In 2017, the Agency assumed responsibility for administering the Rent Supplement Program on behalf of Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). CMHC took on this rent-geared-to-income program after provincial funding lapsed. It continues to assist households that need help with their housing charges at federal co-ops in Ontario and Prince Edward Island.
The Rent Supplement Program remains a critical lifeline for the many families that otherwise could not make ends meet every month. Our 2024 Rent Supplement Portfolio Report has more to say about whom the program helps and where.
In 2024, roughly 2,300 households were able to stay securely housed, thanks to $18.27 million in funding, mostly directed to co-ops in Toronto and surrounding areas. Only three co-ops in PEI still received rent supplements in 2024.
As with the newer Rental Assistance Program (FCHI-2), much of this funding goes to single people, one-parent families and those on social assistance whose limited incomes put their housing at risk. About 86 per cent of households report a monthly income of $1,500 or more, with the highest average income being $2,061 (among couples). Thirteen per cent report monthly incomes between $500 and $1,500. On average, the program supported 35 per cent of households per co-operative.
Over time, we are seeing the anticipated decline in the number of co-ops and households using the program, since the expiry dates for CMHC’s rent supplement agreements generally align with co-ops’ mortgages or their original CMHC operating agreements. Fortunately, as these come to an end, almost all our co-op clients are opting to join CMHC’s Rental Assistance Program FCHI-2, which empowers them to continue offering rent-geared-to-income assistance to qualified households.
Read the full 2024 Rent Supplement Portfolio Report.