Human Services
Client and Community Supports and
2009 Statistical Hilights - June 2010

Area/Need

Program/Service

Program Description and Latest Enhancements

Financial
Supports

Ontario Works

Ontario Works (OW) provides financial, employment and homelessness supports consistent with provincial policy.

Financial supports – includes income assistance for basic needs, shelter and items such as transportation, prescription drugs and emergency assistance (e.g. funerals).

New in 2010: About 14,600 families and individuals will receive social assistance and job supports each month. In 2009, about 12,821 families and individuals received assistance each month.

Employment Supports

Ontario Works

Most OW clients participate in employment activities and have access to a wide range of in-house and contracted services to assist them in finding, keeping or obtaining better employment.

Services are outlined below:

• Employment Placement–provides clients with employment assistance activities that best fit their skills, experience, circumstances, and increases their ability to get and keep a job.
• Employment Resource Centres (ERCs) - the Region runs two ERCs offering a range of services and supports to help residents with their job search.
• Literacy and Language programs – assists clients to prepare for the changing labour market, a wide range of programs and services are provided by OW which includes programs to increase literacy skills and educational levels of the development of both hard and soft skills required by employers.
• Skills Training – provides clients with opportunities to obtain job-specific skills in the field of their choice.
• Community Placement – assists clients to gain work experience through unpaid placement in the not-for-profit or public sector.
• Assessment & Counselling, Career Planning & Life Skills Programs - links clients to other mainstream training and support programs that develop skills in dealing with and coping with daily living situations.
• Employment Placement Program for Employers – Employment Placement Programs offer human resources solutions at no cost to employers who are hiring. Businesses in Peel are provided with the right candidates for the job. Peel advertises job postings at the two employment resource centres free of charge, and refers suitable candidates from a large pool of applicants. If candidates require specific training, they may qualify for financial incentives to help offset their employer’s training costs.

Housing

Rent Supplement Program/Housing Allowances

Rent supplements and housing allowances are subsidies for residents who cannot afford market level rents. Tenants pay their portion of the rent directly to the landlord, and the Region funds the difference between the market rent and the subsidized rent. Tenants are selected from the Region's centralized waiting list (CWL).

Enhancements in 2010: An additional 100 Peel families will receive rent supplement.

Housing

Rent Geared to Income (RGI) Subsidy

The Region of Peel provides rental subsidy to low income families in Peel who are approved for housing (from the centralized wait list) at one of Peel’s 46 social housing providers. Rent subsidies vary according to the size and income of the household

Housing

Affordable Housing Program

The Region stimulates construction of new affordable housing by tapping into funding from the federal and provincial governments under the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program . Regional staff are responsible for project sponsorship and program administration for several projects now underway.

Housing

Home in Peel Affordable Ownership Program

The Home in Peel Affordable Ownership Program provides low-to-moderate income residents currently renting a unit the opportunity to qualify for down-payment (forgivable) loan assistance to buy a home.

Housing

Peel Living
(aka Peel Housing Corp.)

Peel Living is the Region of Peel’s non-profit housing company. Peel Living is the largest landlord in the Region of Peel and the third largest social housing provider in Ontario. Peel Living manages 70 buildings and provides service to over 16,000 residents through over 7,000 units.

Housing

Social Housing Renovation and Retrofit Program (SHRRP)

SHRRP is a partnership between the federal and provincial governments to repair social housing units and make them more energy efficient. Peel Living and other social housing providers are receiving 13.5 million for 2009/10 and $16.7 million for 2010/2011, totalling $30.2 million over two years.

Homelessness Assistance

Community Programs/ Homelessness

The Region of Peel provides a continuum of supports ranging from prevention to delivering supports for those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. These include:

Preventing Homelessness in Peel Program (PHIPP) – This umbrella program includes a Provincial and Regionally funded rent bank and Emergency Energy Fund for those on the verge of eviction or their utilities being shut off.

After Hours Services - assists Peel residents who lack shelter due to a community emergency or evacuation.

