Social Housing
Social Housing ensures that a variety of quality homes and services are available for people in housing need and with low to moderate incomes.
TBDSSAB owns and operates 2,473 social housing units and is responsible for the funding and administration of approximately 1,075 social housing units owned and managed by 21 non-profit providers. There are also approximately 495 housing units made available by Private Landlords under the Rent Supplement Program. The housing projects are located throughout the District of Thunder Bay and vary in building type, amenities and unit size.
Our Social Housing team assesses the housing needs of applicants and places them on the central waiting list. While assessing your application, we will identify any other advice or services that may be able to assist you with your housing situation.
When there is a vacancy, the unit is offered from the central waiting list to the next eligible household. Applicants usually have only a short time to accept a housing offer before it goes to the next eligible household.
View photos and descriptions of our current social housing properties here.
Learn if you are eligible for Rent Geared-to-Income Assistance here.
Apply for Rent Geared to Income (RGI) Housing.
Priority Applications
The Province has set regulations for ranking priority households on the centralized waiting list. If you or a member of your family is experiencing family violence, personal safety issues, situations of an extraordinary nature, or serious medical problems where your current accommodation poses a risk, you may qualify for one of the following priority statuses:
- Special Priority Status: SPP Verification Declaration Application Form and supporting letter must be completed and submitted.
- Exceptional Priority Status: If applying for medical reasons, a Medical Report (available from TBDSSAB Intake) must be completed and submitted. For other exceptional priority requests supporting documentation needs to be attached.
Rent Supplement Program
The Rent Supplement Program provides subsidies for units in buildings owned by private landlords for residents who cannot afford to pay market rent.
Before entering into an agreement with a landlord for rent supplement units, TBDSSAB conducts a unit inspection and determines if the unit meets criteria for program delivery.
Every time a unit under the agreement with a private landlord becomes available, TBDSSAB refers information about two (2) applicants on the centralized waiting list to the rent supplement landlord. The rent supplement landlord then chooses one of the applicants for the unit and notifies TBDSSAB of the selected applicant.
A lease is signed with the tenant as well as terms of agreement for subsidy with TBDSSAB. The tenant pays the landlord a rent amount that is determined by the Housing Services Act, 2011 (HSA) and its associated Regulations. The rent is calculated based on 30% of gross monthly household income, while the TBDSSAB remits the difference to market rent to the rent supplement landlord on the first day of each month. If the tenant’s household receives government assistance, such as Ontario Works or the Ontario Disability Support Program, the amount of rent is determined from a scale created by the provincial government. Landlords must comply with all the applicable legislation (Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, Housing Services Act, 2011) as well as the Rent Supplement Agreement
Over 450 units and more than 60 landlords participate in the Rent Supplement Program in the District of Thunder Bay.
Following are the steps to become a Rent Supplement Program Landlord:
- Prospective landlord must submit the Landlord Rent Supplement Application Form to the TBDSSAB. The Form is available online, or could be mailed to prospective landlord, if requested.
- Housing Programs reviews the submitted application and contacts prospective landlord. Housing Programs evaluates unit against current Social Housing Waitlist demand and market rent levels.
- If unit meets criteria, TBDSSAB contacts prospective landlord to schedule a physical viewing of the unit.
- If all evaluation components are positive, Rent Supplement Package is sent to new Rent Supplement Landlord for completion.
- Upon submission of the signed agreement and proof of insurance (minimum $2,000,000 liability), Rent Supplement Agreement will be finalized, and rent supplement process can begin with tenants, as required.
If you are a landlord and are interested in offering your units under the rent supplement program, please complete the application form and forward your application to:
Housing Programs Officer
231 South May Street
Thunder Bay, ON, P7E 1B5
807-766-4601
