Rent and Utility Assistance
York Region residents may be eligible to receive financial assistance for rent, mortgage payments, utilities and other housing costs through two programs.
People Not Receiving Ontario Works or ODSP Benefits
People who are behind on rental, mortgage or utility payments can get support from the Homelessness Prevention Program.
What is the Homelessness Prevention Program?
The Homelessness Prevention Program helps eligible York Region residents, who are homeless or at risk of homelessness not receiving Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Program benefits, to stabilize their housing.
To meet your emergency housing needs, we can help with costs such as:
- First and last month’s rent
- Rental arrears
- Utility arrears
- Utility security deposit
- Utility reconnection fees
- Moving costs
- Assistance with mortgage payments or arrears
- Landlord and tenant mediation
Who can apply?
To be eligible, you must:
- Be a resident of York Region
- Not receive Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support Program benefits
- Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or refugee
- Verify being under threat of losing housing, utility service disconnection, or are homeless or living in a temporary shelter
- Total housing costs must be sustainable when compared to monthly income
- Have a household income equal to or less than below:
| Family Size | Income |
|---|---|
| 1 Person | $47,952 |
| 2 Persons | $67,814 |
| 3 Persons | $83,056 |
| 4 Persons | $95,904 |
| 5 Persons | $105,224 |
| 6 Persons | $117,458 |
| 7 or more Persons | $126,870 |
How to apply?
To apply call Access York, at 1-877-464-9675, TTY 1-866-512-6228 or 905-895-4293 (for deaf & hard of hearing) Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Access York will make an appointment with our service provider, Salvation Army Northridge Community Church, who issues financial assistance and supports to eligible residents.
Follow up support will be provided to you two weeks, one month, three months and six months after receiving benefits from this program.
What to bring to my appointment
Applicants may be required to provide the following documents, if applicable and not limited to:
| Document Type | Documents |
|---|---|
Identification |
|
Immigration status |
|
Employment/income |
|
Assets |
|
Living expenses |
|
Financial information |
|
Medical |
|
Other |
|
*May be used as an acceptable form of government issued identification to verify identity only. Health card numbers will not be retained during the application process.
People Receiving Financial Assistance
People on Ontario Works or the Ontario Disability Support Program who are behind on rental, mortgage or utility payments can get support from the Housing Stability Program for:
- Preventing a utility cut off
- Preventing an eviction due to unpaid rent
- Last month’s rent deposit
- Moving and storage costs
- Utility deposits and reconnection costs
- Household items
Follow up support will be provided to you two weeks, one month, three months and six months after receiving benefits from this program.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the Housing Stability Program, you must:
- Live in York Region
- Be homeless or at risk of homelessness
- Receive assistance from the Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support Program
- Have not received benefits from this program within the last two years
You can only receive benefits from this program once every two years.
How to Apply
To apply for the Housing Stability Program, please call:
Toll Free: 1-888-256-1112
TTY: 905-895-4293 or toll free 1-866-512-6228 (for the deaf or hard of hearing)
An appointment will be made with a Housing Stability Worker to see if you are eligible for the program.
