June 29, 2023 – The District of Thunder Bay Social Services Administration Board (TBDSSAB) has announced its investment plan for the $16.5 million received though the province’s Homelessness Prevention Program for the 2023-24 fiscal year.
The province recently announced a 40% increase in homelessness prevention funding under the Homelessness Prevention Program (HPP) and Indigenous Supportive Housing Program (ISHP) beginning in 2023-24. Through HPP, TBDSSAB funds multiple homelessness prevention initiatives, including supportive housing, community outreach and support services, housing assistance, and emergency shelter solutions.
For the 2023-24 fiscal year, TBDSSAB received an HPP allocation of $16,549,000—an $11 million increase equal to roughly three times the $5.6 million allocation received through the same program in 2022-23. The funding has been allocated by category, with 53.5% allocated to capital projects and 17.9% to Community Outreach & Support Services – two funding categories that are new to the HPP model.
| HPP Budget Category | 2023/24 Investment Plan |
% |
| Emergency Shelter Solutions | $1,603,030 | 9.7% |
| Supportive Housing | $586,400 | 3.5% |
| Community Outreach & Support Services | $2,968,525 | 17.9% |
| Housing Assistance | $1,746,150 | 10.6% |
| Capital Projects (Supportive Housing) | $8,857,445 | 53.5% |
| Internal Admin | $787,450 | 4.8% |
| 2023/24 TOTAL | $16,549,000 | 100% |
Quotes:
- “On behalf of the TBDSSAB Board, I extend my gratitude to the province for the increased HPP funding. This funding is a huge step in the right direction toward offering a variety of supports to those experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming unhoused.”
– Ken Boshcoff, Board Chair, TBDSSAB - “I am grateful to the TBDSSAB Board for advocating for our local service needs, to the TBDSSAB team for putting together the spending plan in record time, and to the community partners for working with us to address local needs. We are planning on using a significant amount of this increase on capital projects to increase supportive housing options in our District, which we look forward to announcing later this year as well. In the meantime, today we celebrate the approved spending plan and the community partners and programs that are making a difference in the lives of the unhoused and vulnerably housed.”
– Bill Bradica, Chief Administrative Officer, TBDSSAB
Attachment: 2023 HPP Investment Summary