FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 23, 2019
Ontario Making Community Housing Safer
Helping housing providers keep evicted criminals out of the system
TORONTO ― Ontario is protecting people who live in community housing, especially vulnerable seniors and children, by allowing housing providers to turn away tenants who have been evicted from community housing for serious crimes.
“Our government is sending a clear message that dangerous criminal activity is not welcome in community housing,” said Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “People shouldn’t have to worry about their children’s safety when they’re playing right outside their front door.”
While community housing providers can evict tenants for serious crimes like drug trafficking, harming individuals or damaging property, some simply re-apply to live in the same building. Starting today, housing providers have the discretion to turn away prospective tenants who have been evicted from community housing for these illegal activities and who pose a threat to the community.
“Our government is taking real action to ensure that Ontarians have access to good, safe and affordable housing,” said Brantford-Brant MPP Will Bouma. “These changes will help keep people living in community housing safer from those involved in serious criminal activity to the benefit of themselves, their families and the whole community.”
This is just one of many measures the Ontario government is taking to protect innocent families from violence related to drugs, guns and gang activity, while making sure that all Ontarians have a safe and affordable place to live.
Quick Facts
- Community safety is an important part of Ontario’s Community Housing Renewal Strategy, the province’s plan to sustain, repair and grow our community housing system.
- More than 250,000 families live in community housing in Ontario.
- Ontario has over 1,000 community housing providers, including non-profits, housing co-operatives and municipalities. All are essential in the development, delivery and ongoing sustainability of community housing.
Additional Resources
- This is part of a range of initiatives Ontario is acting on from Ontario’s Community Housing Renewal Strategy: Putting People First
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For more information, please call (519) 759-0361 or will.bouma@pc.ola.org