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12 - The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday July 19, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com Region wants federal government to freeze social housing funding Feds plan to reduce their contribution to zero in 2033 By Melanie Hennessey SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER The Rotary Club of Oakville Trafalgar would like to offer many thanks to Halton Region wants the federal government to freeze its funding for social housing at the current level, instead of gradually reducing it, to help make needed repairs to Ontario's social housing stock. A motion to that effect was passed by regional council at its meeting Wednesday. The resolution, from Oakville Councillor Jeff Knoll, came in response to a presentation council heard from Roger Maloney of the Social Housing Services Corporation. Maloney told council that the federal government's contributions to social housing in Ontario are declining and will be reduced to zero by 2033. He also spoke of the need for repairs to the province's social housing supply. In the next five years, he said there'll be a $1.2-billion shortfall for social housing repairs in Ontario. That number will grow to $4.6 billion in 20 years. The motion passed by council calls on the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) and the Province to urge the feds to freeze its funding at the current level -- about $500 million per year -- to help address the repairs. It also recognizes and thanks the Province for its $100-million contribution for social housing repairs and asks the Ontario government to: · Review its Ontario Works and Social Housing Legislation to remove any disincentives to low-income recipients seeking full-time employment · Pay the same rent scales for Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Program clients living in social housing as those living in private housing. "I think these are messages that both the premier and prime minister need to hear," said Knoll. The Halton Community Housing Corporation, which the Region provides management services for, has about 2,000 units of social housing across Halton. The Region is completing a building condition assessment this year to determine the latest state of repair for local units. Road closures will be 24-hours during Canadian Open in its sponsorship of the upcoming 5th Annual Tiger Tel Oakville Charity Dragon Boat Festival. The story Roads close as Open arrives in the Friday, July 18 edition of The Oakville Beaver contained incorrect information about the duration of the lane closures. The correct information is that 24-hour closures will be in place from Monday, July 21 to Sunday, July 27 for: · the northbound lanes of Dorval Drive, from Leewood Drive to Fairway Hills Boulevard, The southbound lanes will be used for vehicle traffic in both directions. · The eastbound (curb lane) of Upper Middle Road, from Dorval Drive to the Smith-Triller Viaduct. The printed error was due to incorrect information supplied to The Oakville Beaver. See Dragon Boat Story on Page 27