Searching for Utility Assistance Programs

Provides financial assistance for rental and/or utility arrears, utility connection fees or financial assistance towards first/last month's rent to secure permanent housing for individuals who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and are considered low income but not on Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) benefits

Provides short term one time assistance for hydro arrears or disconnection, rental arrears to avoid eviction as well as other emergency situations

• Provides support to individuals and families who are homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless due to a crisis situation
• Addresses the immediate crisis and stabilizes the household
• Identifies areas of concern where an individual or family may require additional supports
• Serves as the entry point for all other services

Offers the following services:

Housing sustainability plan

• An assessment is completed to determine the current housing and financial status of the household and the short and long-term interventions and resources required to stabilize the household

Advocacy

• Works with individuals, families and partner agencies to find alternate solutions to resolve conflicts that do not always involve the need for funding

Imminent Housing acquisition and stabilization

• Targets individuals who have been released from the hospital, detoxification programs, or the justice system
• Provides immediate housing and stabilization tools, such as prescriptions, food, and household starter packs

Rent Arrears

• Can only be accessed once the Community Homelessness Prevention Initiative (CHPI) has been exhausted
• Individuals and families can access on a sliding scale up to two months of rent arrears

Community Housing Guarantee Program

• Ensures landlords receive last months rent in order to provide an incentive to house individuals and families who are in difficult financial situations but require housing

Landlord Liaison

• Liaises with public and private landlords to help individuals or families who are at risk of eviction either remain housed or find and secure housing

Vacancy List

• Responsible for producing a daily Vacancy List and distributing it to partners across the District

Energy Fund

• Provides intervention prior to the disconnection of utilities in order to save money and avoid shelter stays and large deposit requirements

Housing success Facilitators

• Facilitators respond to crisis intervention requests and take part in crisis assessments where expertise is required to ensure the best support services are utilized

Immediate Stabilization Tool-Kit

• Provides households with items that ensure a house remains functional, such as appliances, prescriptions, and household starter packs

Hoarding Response Team

• Responds to suspected cases of hoarding, only when the local fire department has been contacted

Recovery Bank

A joint initiative between LIPI and the Near North Landlords Association providing assistance to both landlords and tenants who have struggled financially due to the COVID-19 pandemic

• Accepting applications from tenants with rent and/or utility arrears
• Accepting applications from the tenants' landlords with rent arrears

Application form can be found online here
Appointments can be made by phone for those without computer access

Property Tax Hardship Program

Provides assistance to North Bay households with property tax arrears on primary residence, due to the COVID-19 pandemic

• Program will match taxpayer payments made to property tax account
• Maximum contribution of 50% of tax arrears determined at time of application
• Arrears prior to February 1, 2020 are not eligible for the program
• Payments will be made directly to City on behalf of taxpayer

Application form can be found online here

Provides financial assistance to individuals or families who are homeless or facing homelessness to obtain or maintain housing

To establish a new residence:

• financial assistance for first/last months rent
• financial assistance for utility deposit
• financial assistance for moving/storage expenses

To avoid eviction or disconnection of utilities:

• financial assistance for rental arrears
• financial assistance for utility and fuel arrears (gas, hydro, water, propane, oil or wood)

Assists individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in obtaining and retaining affordable housing

Offers assistance with the following:

• Emergency shelter
• Rental arrears and eviction
• Energy arrears and disconnection (includes water, hydro, gas, oil, propane, firewood)
• Cost for a move due to eviction, fire, or flood
• Replacement of furniture due to fire, flood, or pest infestation
• Rent or utility deposit in order to establish new housing
• Emergency decluttering and pest/bed bug infestation

Offers programs to financially assist those in need:

• Ontario Works (OW) - Provides financial assistance and employment and life stabilization supports to assist individuals with their basic needs and accommodation while focusing on obtaining paid employment. The Ontario Works Program also makes referrals to the Ontario Disability Support Program for those individuals with a health problem that prevents them from seeking employment.
  
• Emergency assistance is also available to people who are in a crisis or an emergency situation (e.g. people who have lost their homes, are leaving an abusive relationship and/or are worried about their safety)
  
• Homelessness Prevention Program (HPP) - Assists those that are homeless or at risk of being homeless with financial assistance with rent or mortgage arrears, hydro, oil, propane or other items or services that may prevent homelessness.

