The provincial government is continuing to help municipalities as they work to support vulnerable people, this time by providing more than $3 million in social service relief funding to Waterloo Region.
Last week Kitchener-Conestoga MPP Mike Harris and Kitchener South-Hespeler MPP Amy Fee announced $3,361,600 in funding through the Social Services Relief Fund. This is the third round of funding, with the previous two having come to the region in April and October.
This new discretionary funding can be used for the improvement in the delivery of critical services, protect homeless shelter staff and residents, renovate and purchase shelter facilities, add to rent banks, create longer-term housing solutions and support plans to prepare for potential future outbreaks and/or emergencies.
“This was the third tranche of funding that’s been released through the Social Services Relief Fund. The first round went out in April, nearly the same amount $3.3 million and change. And then in October there was the more substantial amount that was released, just over $6.5 million. And that one was a little bit more to be designed for sort of emergency shelter and looking at some ways of creating some modular housing initiatives, different things like that in the region,” said Harris.
“Obviously as we were getting closer to winter and want to make sure… that our most vulnerable populations are able to kind of weather the storm with COVID, and want to make sure that we’re trying to keep everybody as safe as possible,” he added of the latest funding.
He says the use of this round of funding is discretionary, with the municipality deciding how it will be spent.
Some of the critical services on which the money can be used include shelter housing, food banks, rent banks, and other services to support those who are deemed vulnerable, he added, noting he sees shelters as a priority.
“I’m a big proponent of the shelter care model that we’re putting forward here in the region. There are a few pilot programs that are going to be coming to fruition over the next little while,” he said, pointing to the success of the House of Friendship and the shelter at the Inn of Waterloo, “which has seen some fantastic results earlier on during the pandemic.
“It’s become a great one-stop shop for people that are vulnerable in our community, in our society, to be able to get a lot of services that they need, and three meals a day all in one place. So, I would certainly love to see some more investment to that program and programs along that vein, where you’re looking at a one-window approach. I think it’s really important for people to be able to have that.”
Regional Chair Karen Redman says she is grateful to the province for recognizing the costs faced by the municipality, thanking them for the funding. She does not yet know where the money will go, but says there are lots of needs and will await parameters for how it can be spent.
