The province is doubling its investment for local social services, by providing an additional $150 million to the Social Services Relief Fund.
Premier Doug Ford made the announcement Thursday. He says the Ontario government is providing municipalities and urban Indigenous community partners with the additional money to protect more people from COVID-19 by improving homeless shelters and creating opportunities for longer-term housing.
"We are standing shoulder to shoulder with our municipal and Indigenous community partners to ensure our most vulnerable citizens are protected during these difficult times," Ford said. "Today's investment builds on our collective efforts to help people get back on their feet quickly and recover from this global crisis. We will continue to be a champion for our municipal partners with the federal government to ensure a strong recovery for communities across the province."
Municipalities and urban Indigenous community partners can use the funding for long-term housing solutions in response to the pandemic. They can renovate shelters or purchase new facilities that will help with physical distancing in the short terms and support long-term sustainable housing.
The money can also be used to provide vulnerable people with food, shelter and supplies.