’It is a bridge’: province reinstates rent top-up program after criticism

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This article was published 26/09/2024 (346 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Manitoba government is reinstating a rent top-up program designed to tackle chronic homelessness after it was criticized for pausing it while blaming a lack of funds.

While the pause prevented some homeless people from leaving shelters and getting into housing, Premier Wab Kinew was clear Thursday the program is not the NDP’s answer to homelessness.

“This housing benefit is a program we are working on with the federal government — the federal funding has run out,” Kinew said at a health-related news conference.

“We have decided to step up with additional resources to help ensure more people who need these supports in Manitoba will be able to get the help that they need. But this is not the homelessness strategy. The homelessness strategy in Manitoba is to build new social housing so that we can get people out of tents and out of underneath bridges and into permanent housing.”

The premier said once housing is in order, then they can be helped with addictions, mental health supports, social supports, pre-natal testing and primary care.

“Things like the housing benefit, it is a bridge,” Kinew said. “This housing benefit is not the be all and end all goal.

“The goal should not be for us to provide top-ups for people to be able to get into private rental accommodations. The goal should be for the first step of housing, that it is government that’s playing that role.”

The program was put on hold in early September. A letter sent to housing organizations by Carolyn Ryan, an assistant deputy minister and chief executive officer of Manitoba Housing, said the department was “initiating a temporary pause of new intake to the program” because of “unprecedented demand.”

Idris, a woman who came to Winnipeg from Sudan about two months ago and has been living at a homeless shelter, was pleased to hear the pause was lifted.

“Thank the God,” said Idris, who didn’t want her first name used. “I am very happy. That really helps me and it will help other people.

“I’m very tired. I don’t like the food here and I can’t sleep as good here. I don’t feel safe here. This is good news.”

Housing Minister Bernadette Smith announced Thursday the province is would add $1.2 million to the Canada-Manitoba Housing Benefit, which tops up monthly rent for eligible low-income renters.

“With this funding, the temporary pause has concluded, and application intake has resumed. Applications received to date will be addressed first, and additional families will benefit from this increase in funds until allocations of the new funds are exhausted,” she said in a news release.

The increased funding will bring this year’s total to $10.8 million in benefits, the release said.

“Our government is committed to ending chronic homelessness, and we know that there is so much more to do,” Smith said.

“We are providing these funds immediately to ensure this program can be accessible to those struggling and who need support with the rising cost of living.”

The program has helped 1,600 families and individuals with their rental costs from October 2023 to June. The province approved an additional 282 recipients in August and steps to support those applicants are currently underway, the release said.

The decision to pause the program was criticized at the time by New Journey Housing and the Right to Housing Coalition.

Both organizations were cautiously optimistic Thursday.

“Absolutely, it is welcome,” said Codi Guenther, executive director of New Journey Housing. “I just don’t know how long $1.2 million will last, whether it is one or two months of benefits.

“We’re hoping another pause won’t happen, but we are very excited and pleased today.”

Shauna MacKinnon, a member of the Right to Housing Coalition, said hundreds will be coming forward to apply.

“It’s good they are doing this, but the money won’t last long,” she said. “The reality is they need to build more (social) housing.”

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca