Chatham-Kent-Essex MPP Rick Nicholls on April 20, 2018. Blackburn News file photo.Chatham-Kent-Essex MPP Rick Nicholls on April 20, 2018. Blackburn News file photo.
Chatham

Ontario to invest over $20M for community housing in CK, Windsor-Essex

The provincial government is investing over $20 million across Chatham-Kent and Windsor-Essex as part of an effort to repair and grow community housing in Ontario.

The Ontario government announced this week that it would be investing a total $1 billion in 2019-2020 for affordable housing and homelessness prevention across the province.  Of that investment, Chatham-Kent will receive $3,820,774, while another $16,260,566 will be spread across Windsor, Essex, and Leamington.

“I think we can all agree that the most vulnerable in our society need to be a priority of government efforts in housing,” said Rick Nicholls, MPP for Chatham-Kent Leamington, in a media release. “We will work with the province and non-profits to address issues like safety, overcrowding and long wait lists.”

The government's new initiative will encourage tenants to seek opportunities at school and work by removing existing penalties for working more hours or going to college or university. It will also make rent more predictable by simplifying rent calculations, and free up waitlists by having tenants prioritize their first choice and accept the first unit they are offered. The PC government also intends to protect tenants who receive child support payments and ensure housing is available to those who truly need it by requiring an asset test.

“When people say that all they’re hearing about is cuts in this budget, I point to announcements like this. Our government is showing its priorities, and housing the homeless, assisting low-income seniors, empowering parents while boosting the budgets for health care and education are those priorities,” said Nicholls.

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