Emergency Shelters and Transition housing – The Region owns and operates three emergency shelters (Cawthra Rd, Peel Family Shelter and Wilkinson Rd.) and two transition homes (Peel Youth Village & Angela’s Place).

Outreach – a collaboration of Peel Human Services, Peel Health and community partners. Experienced professionals provide health care, basic needs (e.g. food, blankets) mental health and addiction supports, and street counselling to Peel’s homeless population.

Community Development & Support

Community Investment Fund (previously called Community Programs Fund)

Local non-profit social service, agricultural groups and youth benefit from six funding streams provided from this fund:

1. One Year Renewable Project Fund
2. Multi-year Operational Fund
3. Strengthening Organizational Effectiveness Fund
4. Social Purpose Enterprise (SPE) Technology Fund
5. Youth in Action Fund
6. Community Response Fund (introduced to assist non-profits impacted by the recession)

Community Development & Support

Neighbourhood Capacity Support Strategy (NCSS)

NCSS co-ordinates services locally that help people to participate in the economy and the community, using approaches and solutions that fit communities.

Five high need neighbourhoods have been identified: Colonial Terrace and Acorn in Mississauga, Knightsbridge, North West Brampton and Queen & Kennedy in Brampton. NCSS works with various governments, funders and community agencies to address the diverse issues within these neighbourhoods.

Enhancements: the 2010 Budget approved an additional $350,000 for NCSS. Enhancements are intended to support youth in risk.

Community Development & Support

The Peel Francophone Steering Committee is a partnership between the Region of Peel, two French language school boards and various community agencies. The Region, in partnership with the Peel Francophone Steering Committee, created two new francophone child care centres at École Carrefour des jeunes and École Saint-Jean-Baptiste.

Community Development & Support

Aboriginal Programs

Children’s Services, in partnership with the Peel Aboriginal Steering Committee (PASC):

• Raises awareness among Peel residents about Aboriginal heritage and culture
• Develops programs for Peel’s Aboriginal families
• Organizes A Gathering: Peel’s annual Aboriginal Celebration

Community Development & Support

Learning in Our Neighbourhood (LION)

Fully-equipped mobile early learning resource centres travel to high growth, under serviced communities throughout Peel to ensure that children start school prepared with literacy, numeracy and social skills. LIONs let kids enjoy interactive, play-based programs while parents talk to early childhood professionals about parenting and development.

Early Learning and Child Care

Learn Play Care Centres (LPCs)

The Region operates 12 Learn.Play.Care. Centres, offering licensed early learning and child care services for children aged 18 months to 5 years.

Early Learning and Child Care

High Scope Curriculum

The Region of Peel's Learn Play Centres deliver the HighScope educational curriculum. It is a research based, internationally recognised, child-centred preschool curriculum through which Early Childhood Educators (ECE's) support children's development. The curriculum focuses on learning through child directed, hands on, active play and problem solving in a setting full of reading materials, routines and knowledgeable staff.

Early Learning and Child Care

Subsidized Child Care

Child care fee subsidy helps eligible low-income parents, foster parents or legal guardians of children to pay for licensed care from birth to 12 years of age. Subsidized care may be available at the Region’s 12 Learn.Play.Care. Centres or in over 450 other licensed centres and home-based child care programs.

New: In 2010, the Region eliminated parental co-payment for child care helping 2,650 working families that currently receive a child care subsidy.

Early Learning and Child Care

Special needs Programs

The Region’s 12 Learn.Play.Care. Centres provide individualized programs, services and support for 72 children with special needs.

The Brampton West nursery school program provides a half day, year round, licensed, learning environment for children 2.5 to 5 years of age. The afternoon program delivers a variety of specialized programs, services and workshops for service providers and families.

The Valley Infant Parent Program (VIPP) is an intensive, therapeutic program that supports the development of a healthy attachment between parents and their infants. The Region operates VIPP in partnership with Peel Children's Centre, a children’s mental health agency.

