Ontario residents with disabilities face homelessness or worse, say advocates as some rent subsidies expiring

When Windsor resident Sarah Bondylearned earlier this year thatsome Ontario government-funded rent subsidy programs were set to expire, she thought aboutthe catastrophic impact the cutswould have onpeople with disabilities who rely on them.

Having somewhere affordable to live issomething a lot of people take for granted, but for people with disabilities, "it gives us independence,it gives us a home to call our own," said Bondy, who lives with a disabling medical conditionthat leaves her dependent on rent subsidies.

While her subsidies aren't set to expire, she fears they could one day. In the meantime, without that support, many people with disabilities will end up inhospital, long-term careor on the street, she said.

"To make matters even worse, there's even people with disabilities signing up for [medical assistance in dying], because thewaiting lists are so longfor rental subsidies, and for housing and for just basic necessities,period, that people with disabilities are signing up for this just to get out because they cannot livelike they're living anymore."

Bondy said some people with disabilities may also stay withabusive caretakers or be in homes that are unsafe if they cannot support themselves.

Due to skyrocketing rental prices and a lack of affordable housing, the subsidy cuts are adding to an already strained situation and increasing wait lists for people who don't have homes, said Karen Bolger, executive director for Community Living Essex County. Those with intellectual or physical disabilities are already being displaced, Bolger said.

So those hundreds of people over the next two years without the rent supplement programs, they will be homeless, there's not alternatives for them,- Karen Bolder, executive director, Community Living Essex County

"We have young people then being moved to long-term carehomes inappropriately,"said Bolger, adding that the facilities don'thave the training or resources to care for individuals living with disabilities.

"What 25-year-old wants to live in a long-term carehome? There's nothing for them, there's little peer interaction, they're living with seniors."

Bolger,who has 14 clients on the sunsetting rent subsidies, said although many are on theOntario Disability Support Program(ODSP), they receive less than $500 per month toward rent.Advocates say that isn't enough.

'Hundreds will be homeless'

Some programsthe Investment in Affordable Housingand Social Infrastructure Fund ended in 2019, though funding was allocated up until March 2024. TheOntario Priorities Housing Initiative, which was set to expire, is being funded on a year-to-yearapproach for 2022-2023.

The programs helppeople experiencing homelessness,in crisis, withdisabilities, or seniors or survivors of domestic abuse with a portion of their rent usually up to $500 each month.

The City of Windsorknew these programs were set to expire and worked to help defer people to other avenues of funds so they could continue to make rent.Butofficials say that's increased to longer wait times for people who do not yet have a home, and there's no guaranteed funding in upcoming years.

Windsorofficials estimateexpiring funding streamshave "the potential to increase affordable housing demand, evictions and homelessness" formore than 200households by 2024.

"So those hundreds of people over the next two years without the rent supplement programs, they will be homeless, there's noalternatives for them," said Bolger. "Hundreds of people will be homeless."

Pressure on municipality

Windsor recently estimateda net loss of $1.2 million due to the expiring programs despite updatedfunding streams delivered by the province and federal governmentand can't be expected to foot the bill amid a housing crisis, saidCoun. Kieran McKenzie.

We as a disabled community have fought very hard for independence. And it's like we have to fight for every scrap of independence we we we can get,- Sarah Bondy, disability rights advocate

"Any underfunding or cuts to the current levels of funding putsan enormous amount of pressure on the municipalities, particularly to look for ways to mitigate those shortfalls," he said. "I think it's extremely shortsighted."

The city plans to lobby theMinistryof Municipal Affairs and Housingand local MPPsfor a funding commitment.

In an emailed statement to CBC News, the ministry saidit created theHomelessness Prevention Program last April, amalgamating several funding streams andallocating$12.5 million specifically to Windsor.

"Our government's policies have delivered historic results in getting morehomesbuiltfaster, and complement our more than $4.3 billion investments over the past three years to grow and enhance community and supportive housing," a ministry spokesperson said.

Last week, the province announced26 new housing units inWindsor-Essexfor low-income people and people with disabilities, and a $3.3 million investment toward 11new supportive housing unitsfor people experiencing homelessness.

Windsor WestNDPMPPLisa Gretzkysaid that provincewide,there is a 30-year wait list for people with disabilities looking for affordable housing.

She saidthe Ontario government is causing confusion about what funding will come and when, and municipalities need to be able to budget ahead of time.

"With more than 5,000 people on the [housing]wait list, the city needs to be planning for that. The city cannot wait until 2024 or the end of 2023 to be able to look at what funding is there," she said.

"It's really unfair what the government is doing, to council and the municipality. It is also really unfair and I would say cruel what it is doing to those who use the subsidies."

Bondysaidliving independently is important for people with disabilities, part of the reason she's so concerned about people losing rent subsidies.

"We as a disabled community have fought very hard for independence, and it's like we have to fight for every scrap of independence wecan get."