Emergency shelter: Over $3 million will support emergency shelters in Burlington and Oakville. In Burlington, Wesley Urban Ministries operates 49 self-contained rooms that serve women, families, and couples, and in Oakville, we have the Lighthouse Shelter, which the Salvation Army operates. Funding is also used for hotel overflow, which is, unfortunately, a necessity as the demand for emergency shelter exceeds available spaces.

Supportive Housing: We're investing over $3.4 million to fund 152 supportive housing beds operated by three providers (Millhouse and Parkside in Halton Hills and Bethany Residence in Burlington). These providers serve some of our most vulnerable residents, including those with disabilities, cognitive impairments, and frail seniors.

In Halton, we have a critical shortage of housing options for individuals with high support needs, which directly links to the growth of encampments. We have 57 supportive housing units currently in development. Still, the need is much greater, underscoring the importance of securing more funding for the assisted and supportive housing projects in the pre-development stage.

Through the Homelessness Action Table under the Community Safety and Well-being Plan, we continue to work with the Local Municipalities and our community partners to coordinate resources to move people from encampments to supportive housing.

Community Outreach and Support: We're investing over $1.5 million in community programs, including Bridging the Gap (external link), which helps youth at risk of or experiencing homelessness, and Halton Housing First, operated by Wesley Urban Ministries, which provides rental assistance and wrap-around support for people experiencing chronic homelessness.

Halton Housing Help: We are also investing in our Halton Housing Help service, which provides critical support to people who have housing instability or are homeless. Our team offers intensive one-on-one case management and critical outreach in partnership with Halton Police. In 2024, our outreach team helped 138 people transition from homelessness to emergency shelter. We offer help to anyone willing to take it, and our team answers the call to help when they know someone is unsheltered. If you see someone who needs help, please email outreach@halton.ca.

Housing Assistance: We're investing over $5.5 million in housing assistance that helps keep people out of emergency shelters through the Housing Stability Fund, Housing Allowance and Rent Supplement programs. Housing allowances improve housing stability by assisting people to avoid eviction, manage rent or utility arrears, or transition to affordable housing. These allowances also help with the one-time costs of moving and storage, and beds and furniture, which offer vital support to help people get on their feet. Rent supplements help make rent affordable for people in the private market who have experienced homelessness, and we work with social service agencies, including Community Living, Halton Women’s Place, Support House and HMC Connections, to provide these supports.