The Ford government is taking action to help protect people in homeless shelters from recent COVID-19 outbreaks, and help prevent more individuals from becoming homeless.
A total of $255 million in new funding will assist municipalities, social service providers and Indigenous communities and organizations.
The Kenora District Services Board will get just over two million dollars and the Rainy River District Services Board will receive half a million dollars.
Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark says the money can be used to acquire motel and hotel spaces to support physical distancing, hire more shelter staff, as well as buy more personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies.
Clark says the funds can also be added to rent and utility banks to keep people from becoming homeless.
Kenora-Rainy River MPP Greg Rickford says, “It builds on previous announcements that we’ve made to support these initiatives already and we want to be in a position to continue them. This is one of the most vulnerable populations to the spread of COVID and COVID variant and winter is not over yet.”
Rickford adds, “It builds on previous announcements that we’ve made to support these initiatives already and we want to be in a position to continue them. This is one of the most vulnerable populations to the spread of COVID and COVID variant and winter is not over yet.”
He says everyone knows more funding will be needed later on.
“The lions share of these today build on previous installations of funding and the expectation that more support will be required.”
Henry Wall is the Chief Administrative Officer of the KDSB and says their share will go towards isolation spaces.
“Continue with projects like this to make sure they continue but also with other isolation needs. As the pandemic continues to evolve and vaccine rollout strategies continue to evolve, we know that we need programs like this..isolation centres.”
(With Files From Tim Davidson: Kenora)
