Chatham-Kent has received a recent funding boost to help support local residents secure affordable housing.
Chatham-Kent Leamington MPP Trevor Jones has announced that the municipality will receive $282,822 in top-up funding through the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB).
The funding is provided directly to eligible households looking for social housing and to households in financial need living in community housing.
“This significant funding boost will empower individuals and families in Chatham-Kent to access stable, affordable housing, marking an important step forward in addressing the housing challenges in our community,” Jones said in a news release.
“This funding will help Chatham-Kent wind down encampment sites, which are a public safety concern and not a solution to homelessness,” said Paul Calandra, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “Mayors have asked us for help in managing this complex issue, and that is why we are providing additional funding to those municipalities that have committed to use the investment to clear encampments and provide people in need with safer accommodation quickly.”
The COHB aims to help those at risk of homelessness by securing a rental home that meets their needs. While delivered by the province, the COHB is funded through the federal government.
Chatham-Kent has now received a total of $479,022 in COHB funding in 2024/25.