The Government of Canada has awarded more than $49 million to the Region of Durham to strengthen housing and community services and support vulnerable residents across the region.
The funding was announced Thursday by Ryan Turnbull, alongside Durham Region Chair John Henry and Elizabeth Roy.
Turnbull said the investment will expand interim housing, support veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, and enhance mental health and addiction services through a rapid response team. “These are practical, compassionate investments that help our community thrive,” he said.
The funding includes support through the Interim Housing Assistance Program to provide asylum seekers with safe accommodation and settlement services. Additional funding from Health Canada will support a rapid response Opioid Outreach Team in Durham Region, aimed at saving lives, reducing health-care costs and addressing the long-term impacts of opioid addiction.
Investment through the Veterans Homelessness Program will provide rent supplements, mental health and addiction care, and employment services for veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
Henry thanked federal partners, including Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Health Canada, Veterans Affairs Canada, and Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada, for their continued support of the region.