Chatham-Kent’s provincial representatives recently announced more than $760,000 for local funding to protect our most vulnerable citizens from COVID-19, including those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
It’s part of a $241-million provincial initiative.
Rick Nicholls, MPP for Chatham-Kent Leamington, and Monte McNaughton, MPP for Lambton-Kent-Middlesex, said the Municipality of Chatham-Kent will receive $761,289 in social services relief funding.
The funds for Chatham-Kent, according to provincial officials, will help to continue operating emergency shelters, provide rent relief, increase cleaning in community housing, and support community outreach.
The provincial funding is part of the government’s $510 million investment officials said is to help protect the health and safety of the province’s most vulnerable people.
Funding will be delivered through the Social Services Relief Fund and will go towards protecting and supporting homeless shelter staff and residents, creating or renovating more than 1,500 housing units, expanding rent support programs and creating longer-term housing solutions.
“We know that our municipal and Indigenous partners are facing extraordinary challenges, which is why these significant investments are so important,” said Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Steve Clark in a media release. “Our investments are helping to build longer-term solutions as well as meet ongoing, immediate needs related to COVID-19.”
The Social Services Relief Fund is part of the up to $4 billion being provided to Ontario municipalities under the federal-provincial Safe Restart Agreement.
Officials said it will help municipalities protect the health and well being of the people of Ontario while delivering critical public services, such as public transit and shelters, as the province continues down the path of economic recovery.
Thank goodness I see so many homeless people or almost homeless people in CK