Also an intake agency for the Ontario Electricity Support Program (OESP), a program that reduces the electricity bill of lower-income homes. Provides a monthly credit to eligible customers based on household income and size. Credit will apply directly to eligible customer's electricity bills.

Offers programs to financially assist those in need:

• Ontario Works (OW) - Provides financial assistance and employment and life stabilization supports to assist individuals with their basic needs and accommodation while focusing on obtaining paid employment. The Ontario Works Program also makes referrals to the Ontario Disability Support Program for those individuals with a health problem that prevents them from seeking employment.
  
• Emergency assistance is also available to people who are in a crisis or an emergency situation (e.g. people who have lost their homes, are leaving an abusive relationship and/or are worried about their safety)
  
• Homelessness Prevention Program (HPP) - Assists those that are homeless or at risk of being homeless with financial assistance with rent or mortgage arrears, hydro, oil, propane or other items or services that may prevent homelessness.

Also an intake agency for the Ontario Electricity Support Program (OESP), a program that reduces the electricity bill of lower-income homes. Provides a monthly credit to eligible customers based on household income and size. Credit will apply directly to eligible customer's electricity bills.

Assists individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in obtaining and retaining affordable housing

Offers assistance with the following:

• Emergency shelter
• Rental arrears and eviction
• Energy arrears and disconnection (includes water, hydro, gas, oil, propane, firewood)
• Cost for a move due to eviction, fire, or flood
• Replacement of furniture due to fire, flood, or pest infestation
• Rent or utility deposit in order to establish new housing
• Emergency decluttering and pest/bed bug infestation

An Ontario Works delivery agent for financial assistance and emergency housing. The Transitional Support Fund (TSF) provides aid to social assistance recipients and low-­income families who require housing related supports such as:

• rent
• deposits
• fuel and hydro deposits
• establishing a new residence
• prevention of disconnection or reconnection costs of hydro or heating costs
• shelter or hydro arrears

Works to meet the immediate and basic needs of people.

Food bank can be accessed once a month. Delivery of food available to housebound individuals.

Provides emergency financial assistance to individuals and families for expenses related to housing and health including utility and rental arrears, medical and dental expenses.

Works cooperatively with the Table Food Kitchen, Salvation Army, Knights of Columbus, Faith Baptist Church and the District of Muskoka Community Services to find resources for those in need. Also provides budget counselling.

Christmas hamper program: provides food hamper, food voucher and gift cards for each child. Families without children receive food hamper and food voucher. Hampers can be picked up at St Mary's. Hampers will also be delivered by the Knights of Columbus for those unable to pick up .

Provides a number of programs and services including:

• Seniors' Program - includes social time with lunch provided by donation. Hosts speakers on various issues and concerns specific to seniors, with lunch provided by donation. Dates vary, but usually held on the third Friday of the month, call for details
• Trades Start Program - one month program designed to teach individuals 15-30 trades skills. Call for details.

Other programs with separate 2-1-1 listings for details:

• Food bank
• Coats for Community program in fall
• Christmas hamper program
• Community Christmas dinner
• Biweekly community meals.

Assists individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in obtaining and retaining affordable housing

Offers assistance with the following:

• Emergency shelter
• Rental arrears and eviction
• Energy arrears and disconnection (includes water, hydro, gas, oil, propane, firewood)
• Cost for a move due to eviction, fire, or flood
• Replacement of furniture due to fire, flood, or pest infestation
• Rent or utility deposit in order to establish new housing
• Emergency decluttering and pest/bed bug infestation

Financial Relief Navigator (FRN)

• online tool that provides information and help to access emergency benefits, related to COVID-19, including Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB), and Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS), as well as other benefits and financial relief from governments, financial institutions, utilities, telecoms and internet providers
• Click HERE for more information

Canada's COVID-19 Economic Response Plan
Plan provides programs in the following three areas:

• Support for Individuals
• Support for Businesses
• Support for Sectors

Support for Individuals
CRB ended Oct 23, 2021, in its place is the Canadian Worker Lockdown Benefit:

• Canadian Worker Lockdown Benefit:
  • will provide $300 per week to workers who are subject to a lockdown, including those who are ineligible for traditional Employment Insurance
• Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB)
  • available to those who need to self-isolate due to COVID-19 will continue until Nov 20, 2021 and is proposed by government to extend until May 7, 2022
  • to apply see CRSB Application
  • for other questions about CRSB see, CRSB Questions
• Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB)
  • available to those who must stop work to care for a child under 12 or a family member who needs supervised care, will continue until Nov 20, 2021 and is proposed by government to extend until May 7, 2022
  • to apply see CRCB Application
  • for other question about CRCB see, CRCB Questions

Canada Student Loans

• see Canada Student Loans - COVID-19 for details
• see Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) for Ontario Students

Support for Seniors

• Government of Canada has introduced legislation to support low-income seniors who received pandemic benefits. For information about a One-Time Grant for Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) Recipients click here.

