This is a list available to the public on Housing Access and Stabilization Services, created by the Housing Help Network.

Please contact us for broken links or suggested websites to info@housingworkers.ca
(Please copy and paste the web address of the housing related services you are suggesting).


Brief History of the Housing Help Sector

During the 1990's, the ability to find and maintain housing was hindered by rising rents, low vacancy rates, and a decreased supply of rental housing. These issues were exacerbated by labour market conditions, a more restrictive income security program and reduced earnings. Certain legislative, political and policy decisions, such as the advent of the Tenant Protection Act, further complicated Toronto's housing environment. In response to these challenges, projects were initiated through the City of Toronto to help low-income tenants find and maintain adequate housing.

The Housing Help Sector encompasses services that focus on 3 core components:
  • Housing Access
  • Housing Stabilization
  • Eviction Prevention

Housing Help Services work with those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Housing Help Services are offered within shelters (26 agencies) and outside of shelters (41 agencies), including nine Housing Help Centers that act as service hubs. Funding for this sector is provided by the Consolidated Homelessness Prevention Program (CHPP) and CT-HIF, which is the combination of finances from the City of Toronto and the Provincial Homeless Initiatives Fund (PHIF).

While the agencies and centres differ in services in order to best meet their clients' needs, their focus is undeniably to aid those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness find and maintain adequate housing. This sector also plays a role in achieving the broader goals of conquering homelessness. Housing Help services further the goals set out in the City of Toronto's Housing Opportunities Toronto (HOT) Plan;

Hot Plan (click to read more)

In 2009, City Council endorsed the HOT Plan, which outlined 57 actions directed to the City of Toronto and its federal and provincial partners. The HOT Plan provides a concrete direction and an explicit commitment to addressing housing issues in Toronto.

The HOT Plan includes the following goals specific to Housing Help:

  1. Co-ordinate and provide supports and housing to ensure homeless and vulnerable people are able to keep their homes by:
    1. Allocating funding to community programs and services which help people find and keep homes.
    2. Advocating to the provincial and federal governments to provide increased funding to enhance housing supports available to vulnerable tenants in private market and social housing communities
  1. Keep tenants housed through eviction prevention and education by:
    1. Funding Housing Help Centres to provide housing assistance to at-risk households.
    2. Administering the provincially-funded Rent Bank program which helps at risk households avoid eviction through short-term, interest free loans.

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Resources for Housing Access

General References (click to read more)

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Housing Help Centres/Rent Bank and Utility Access (click to read more)

There are 9 Housing Help Centres in the City of Toronto.
Click here for a map with contact info, or select one of the housing help centres below:

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Toronto Rent Bank: Emergency Rent Deposit (click to read more)

Housing Help Programs by Client Groups (click to read more)

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Types of Housing and Access (click to read more)

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Housing Help Outside of Toronto (click to read more)


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Housing Stabilization & Eviction Prevention

General References (click to read more)

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Housing Help Centres/Rent Bank and Utility Access (click to read more)

There are 9 Housing Help Centres in the City of Toronto:

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Toronto Rent Bank: Rent Arrears (click to read more)

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Utility Assistance Programs Chart (click to read more)

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Streets to Homes Follow Up Services (click to read more)

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For Tenants of TCHC (click to read more)

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Housing Stabilization Programs by Client Group (click to read more)

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Housing Worker Supports

Operational Policies (click to read more)

The following documents are sample policies for use by housing workers.

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Training Resources (click to read more)

  • Toronto Hostel Training Centre
    • Offers practical, financially accessible training curriculum for hostel/shelter staff, managers, volunteers, students in job placements and agency board members

General Community Information (click to read more)

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Mental Health and Housing Groups (click to read more)

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Tenant Supports

Conflict Mediation Services (click to read more)

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Extreme Cleaning Programs (click to read more)

For serious issues such as hoarding, bed bugs, etc.

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Voluntary Trusteeship Programs (click to read more)

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Housing Harm Reduction Programs (click to read more)

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ID Replacement Services (click to read more)

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Furniture Services (click to read more)

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Other Organizations (click to read more)

  • METRAC: a not-for-profit, community-based organization that works to ensure women, youth, and children live free from all forms of violence and the threat or fear of violence

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Information, Policy and Legislation

Residential Tenancy Act (RTA) (click to read more)

The purposes of this Act are to provide protection for residential tenants from unlawful rent increases and unlawful evictions, to establish a framework for the regulation of residential rents, to balance the rights and responsibilities of residential landlords and tenants and to provide for the adjudication of disputes and for other processes to informally resolve disputes.

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Social Housing Reform Act (SHRA) (click to read more)

SHRA provides the legislative framework for how social housing operates. The City of Toronto as the local service manager may set local rules in a limited number of areas as permitted by the SHRA.

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Ontario Human Rights Commission Housing Issues (click to read more)

As of March 2010, the Ontario Human Rights Commission, the City of Toronto, the Federation of Rental-Housing Providers of Ontario, the Greater Toronto Apartment Association and the Human Rights Legal Support Centre have joined forces to promote housing as a human right.

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Shelter Standards (click to read more)

The City of Toronto promotes the delivery of safe, accountable and cost-effective services for people experiencing homelessness.

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Legal Services and Resources (click to read more)

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