The Manitoba government is reinstating a rent top-up program designed to tackle chronic homelessness after it was criticized for pausing the program while blaming a lack of funds.
The program was put on hold in early September. A letter sent to housing organizations by Carolyn Ryan, an assistant deputy minister and chief executive officer of Manitoba Housing, said the department was “initiating a temporary pause of new intake to the program” because of “unprecedented demand.”
The decision was criticised by New Journey Housing and the Right to Housing Coalition.
Housing Minister Bernadette Smith announced Thursday the province is adding $1.2 million to the Canada-Manitoba Housing Benefit, which tops up monthly rent for eligible low-income renters.
“With this funding, the temporary pause has concluded, and application intake has resumed. Applications received to date will be addressed first, and additional families will benefit from this increase in funds until allocations of the new funds are exhausted,” she said in a news release.
The increased funding will bring this year’s total to $10.8 million in benefits, the release said.
“Our government is committed to ending chronic homelessness, and we know that there is so much more to do,” Smith said in the release.
“We are providing these funds immediately to ensure this program can be accessible to those struggling and who need support with the rising cost of living.”
The program helped 1,600 families and individuals with their rental costs from October 2023 to this June. The province approved an additional 282 recipients in August, and steps to support those applicants are currently underway, the release said.
fpcity@freepress.mb.ca