Dear Bruce Killah:
I am pleased to be writing to you today with important details regarding an additional investment of $307 million we are making available through the fourth and final phase of the province’s Social Services Relief Fund (SSRF) and through the Canada-Ontario Community Housing Initiative (COCHI).
As you know, protecting the health and well-being of Ontarians has always been our government’s number one priority throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. We have made several difficult decisions to safeguard Ontarians, including public health and workplace safety measures made in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health and other healthcare experts.
As well, we have announced multiple investments totalling $765 million to support Ontario’s Service Managers and Indigenous Program Administrators through three iterations of the province’s SSRF, and other provincial investments to support those suffering from mental health and addictions issues and to support isolation centre capacity in select municipalities. We know that this funding has been effective in supporting Service Managers and Indigenous Program Administrators to respond quickly, adapt services, and address the housing and economic impacts of COVID-19 in their communities.
Building on these investments, our government is pleased to announce an additional $307 million to Ontario’s municipal and Indigenous partners.
Under the fourth and final phase of the SSRF, $286.4 million will be provided in additional one-time operating and capital funding, bringing the government’s total SSRF investment to just over $1 billion. This final phase of SSRF funding will enable Service Managers and Indigenous Program Administrators to continue to support the vital services that were established to address the impacts of COVID-19 on vulnerable
Ontarians, while ensuring an orderly winddown of provincial supports as the SSRF comes to an end.
Under the “SSRF Phase 4”, I am pleased to confirm that the Manitoulin-Sudbury District Services Board will receive an additional $1,130,700 in provincial funding for the 202122 fiscal year.
Under the COCHI program, our government has also approved the release of up to an additional $21 million. This funding will support community housing providers across Ontario, including the state of repair of the legacy social housing stock.
Under COCHI, I am pleased to also announce an additional funding allocation in the amount of $84,100 to the Manitoulin-Sudbury District Services Board for the 2021-22 fiscal year.
This funding supports operating and capital expenses to mitigate the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the homelessness sector. Funding is to be used by Service Managers and Indigenous Program Administrators for eligible expenses (in accordance with the enclosed Social Services Relief Fund Phase 4 Program Guidelines) beginning April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022.
The objectives for SSRF Phase 4 as are follows:
Of the additional funding, Service Managers and Indigenous Program Administrators may also use up to three per cent of their allocation for program administration costs, consistent with the approach under the SSRF Phase 2 and 3.
This amendment forms part of your Community Homelessness Prevention Initiative (CHPI) Service Manager Service Agreement effective January 1, 2013 with Her Majesty the Queen in right of Ontario as represented by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing (“Service Agreement”) and any breach of any of the terms of the amendment shall constitute an Event of Default under the Service Agreement. All other provisions, including Section 17 – Audits and Reviews, of the Service Agreement remain in full force and effect.
Reporting Requirements – SSRF Phase 4
Reporting requirements for the fourth and final phase of the SSRF will be consistent with the current high-level CHPI reporting. However, these requirements will be augmented with monthly reporting to the Ministry. As well, Service Managers will be required to provide specific examples on the use of SSRF Phase 4 funding from time-to-time to demonstrate effectiveness of the investment.
To receive these additional SSRF Phase 4 funds, you are required to complete and submit the sign-back section of this letter and the enclosed Investment and Winddown Plan to demonstrate how your funding allocations would be used to achieve the objectives of the program and to support the winddown of SSRF-funded supports and services. Please return this back to the Ministry by September 15, 2021.
You may submit your signed confirmation and Investment and Winddown Plan via email to your respective Team Lead, Regional Housing Services.
Upon receipt of the sign-back and Investment and Winddown Plan, the Ministry will confirm and communicate its approval of your SSRF Phase 4 allocation, and will proceed to initiate your first operating payment based on your cash flow requirements as outlined in your Investment and Winddown Plan.
The Ministry requires that all information set out in this letter regarding SSRF Phase 4 be held confidential until publicly announced by the province. The province will have sole responsibility for the initial public communication regarding the SSRF Phase 4 funding described in this letter.
After the initial public communication by the province, as with all provincial housing programs that provide funding, Service Managers must acknowledge support of the province in a form and manner as directed by the Ministry. While we understand these exciting funding opportunities are often met with anticipation by residents and community agencies, these communication protocols have been agreed to by Service Managers. If you wish to make an announcement of funding, I would like to remind you that you are required to notify your municipal services office well in advance for consideration by the province.
To help sustain, repair and grow the community housing sector, our government introduced the Community Housing Renewal Strategy in 2019. Under this strategy and in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we allocated almost $1.8 billion to the sector in 2020-21, and project to invest up to $1.3 billion in 2021-22.
Despite these investments, we recognize there are continued challenges faced by community housing providers across Ontario, including the state of repair of the legacy social housing stock.
A key program to support our community housing providers has been the COCHI program. As noted above, I am pleased to announce an additional funding allocation of $84,100 under COCHI for the 2021-22 fiscal year.
This funding is in addition to the 2021-22 COCHI allocation of $203,673 that was communicated to you through the Ministry’s letter dated May 6, 2021, bringing your total 2021-22 funding for COCHI to $287,773.
All conditions of funding as communicated through the COCHI/OPHI Program Guidelines and our above referred letter remain the same, including the requirement to report municipal social housing expenditures that match the total annual COCHI allocation provided.
To receive these additional COCHI funds, you are required to complete and submit the enclosed Investment Plan (Appendix “D”) that should reflect a sound financial plan and forecast of expenditures by program component. Please refer to the Ministry’s
COCHI/OPHI Program Guidelines for details about eligible program expenses, program administration fees, and key dates.
Also enclosed is an amendment to the Ontario Transfer Payment Agreement for the COCHI/OPHI programs signed with the Manitoulin-Sudbury District Services Board to include the additional funding allocation. You are required to sign the enclosed amending agreement and return it to the Ministry to confirm your agreement to the terms and conditions of the additional COCHI funding.
Please return your signed amending agreement and Investment Plan via e-mail to your respective Team Lead, Regional Housing Services by September 15, 2021.
The Ministry requires that this additional COCHI funding be held confidential until publicly announced by the province.
Again, protecting the health and well-being of all Ontarians continues to be the government’s number one priority. We sincerely appreciate your efforts to assist vulnerable people in your communities and I look forward to continuing to work together as we move forward with recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Yours truly,
The Honourable Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Enclosures
c. Fern Dominelli, Chief Administrative Officer
Liana Bacon, Team Lead, Municipal Services Office
