Current Subsidized Housing Applicant Information

You can change your building selections at any time through the online application portal. Please visit the Housing Locations page for a list of subsidized housing buildings located throughout York Region.

You may add a new family member to your application using the online application portal. You will need to upload documents of legal status in Canada for each family member being added to your application.

If you have not registered for the online application portal, you must complete a Request to Make Changes to Your Application form. The new family member must complete and submit the form called Adding a Member to an Application for Subsidized Housing to Housing Access. They will need to provide documents of their legal status in Canada for each family member added to your application.

You must submit copies of the most recent Notice of Assessment for each family member 16 years and older being added to your application. Once a request to add a family member to your application is received, Housing Access will determine their eligibility for the waiting list.

You may update your information at any time through the online application portal. If you have not registered for the portal, you must notify Housing Access of any changes.

The online offer process is a new way for wait list applicants to access subsidized housing and other housing benefits offered by York Region. Available units and benefits will be posted to the Region’s online application portal. 

Through the portal, you will be able to:

• Learn about available community housing buildings and units, including amenities, photos, floor plans and move-in dates
• See information about  available housing benefits Express interest to be considered for an available unit or housing benefit that meets your needs and preferences
• Make more informed decisions about where you want to live and have control over when and where you receive an offer

To prepare for the new process, applicants are strongly encouraged to:

• Register for the online portal
• Agree to receive emails from the Region when applying for housing or when registering for the online portal. This will allow you to get emails about available units when new vacancy cycles start. NOTE: If you register for the online portal but choose not to receive emails, you can view messages by logging into your online application
• Upload the most recent Notice of Assessment for everyone in your household over the age of 16

Applicants with the highest ranking on the wait list, which is based on application date or Special Priority Status, will receive an email with instructions on how to review and express interest in available units when they become eligible to participate in the online offer process. 

All applicants on the subsidized housing wait list will be sent a letter inviting them to register for the online portal. The online portal lets applicants update their information and learn more about subsidized housing programs and locations in York Region.

Wait list applicants who are eligible to participate in the new online offer process will receive an email when a new vacancy cycle begins. New vacancy cycles open every other Wednesday at 12:01 a.m.

If you have an online account, but have chosen not to receive emails from York Region, you can log into your online account to review the email with information about available units and housing benefits. 

If you do not have an online account, and/or have poor or no access to the internet, you can contact Access York (1-877-464-9675) to request information about what vacant units or housing benefits are currently available.

When you log into your application, you will only see vacancies for which you are eligible based on the number of bedrooms you are approved for and whether you are considered a senior or a non-senior household. The number of bedrooms you are approved for is determined by the number of people in your household. A senior household is one in which all household members are 60 years of age or older.

If there are no vacancies that match your household size and age, you will not see the “Vacancies” button when you log into your application. No vacancies will be listed in the email you receive at the beginning of each cycle.

New vacancy cycles start every other Wednesday. Please check back when a new cycle begins. If you have not yet been invited to participate in the online offer process, you will not see any vacancies. In the future, as your application moves up the wait list, you will receive an invitation to participate.

Yes, you may express interest in as many units or housing benefits as you like.  However, you should only express interest in a unit or housing benefit that you will accept should you receive an offer. If you turn down an offer for a unit that you expressed interest in, it is considered a refusal and you will be removed from the wait list.

No, unit or building viewings cannot be accommodated before expressing interest. The vacancy postings provide as much information as possible to help applicants decide if they want to be considered for a unit offer.

If a housing provider contacts you with an offer after you have expressed interest, you may be able to view the unit. If you decline the unit at that time, it will be considered a refusal and your application will be cancelled.

No, you are not guaranteed an offer of housing when you express interest. Expressing interest in a unit means that you are in line to receive an offer. You will only receive an offer of housing if you have the highest rank on the wait list for a unit or housing benefit you expressed interest in. Ranking on the wait list is determined based on application date or Special Priority Status.

No, there is no way for you to indicate a preference between the different units or housing benefits that you have expressed interest in. You should only express interest in a unit or housing benefit that you are willing to accept should you receive an offer. Turning down an offer for a housing unit will be considered a refusal and you will be removed from the wait list.

No, you do not have to express interest in any units or housing benefits. If none of the available units or benefits meet your needs or you are not ready to move, you do not need to express interest.

You should only express interest in a unit or housing benefit you would accept if you receive an offer.  Turning down an offer for a housing unit will be considered a refusal and you will be removed from the wait list.

If you have expressed interest in a vacancy and are the highest ranked applicant, based on your application date and priority status, a housing provider will contact you with an offer within about seven business days of the vacancy cycle ending. Expressing interest in a unit does not guarantee you will receive an offer.

The housing provider will attempt to contact you using all contact methods included in your application. It's important that you keep your contact information up to date and respond as soon as possible when contacted.

The housing provider will talk to you about the next steps to complete the offer, which may include scheduling a viewing and signing the lease. If you have not uploaded the most recent Notice of Assessment for everyone in your household over the age of 16, you will be required to give this information to the housing provider. Depending on your income sources, you may be required to give additional information so the housing provider can calculate your rent.

If you do not respond to the housing provider, or you turn down the unit when contacted, this is considered a refusal and your application will be cancelled.

If you expressed interest in a portable housing benefit, you will be contacted by York Region to discuss your eligibility and next steps. Refusals are not counted for portable housing benefits; you can turn down an offer for a portable housing benefit and remain on the wait list.

Beginning in 2021, a one-offer rule took effect for subsidized housing in Ontario. If you refuse an offer of housing, you become ineligible for the wait list and your name is removed from the list. If you still need a subsidy, you will need to re-apply. When re-applying, you’ll be given a new application date. Because of the one-offer policy, you should only express interest in a unit if you are sure you’ll accept it if offered.

The one-offer policy does not apply to portable housing benefits. If you express interest in a portable housing benefit and change your mind when contacted with an offer, you will resume your place on the wait list and can continue to review units and benefits in future cycles.

No. When you accept an offer of housing, your application is closed. If you want to move to another building, you must re-apply to the subsidized housing wait list.