The Region works closely with community agencies to provide a central referral service called Child Care Special Needs Access Point (SNAP) – Peel, a single point of access to co-ordinated services that help children with special needs 0 to 6 years old participate in licensed child care programs.

Early Learning and Child Care

Parent and Family Workshops

All About Positive Parenting: Learning for Life Workshops provide opportunities for parents to meet other parents, enhance parenting skills and increase knowledge of how to support child development through different ages and stages. A child care program with literacy and numeracy based activities is available to support parental participation.

The Family Literacy Program is a series of free workshops that give parents early literacy and numeracy skills to use in every day living and regular home activities for their children aged 0 to 6 years. Each workshop has stories, songs, snacks and activities families can do together. These workshops are offered in English, Mandarin, French, and Punjabi.

Early Learning and Child Care

Community Programs

Best Start in Peel

Best Start early learning and child care sites, located within local schools, provide integrated programming and supports to children and families. A research project is currently underway to evaluate the processes of implementing and sustaining Best Start programs and program outcomes for children, parents and staff.

Early Learning and Parenting in Peel Neighbourhoods

A diverse array of free literacy based programs are delivered in designated communities including parent/child programs, math programs, and summer fun programs.

Early Learning Program in Shelters

The Early Learning and Child Care Program in Shelters provide sensitive care and development appropriate activities for children whose parents or guardians are homeless and temporarily residing at the shelter.

Open the Door to Better Futures

The Open the Door to Better Futures program is designed to provide opportunities for single parents to help them overcome barriers that are preventing them from building a better future for themselves and their children. The six month program includes paid on the job and life skills training.

2009 Statistical Highlights

220,000 Clients Served

Ontario Works

Financial Assistance

• 75,000 individuals served annually
• 5,594 singles, 4,998 sole support and 2,229 families on the caseload each month 1
• 23 per cent of cases are newcomers 2(in Canada less than 10 yrs).

Employment Assistance

• 9,826 clients provided employment assistance each month
• 19,000 individuals assisted each year at the Region’s Employment Resource Centres assist.

Caseload Management

• 25,000 applications received per year
• 358.5 Caseworkers (FTE)

$137.9 million gross,
$27.0 million net

$15.6 million gross, $6.1 million net

$37.3 million gross, $28.7 million net

Social Housing (System Management and Peel Living)

• 67,000 individuals/clients housed annually
• 46 social housing providers (including Peel Living)
• 14,500 households (35,000 individuals) on the Social Housing Wait List.
• 9,920 households receive Rent Geared to Income subsidy (including rent supplement)
• 15,000 social housing units in the community
• 7,100 households (families, singles and seniors) living in Peel Living’s 70 properties
• 15 operational reviews

$113.1 million gross, $78.9 million net

Child Care (including fee subsidy)

• 80,000 individuals served annually
• 24,000 licensed spaces
• 3,300 children on the Subsidy Wait List
• 7,816 children received s ubsidy at 369 sites in Peel

$49.8 million gross, $14.4 million net

Child Care Program Management

• 151 service provider agreements
• 300 quality & operational reviews
• 414 Early Literacy Workshops serving 3,583 parents

$7.7 million gross, $3.7 million net

Child Care Special Needs

• 858 children served through the Region’s 12 directly operated centres and 5 agencies provide service to children with special needs.
• 200 children on the special needs wait list

Child Care Agency Payments

• Wage subsidy for 4,000 teachers
• 1,700 children served through Resource centres

Homelessness Prevention

• 3 Emergency Hostels: (family & singles)
• 2 Transitional Housing Facilities (families and youth) :
• 11,494 individuals, including 3,236 children & 998 youth in Our shelters & Transitional homes each year
• 710 households avoided eviction
• 180 households avoided utility cut off
• 3,174 clients were reached by Homelessness Outreach Response teams

Community Support And Development

• 60 agencies supported by the Region’s Community Grants program
• 5 high need neighbourhoods supported through targeted development and intervention
• Neighbourhood Capacity Support Strategy
• Project Lifesaver