WHEREAS issues involving housing have been increasingly, and correctly, more and more a subject of discussion on a federal, provincial, and municipal level in Canada as politicians and others have realized the need to address this critical issue for some of our population’s most vulnerable and at-risk individuals; and
WHEREAS Supportive Housing has become a substantial part of housing discussions in Canada with all levels of government moving ahead with funding and projects at an unprecedented speed; and
WHEREAS there have been more and more disclosures about substantial failures at Ontario’s long term care homes (private and public) which have placed the wellbeing and safety of some of our largest populations of seniors at risk and, in fact, such failures in some cases have been the direct cause of deaths and these failures have taken place at licensed and inspected facilities which leaves the question of what can occur at unlicensed and uninspected operations like supportive housing.
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED THAT The Council of The Township of Brock request The Ontario Government to initiate a process of defining, licensing, and overseeing supportive housing programs in the province of Ontario and;
THAT The Province immediately develop a framework of excellent standards of care and support which must be adhered to by operators and owners of supportive housing to ensure that individuals residing at such facilities receive the supports required to improve their lives and the communities in which they are situated and;
THAT substantial penalties, including possible repayment of related facility grants, be enshrined in legislation for operators who fail to provide proper and excellent supports as defined and;
THAT this motion be forwarded to Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing; Laurie Scott, MPP Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock, AMO, Region of Durham, and all Durham Region municipalities.