Housing Allowance Programs and Benefits

• The OPHI Housing Allowance is a monthly flat rate payment from the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville that is made directly into the bank account of the renter to assist with their rent costs.
• The OPHI Housing Allowance is calculated as the difference between:
  • the current Alternate Average Market Rent (AAMR) for the eligible unit size or
  • the current AAMR for the actual unit size or
  • the actual rent amount (whichever is the least of the three), and
  • the maximum shelter allowance for social assistance recipients or 30 per cent of Adjusted Family Net Income for non-social assistance recipients.
• The OPHI Housing Allowance will not change the amount you receive for your Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support payments.

• Applicants must be renting within Leeds and Grenville.
• At least one member of the household must be 16 years old or older and able to live independently.
• Each member of the household must meet the following citizenship criteria:
  • Is a Canadian citizen, or
  • Has made application for permanent resident status under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada), or
  • Has made a claim for refugee protection under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada), and
  • No removal order has become enforceable against any member of the household under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada).
• No member of the household may owe arrears to any social housing provider in Ontario; arrears must be verified paid in full.
• No member of the household has been convicted of misrepresenting their income for the purposes of receiving rent-geared-to-income assistance within the last two years. 
• Household income must not exceed the household income limits as established under the Housing Services Act, 2011, O. Reg. 370/11 Section 2.
• Household assets must be within the limit as per the Asset Limits Policy (HDPOL34) established by the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville.
• Households receiving rent-geared-to-income assistance, another housing allowance or portable housing benefit are not eligible to receive the OPHI Housing Allowance benefit.

• The unit may be self-contained (i.e. have its own kitchen and bathroom) or can be a room in shared accommodations.
• A unit in a hotel/motel, congregate living arrangement, nursing home or retirement home is not eligible.

• Your housing allowance is based on the address used in your OPHI Housing Allowance application.  If you move to another unit you must notify the Counties in writing within 30 days. 
• If you are offered and accept a rent-geared-to-income (RGI) unit you must notify the Counties immediately. Your housing allowance continue to be paid until the last day of the month before you move into your (RGI) unit.
• Only the persons included in the OPHI Housing Allowance application may occupy the unit. You must notify the Counties in writing within 30 days of any change in your household members.
• Your eligibility to receive the OPHI Housing Allowance will be reviewed annually.  You must provide either a Statement of Social Assistance (if in receipt of Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support Program benefits) or the most recent Notice of Assessment (NOA) if not in receipt of social assistance, to verify your household income. 
• Your OPHI Housing Allowance may be cancelled for any of the following reasons:
  • No longer eligible for the program.
  • Accept of an offer of a rent-geared-to-income unit.
  • Moving to a unit that does not meet unit eligibility criteria.
  • Failure to notify the Counties within 30 days of a change in address or household members.
  • Failure to complete the annual review or any other review initiated by the Counties.
  • Providing false information or otherwise misrepresent any required information in the OPHI Housing Allowance Application, or any document requested by the Counties to determine eligibility for the OPHI Housing Allowance Program, whether negligent or otherwise.
  • Funding for the OPHI Housing Allowance program is terminated or withdrawn. 

Applications are prioritized for:

• Households who are experiencing affordability issues with their rental unit.
• Ontario Works recipients who experience affordability issues with their rental unit.
• Applicants that are waiting for a rent-geared-to-income unit.

Applications are available on our Social Housing Forms page or in a Community and Social Services office upon request.

Mail or drop-off your completed OPHI Housing Allowance application and supporting documents to:

The Corporation of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville
Community and Social Services Division – Housing Department
Attention:  OPHI Housing Allowance Case Manager
25 Central Avenue West, Suite 200
Brockville, ON   K6V 4N6

A monthly payment is paid directly to low-income households to assist with the cost of rent.

The COHB benefit amount paid to you is based on the difference between 80 per cent of Average Market Rent (AMR) as determined by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) or the Alternate Average Market Rent (AAMR) as approved by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, and 30 percent of the Adjusted Family Net Income (AFNI), divided by 12 for an appropriately sized unit, based on household composition.

You can live in a unit that is smaller or larger than the allowable unit size in Leeds Grenville’s Occupancy Standards, but your COHB benefit will only be calculated according to your “eligible unit size”.

Recipients of Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Program benefits receive a shelter allowance as part of their monthly entitlement up to a maximum amount, based on actual shelter costs and household size.  If their shelter costs exceed the maximum shelter amount, social assistance recipients are eligible to receive the maximum shelter amount.

The Ontario Works Act, 1997 and the Ontario Disability Support Program Act, 1997 only allow housing benefits to be exempted as income up to the difference between actual shelter costs (i.e. rent, utilities, and insurance) and the maximum shelter allowance payable. 

The social assistance shelter allowance will be provided in the normal fashion; however, the COHB benefit will fill the gap between the social assistance shelter allowance and actual shelter costs, up to the maximum COHB amount. 

