The Kenora District Services Board believes changes to some federal affordable housing programs could ease some homelessness pressures facing area communities.
Chief Administrative Officer Henry Wall says they need more flexibility to make important decisions at the local level.
Wall says “red tape” is preventing rural, remote, and Northern communities from accessing funding.
Wall says, “It would be really good to have programs, say with the ‘Reaching Home’, where if an individual as part of a homelessness prevention plan is better supported in their First Nation community, that we could support that First Nation community and helping create those supports and that home in that community.”
He notes the current funding program restricts them to only building in urban centres resulting in a feeling of “disconnection” among clients.
Wall says the program should really foster and encourage inclusion and a sense of belonging.
He adds any housing program should consider the unique costs of construction in remote, rural and northern communities which is very different from large urban centres.
Wall also believes that the measurement of affordability determined by the Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation needs to be revisited.
“I think it’s really important that when we determine medium-market rents in which the affordability component is measured on, that it actually is truly reflective of the community. We’ve actually had to undertake our own studies just so that our housing is affordable.”
He notes that review took the KDSB a year to complete.
Wall recently addressed the Federal Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities and was questioned by Kenora MP Eric Melillo.
Wall stressed the importance of “good data” on local rental markets.
