That the following recommendations from the Strategic Plan and Budget Committee be approved:
1. That the Regional Municipality of Waterloo take the following action with respect to the results of the 2023 Housing Stability System Fee for Service Request and Proposal Response Protocol (the Protocol) for the 2024 budget process as outlined in report CSD-HOU-23-027 dated November 7, 2023:
a) Approve the nine service and program proposals recommended for funding in 2024 as set out Appendix A in the total amount of $3,113,493;
b) Direct staff to include $3,113,493 in the 2024 Housing Services Operating Budget to fund the operating and costs of the recommended service and program proposals, with funding from the 2024 property tax levy;
c) Authorize the Commissioner of Community Services and Director of Housing Services to execute any agreements, memorandums of understanding and other documents needed to implement the recommended service and program proposals, to the satisfaction of the Regional Solicitor;
d) Direct Housing Services staff to enter into discussions with Marillac Residence to support a potential development of 15 units of transitional housing and 15 units of supportive housing for pregnant woman and young mothers and bring forward any recommendation to Regional Council for consideration;
e) Direct Housing Services staff to enter into discussions with YWCA Cambridge to support a potential development of 20-bed 24/7 women’s emergency shelter in Cambridge and bring forward any recommendation to Regional Council for consideration;
f) Direct Housing Services staff to update the Housing Stability Fee for Service Request and Proposal Protocol to further align with principles of Reconciliation, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion; and the forthcoming Plan to End Chronic Homelessness.
2. That the Regional Municipality of Waterloo take the following action with respect to beginning the implementation of the Plan to End Chronic Homelessness for Regional Residents Experiencing Chronic Homelessness as set out in report CSD-HOU-23-028 dated November 7, 2023:
• Direct staff to begin the co-implementation of initiatives designed to address gaps identified in the Key Findings Report (CSD-HOU-23-024) with community partners, as detailed in Appendix A;
• Direct staff to:
a) Increase the 2024 Housing Services Operating Budget by $11,124,967 to implement the Plan to End Chronic Homelessness (The Plan) funded by $3,200,000 from the Tax Stabilization Reserve and $7,924,967 from the 2024 property tax levy;
b) Amend the 2024-2033 Housing capital program for the development of a hybrid shelter as outlined in this report;
c) Establish a Homelessness Prevention Capital Reserve;
• Advocate to the Government of Canada and to the Government of Ontario for annually incremental, sustainable, and predictable funding to support both new and existing services and programs that end, prevent, and respond to experiences of homelessness;
• Direct staff to work with community to develop accountability and impact frameworks for the Housing Stability System;
• Direct staff to work with community to develop a suite of policy incentives supporting the creation of new affordable housing and/or for preventing the loss of existing affordable housing stock and tenant displacement in Waterloo Region and bring forward any further recommendations to Regional Council for consideration and approval;
• Authorize the Commissioner of Community Services to execute all agreements and documents required to implement resolution (a) of this report, all such agreements and documentation to be to the satisfaction of the Chief Administrator Officer, Commissioner of Community Services and the Regional Solicitor;
• Authorize Real Estate and Legal Services to negotiate a conditional Agreement of Purchase and Sale for property acquisition or alternative Lease Agreements that may be required for the development of initiatives under the Plan to End Chronic Homelessness, and bring forward any resulting Agreement of Purchase and Sale or Lease Agreement to Regional Council for consideration and approval, with all terms and conditions subject to the satisfaction of the Commissioner of Community Services and the Regional Solicitor.
3. WHEREAS the Region of Waterloo is committed to advancing Truth and Reconciliation and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion;
AND WHEREAS First Nations, Inuit and Métis, African, Caribbean, Black identifying, racialized and historically under-recognized communities continue to face systemic barriers and discrimination;
AND WHEREAS Organizations led by and serving these priority communities, know and understand the complex needs of their communities best, but have been traditionally under-resourced and under-funded to effectively respond;
AND WHEREAS a Community Capacity Building Fund was created in response to this need and funding was distributed in 2023 alongside the Upstream Fund using budget capacity available in the Equity Fund;
AND WHEREAS the Equity Fund is fully committed for a range of programs in 2024;
AND WHEREAS the distribution of funding in 2023 has resulted in increased capacity for organizations led by priority-communities to support achievement of the Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan’s goals;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
THAT the Regional Municipality of Waterloo direct staff to include in the 2024 Operating Budget a provision of $1,000,000 to establish an annual Community Capacity Building Fund with funding from the property tax levy, and
THAT staff report back in Q1 2024 with the proposed terms of reference for the Community Capacity Building Fund, incorporating the learnings from the Upstream Fund evaluation, and a timeline for application and award.