Making ends meet

From the government- funded supply programs of the post-war era to the neo-liberal priorities of the 1990s, political interests, 5 economic changes, and population shifts have all impacted the availability and demand for affordable rental housing. [...] Administration and funding of supportive housing providers were not downloaded to the Service Managers in 2001; rather, the responsibilities were transferred to the provincial ministry that funded the support services, either the Ministry of Health/Long-Term Care or the Ministry of Community and Social Services. [...] The lack of rental housing, coupled with unaffordable homeownership costs – home prices increased 85 per cent in the area in the same time period46 – has meant that low and moderate- income households have limited options in the private market, and may have to settle for rents that are disproportionately high when compared to the quality of the housing47. [...] An ONPHA Discussion Paper Series Housing quality and location The quality and location of housing that participants are able to access in the private rental market are important considerations when evaluating the success of rental subsidy programs. [...] Because participating households already live in the unit, the program does not contribute to reductions in rental supply, and the rent for the unit does not increase as a result of the tenant’s higher purchasing power58.