Recipients of Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support Program benefits are required to contact the ServiceOntario Information Centre to report any changes (increases or decreases) in their shelter costs so that their COHB benefit can be adjusted accordingly.

• Be a renter household in Leeds Grenville.
• Not currently be receiving rent-geared-to-income (RGI) assistance, or any other government-funded housing benefit, such as a Housing Allowance benefit. Shelter payments received from Ontario Works or the Ontario Disability Support Program are allowed.
• You must be removed from the social housing registry waiting list once your COHB benefit is approved.
• You must be eligible for rent-geared-to-income assistance, which means:
  • Each member of your household meets at least one of the following three criteria:
    • is a Canadian citizen, or
    • has made application for status as a permanent resident under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada), or
    • has made a claim for refugee protection under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada), and no removal order has become enforceable against any member of the household under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada).
  • No member of household owes arrears to a social housing provider in Ontario.
  • No member of the household has been convicted of misrepresenting their income for the purposes of receiving RGI assistance under the Housing Services Act, or a crime under the Criminal Code (Canada) within the last two years.
  • Gross household income does not exceed the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville Household Income Limits.
  • Household assets must be within the limit per the Asset Limit Policy (HDPOL34) established by the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville.

You must report any changes in personal information as soon as possible to the ServiceOntario Information Centre at 1-888-544-5101.

You must report the following changes:

• You move.
• You start or stop receiving Ontario Works or ODSP benefits.
• You are in receipt of Ontario Works or ODSP benefits and your shelter costs change.
• Your income decreases by 20% or more.
• You have a permanent change in household composition (e.g. someone moves out of your home).

You do not need to report an increase in income during the year.

The Ministry of Finance (MOF) will reassess your benefit for the changes noted above in “Reporting In-year Changes”. Note that your benefit may only be reassessed once in a year for a decrease of at least 20% in your income.

You also will have your benefit reassessed if you or the Service Manager report to ServiceOntario that you are no longer eligible for the COHB benefit. This may happen if you are receiving rent-geared-to-income assistance or another government-funded housing benefit.

To continue to be eligible for the COHB benefit, you must submit a federal income tax return to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) by April 30th each year for the Ministry of Finance (MOF) to re-calculate your monthly benefit.

Households must complete an annual renewal form each Spring and update the MOF of any changes.  To continue to be eligible for the program each year, you must:

• Reside in Ontario.
• Be a renter household.
• Not be in receipt of RGI assistance, more than one COHB benefit (only one member in each household may receive the benefit), or any other government-funded housing benefit, such as a Housing Allowance. Shelter payments from Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support Program are allowed.

If you do not complete and return your annual renewal form by the renewal deadline, it may result in your household no longer being eligible for the COHB Program. 

Households who do not qualify to receive a COHB payment, will no longer be eligible under the program after 24 months of not receiving payments.

Priority Groups

The following vulnerable individuals and households in housing need will have priority for the COHB program:

• Survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking;
• Persons experiencing or at-risk of homelessness;
• Indigenous persons;
• Seniors; and
• People with disabilities.

This second priority group includes:

• Households living in community housing that are not receiving affordability support (e.g. rent supplements, housing allowances or RGI assistance); and
• Households no longer receiving financial assistance as a result of expiring federal-provincial programs or social housing operating agreements/mortgages.

The third priority group is non-targeted households (i.e. households that are not in the above categories). 

COHB Application – Paper Application

Applicants interested in applying for the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB) may complete a paper application or an online application.

Option #1: Paper Application

The paper application is recommended if you:

• Would like assistance in completing the application form.
• Do not have an email address or access to email.
• Do not have individual/separate emails for all income earners in the household.
• Are not interested in receiving your annual review online.

COHB Application – Online Application

You may wish to complete the online application if you:

• Are comfortable completing online forms with minimal assistance.
• Have an email address and have access to your email on an electronic device such as a computer, cell phone or tablet.
• Have individual email addresses for all income earners in your household (required for electronic signature). The email address(es) must be unique for each income earner.
• Have all income earners available to complete electronic signatures within 24 hours of submission of the application. If the electronic signatures are not completed within 24 hours, the application will be rejected and the household will have to re-apply through the Service Manager with a new application.
• Are interested in receiving your annual renewal online (you can revert to paper anytime).

If you are interested in proceeding with an online application you must be prepared to:

• Receive emails (email will be from: PHB-Application-NO-REPLY@Ontario.ca).
• Make note of the deadline to apply.
• Make note of the access code in the email as it is required in order to gain access to the portal.
• Provide your SIN, plus the SIN’s and email address for all other income earners in the household.
• Provide your monthly rent and utilities amounts.
• Provide the amount of the shelter allowance you receive from social assistance (if applicable).
• Provide your banking information for direct deposit.
• Have all other income earners in the household present when you are ready to submit your application; all income earners are required to provide an electronic signature.
• Provide landlord information if you are interested in the COHB being issued directly to your landlord.