Social Housing refers to rental housing developed with the assistance of government and subsidized by government for people with low to moderate incomes, seniors, or people with special needs who can live, with supports, in the community.

Social Housing Programs consist of the following:

(1)                 Public Housing

Housing built under a federal public housing program and originally owned by the Province or by a partnership of the federal and provincial governments.

(2)                 Non-Profit/Co-Operative Housing

Housing owned and operated on a not-for-profit basis by community based non-profit corporations.  Funded under a federal or provincial government housing program it provides housing for low and moderate-income people.

(3)                 Rent Supplement

Rent-geared-to-income housing units in privately owned rental housing and federal non-profit and co-op projects.  Subsidies are given to Housing Providers to supplement reduced rents paid by tenants.

(4)                 Aboriginal Housing

Housing developed for aboriginal communities with the support of the federal government (includes Rural and Native Housing and Urban Native Housing).

Social Housing Reform

Prior to 1998 the Province was responsible for social housing programs including financial responsibility.  In 1997 the Provincial government began a process that would see a major realignment of Provincial and Municipal responsibilities including financial responsibilities.

In 1998 the Province made Municipalities assume responsibility for social housing costs and continued to develop program reform that would devolve administrative and management responsibilities to Service Managers (municipalities or District Social Services Administration Boards).  The Province proclaimed the Social Housing Reform Act (SHRA) into law on December 15, 2000 .  The SHRA provides the legislative authority to devolve and reform social housing programs.

There are two stages to the devolution of social housing programs:

Stage 1

On January 1, 2001 Public Housing and Commercial Rent Supplement Programs (both federal and provincial) were devolved to 47 Service Managers through newly established Local Housing Corporations (previously known as Local Housing Authorities).

Stage 2

Administrative responsibilities for Non-Profit and Co-Operative Housing Programs (both federal and provincial) were devolved to Service Managers.  For the Kenora District this responsibility devolved on January 1, 2002 .

Social Housing Programs in the Kenora District  

The 1,165 units across the District consist of the following types of units:  

•                  26    Bachelor units  

•                568    one-bedroom units

•                219    two-bedroom units

•                226    three-bedroom units

•                  81    four-bedroom units

•                   2    five-bedroom units

•                  43    rent supplement units

In an effort to reduce the effects of the transfer of responsibilities and to allow for the transfer to be as seamless as possible, both to the clients and the public, the Board of Directors decided to maintain the Local Housing Corporation to provide much of the day-to-day administration of social housing on behalf of the Kenora District Services Board (KDSB).  As the sole shareholder of the Kenora District Housing Corporation, the KDSB will retain ownership of the Public Housing portfolio as well as maintaining overall responsibility for social housing administration and funding.