Increased demand for Hastings County social services funding has prompted a proposed new review process.
A report to the Community and Human Resources Committee on Wednesday indicates the Community Investment Review was initiated in response to increasing demands for funding from community organizations.
There is limited funding available for distribution through available funding sources.
A community needs and resources survey was forwarded to 69 existing community partners and stakeholders in Hastings County. Survey recipients are either currently funded agencies or a partnering community.
CEO Jim Pine says, “The need for capital. We need capital support to not only do larger repairs but really to build new. We have a wait list for affordable housing at about 2,800 right now. One of the largest in Eastern Ontario.”
Pine told the committee, “This is one of the most important pieces of work that the committee will deal with for a long time to come. It’s going to set the direction and priorities for further investment.”
“The Eastern Ontario Wardens Caucus is looking at wait lists and affordable housing across the region. And you know there’s anywhere between 12 and 14 thousand folks on a wait list. That does not include the city of Ottawa.”
Pine says, “It’s a big problem. The only way we’re going to solve some of these problems is through capital injection.”
“Collectively we need to build in order to house people. And we’re doing all that we can with the funds that we have on hand to build. And we know we’re in Quinte West and other communities to do projects, but there’s a lot more to be done.”
He added, “So we need that advocacy going forward and the EOWC (Eastern Ontario Warden’s Caucus) with his honour (Warden Rick Phillips) and his colleagues on the EOWC were working on an effort that will be coming back to Ontario and to Canada, I think in the spring of next year which I would think is a bold plan to try and do a big effort around more supply for affordable housing.”
The issue now goes to Hastings County council.