Provincial Programs
Social Assistance

• Visit Ontario Works and ODSP for up-to-date information and to apply online

Workplace Safety and Insurance Board Ontario (WSIB)

• If you believe you contracted COVID-19 while at work, you may file a claim to determine if you are eligible for WSIB coverage, call 1-800-387-0750 or visit WSIB Benefits for more information

Service Ontario

• Service Ontario is reinstating renewal requirements for driver's licences, licence plate stickers, other driver and vehicle products, Ontario Photo Cards and Ontario health cards that were temporarily extended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, see Renewal Requirements

OHIP (Ontario Health Insurance Plan)

• Ontario has waived the three-month waiting period for Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) coverage, see Applying for an Ontario Health Card for more details

Utilities Relief
Ontario Energy Board

• See Help for Low-Income Consumers

Telecommunications Relief

• Telus COVID-19 Updates
• Rogers COVID-19 Updates
• If your telecommunications company is not listed here, check their website or contact them directly to learn of any assistance they may be offering

Access centre to apply for LEAP (Low-Income Energy Assistance Program) emergency financial assistance

• program runs from January 1, 2023 - December 31, 2023 or until funds are depleted
• grant is credited directly toward energy bill
• agency can arrange hold on a disconnection notice while a case is being assessed
• length of hold depends on utility company
• all decisions can be appealed
• Assistance through LEAP program is no longer limited to being received only once in a calendar year, but maiximum amounts have changed
  • Gas customers can receive up to $500 on past due balance
  • Customers who heat with electricity can receive up to $600 on past due balance
  • Eligible customers can apply more than once up to the maximum grant amounts

Low-cost internet access by Rogers
Low cost service from a commercial provider

COVID19 -- Essential operations including responding to consumer inquiries

Electricity disconnection ban -- Disconnection for non-payment by residential customers banned until the end of the emergency order, extended to July 31

• low-volume, small business customers are also protected by the ban
• the OEB is calling on distributors to be more flexible on arrears payment arrangements

Time-of-use pricing -- customers on time-of-use (TOU) pricing pay regular rates as of Feb 23, 2021

COVID-19 Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) and COVID-19 Energy Assistance Program for Small Business (CEAP-SB) -- One-time on-bill credit that households, small businesses and charities can apply for to pay down electricity debt

• apply through your local utility, applications reopened on October 16, 2020 and residential customers do not need to be unemployed to apply
• for information COVID19 Energy Assistance Program

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Regulates, licenses, monitors and inspects energy industry participants including natural gas and electricity utilities

• investigates potential violations and enforces regulations
• regulates rates charged to customers and regulates rebates to consumers
• online inquiry and complaint forms
• online energy industry information and resources including lists of licensed gas marketers and electricity retailers, and bill calculators for electricity or natural gas usage
• Help for Low Income consumers -- summary of programs, www.oeb.ca/rates-and-your-bill/help-low-income-consumers
• consumer newsletters and brochures

Residential customers -- disconnection for non-payment is banned from November 15 to April 30 of the following year

• electricity providers are required to reconnect customers without power before the start of the disconnection ban period and waive any charges due to reconnection, including Collection of Accounts service fees
• for more details www.oeb.ca/newsroom/2017/ban-disconnection-homes-winter-customers-electricity-distributors-frequently-asked

Affordability Fund -- assists electricity customers who do not qualify for low-income conservation programs N.B. not accepting new applications

• affordabilityfund.org

Assists customers in retaining their Hydro One service by helping them access financial relief programs and offers payment flexibility including customized price and payment plans and budget billing to customers experiencing financial hardship.

Program that lowers electricity bills for low-income households

• provides a monthly credit to eligible customers based on household income and household size
• credits will be applied directly to eligible customers' electricity bills
• an applicant may qualify for both this program and the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP)