THUNDER BAY – The District of Thunder Bay Social Services Administration Board is getting $1.84 million to support organizations to help organizations create or renovate housing units, expand rent-support programs and provide supports related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The money will be distributed through the province’s Social Services Relief Fund, which was created in response to the pandemic and delivered under the existing Community Homelessness Prevention Initiative.
The TBDSSAB may be eligible for further funding under the program in early 2021, pending its renewal by the province.
Bill Bradica, chief executive officer at the TBDSSAB, said the money will be used to support emergency shelter solutions, housing and related supports, homelessness prevention, rent support and capital costs for upgrades to existing facilities.
The TBDSSAB is eyeing several projects with community partners that would specifically provide for improvements to the emergency shelter and transitional shelter system, as well as the construction of new youth transitional housing.
“Through the work undertaken by TBDSSAB and community partners during the COVID-19 pandemic, pathways have been established to connect homeless individuals with ongoing physical and mental health supports, and plan for access into safe and stable housing options,” Bradica said in a release issued on Thursday.
“Under Phase 2, enhanced partnerships with community supports will continue, and the ability to provide funding and other supports to vulnerable populations will be enhanced.”
Under Phase 1 of the program, distributed last April, the TBDSSAB received $1.16 million, of which it has doled out more than $1 million to organizations providing isolation and overflow shelter, for personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies, community food supports and other supports to community non-profit housing.
