The Province has announced a new program called ROOF (Rental Opportunity for Ontario Families). The ROOF program is a $100 allowance per month that is paid directly to low income working families (those with children and net incomes below $20,000) to assist with either private market or social housing rent.

Starting January 2008, the Province will provide these housing allowances to eligible families for a maximum of 5 years. Families may be eligible if they:

• have employment income
• are a renter household
• have one or more dependent children under the age of 18
• pay more than 30% of income on rent
• are on, or eligible to be on the social housing waiting list
• are not receiving social assistance or other government shelter allowance.

The deadline for accessing this program is November 15, 2007. To be eligible, applicants must apply by this date.

For more information see the ROOF website. Applications must be made using original application forms provided by the Province. You can apply online or by phone at 1-888-544-5101 or at some community agencies.

Manitoba Housing Authority - Public Housing - This government website provides information on applying for subsidized housing.

• Housing Subsidy Application form
• Manitoba Housing Authority Office Locations
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Senior 55+ Housing
• Tenant Relations and Tenant Associations
• Housing Income Limits and Median Market Rent
• Manitoba Housing Authority

The Saskatchewan Housing Programs - Information on each of the programs (for seniors, families, disabilities) and how to apply.
Saskatchewan Disability Rental Housing Supplement Application - Application form for disability rental assistance program.

The Alberta government website publications and forms page has applications and fact sheets on income assistances about seniors', disability, and housing.

The Nunavut Housing Corporation has housing information and rental listings in communities across the territory. As well there is information on Public Housing in Nunavut. According to the site. people interested in applying for Public Housing do so at their local housing organization. The site has a list of local housing organizations. Applicants who are most in need are given first priority. Rents are based on a sliding scale between 10% and 28% of disposable income.

Emergency Assistance for Albertans Facing Utility Disconnection (in PDF) has information for low-income Albertans who have received a disconnection notice from their gas or power company and have no other way of paying their overdue utility bills may be eligible for emergency assistance. Apply for utility assistance at the nearest Alberta Service Centre or Canada Alberta Service Centre. Office addresses are available from the Alberta Works Contact Centre by calling 1-866-644-5135 toll-free or (780) 644-5135 in Edmonton.

Pioneer Utility Grant helps eligible people 65 and over with home heating costs. Applications (English and French) are available from Seniors Information Centre.

Telephone: (867)667-5137
Location: Seniors Information Centre, 3168 3rd Avenue; or the Information Desk in the Yukon Government Administration Building, Second Avenue, Whitehorse

In October 2006, the BC Government announced a Rental Assistance Program that is supposed to give rental subsidies to low income working families. For information on how to apply, go to: How to apply to the Rental Assistance Program

You may be eligible to for the Rental Assistance Program if you meet the following criteria:

• Some or all of your annual income must come from employment.
• You have at least one or more dependent child under the age of 19.
• You have an annual income below $28,000.
• Some or all of your annual income comes from employment.
• You have less than $10,000 in assets.
• You file an annual income tax return.
• You pay more than 30 per cent of your household income towards rent for your home, or pay pad rental for a manufactured home (trailer) that you own and occupy.
• You have lived in British Columbia for the full 12 months immediately preceding the date of application.
• You meet the residency requirements for the program.

You will not be eligible for the Rental Assistance Program if:

• You live in subsidized housing.
• You live in co-operative housing and are a shareholder.
• You or your family receive income assistance under the B.C. Employment and Assistance Act (excluding the Medical Services Plan).
• You own a home that you do not live in.
• You or a member of your family do not meet the residency requirements or came to Canada under a private sponsorship agreement that is still in force.

BC Housing is an affordable housing agency in BC that provides housing for low income families, seniors, singles at risk of homelessness, and people with disabilities. There is a usually a long wait list for susidized housing but you can apply online:

• Step 1 - Select housing
• Step 2 - Apply to The Housing Registry
• Step 3 - Apply to non-profit and co-operative housing providers
• Step 4 - Keep your application up-to-date

For more information: How to Apply for Subsidizing Housing.
Information on eligibility and how to apply for housing is available in English (in PDF), Punjabi (in PDF), Spanish (in PDF), and Vietnamese (in PDF).

Ministry of Human Resources
Regional Services Division

Practice Advisory #12: Intake Appointments for Applicants in Transition Housing

Effective Date: July 31, 2002

Purpose:

The purpose of this practice advisory is to explain the application process for women who are applying for BC Employment and Assistance due to leaving an abusive relationship. This advisory clarifies two possible application processes for women in this situation:

• Women who are staying in a transition house are exempt from the three-week employment search requirement prior to an intake appointment.

For purposes of this practice advisory the term "transition house" includes the safe homes that are funded by the Ministry of Community, Aboriginal and Women's Services in smaller communities.

• Women, who have left an abusive relationship, but are not staying in a transition house, will receive an emergency needs assessment, to determine whether their immediate needs require an expedited application appointment.

Context:

The ministry recognizes that women and children who are fleeing an abusive relationship are in a crisis situation. Exempting applicants who are temporarily in a transition house from the three-week job search requirement assists them to stabilize their situation sooner.

There are reasons why women might not stay in a transition house after leaving an abusive relationship. For example, there might not be a transition house within the community, the transition house could be full, or an alternate safe place to stay might be available on a temporary basis. This does not preclude the need to stabilize the applicant's crisis situation. An emergency needs assessment as set out in Section 6.1 of the BC Benefits Manual must be conducted for an applicant who discloses that she is fleeing an abusive relationship.

Practice Expectation:

Women who are staying in a transition house are to be booked the next available intake appointment, without a requirement for the three-week employment search. If an applicant staying in a transition house indicates that an immediate emergency need exists, that will not reasonably allow the applicant to wait for the next intake appointment (such as a need for medication), an expedited application appointment will be booked as is appropriate to the applicant's situation.

Women who disclose that they are fleeing an abusive relationship, who are not in a transition house, are to be assessed for an expedited application appointment, recognizing the need to stabilize the crisis situation quickly.

Any questions arising from this practice advisory should be directed to the Regional Executive Officer.

Alison Meredith
Assistant Deputy Minister
Regional Services Division