I think my welfare
I think my welfare

allowance was $500 a month.
allowance was $500 a month.

A month.
A month.

And to get the cheapest thing that wasn't a
And to get the cheapest thing that wasn't a

skid row cockroach infested thing would still be about $450.
skid row cockroach infested thing would still be about $450.

So I had $50 a month left for everything
So I had $50 a month left for everything

so that meant
so that meant

food banks, it meant soup kitchens and
food banks, it meant soup kitchens and

Peel not only found me a place to live twice,
Peel not only found me a place to live twice,

but they assisted me with furniture
but they assisted me with furniture

and moving expenses.
and moving expenses.

Whoa.
Whoa.

That flabbergasted me.
That flabbergasted me.

That was so wonderful.
That was so wonderful.

And I was crying on the phone
And I was crying on the phone

where I couldn't get the words out, right,
where I couldn't get the words out, right,

they were stuck in my throat.
they were stuck in my throat.

I was that emotional.
I was that emotional.

I was that emotional.
I was that emotional.

She thinks you just helped somebody move
She thinks you just helped somebody move

but she took me from
but she took me from

a hell pit of 35 years.
a hell pit of 35 years.

That's just me.
That's just me.

This is happening every day in Peel to hundreds of people like me.
This is happening every day in Peel to hundreds of people like me.

Every day.
Every day.

And nobody knows it. Nobody knows it
And nobody knows it. Nobody knows it

Needs to be told.
Needs to be told.

People in Peel face significant housing challenges.
People in Peel face significant housing challenges.

The demand for affordable housing far exceeds the supply.
The demand for affordable housing far exceeds the supply.

And owning
And owning

or renting a home is out of reach for many residents.
or renting a home is out of reach for many residents.

The housing crisis and the need for more supports
The housing crisis and the need for more supports

worsened during the pandemic.
worsened during the pandemic.

Peel's housing services helps residents get and keep
Peel's housing services helps residents get and keep

affordable housing and prevents homelessness
affordable housing and prevents homelessness

across the Region.
across the Region.

Our dedicated staff, housing providers,
Our dedicated staff, housing providers,

and Peel Housing Corporation work closely with residents
and Peel Housing Corporation work closely with residents

and community partners to address the housing crisis.
and community partners to address the housing crisis.

Our work focuses on solutions to problems caused by
Our work focuses on solutions to problems caused by

the pandemic, domestic or social emergencies and crises,
the pandemic, domestic or social emergencies and crises,

supply shortages and affordability.
supply shortages and affordability.

Here are some of the outcomes
Here are some of the outcomes

from the past year of our work.
from the past year of our work.

The spread of COVID 19 posed further risks
The spread of COVID 19 posed further risks

to the homeless and our most vulnerable residents,
to the homeless and our most vulnerable residents,

and we worked closely with community agencies
and we worked closely with community agencies

to keep them safe.
to keep them safe.

We provided free isolation centers for residents
We provided free isolation centers for residents

who needed a safe place to self-isolate,
who needed a safe place to self-isolate,

enhanced safety measures at shelters
enhanced safety measures at shelters

and provided additional out of the cold programs.
and provided additional out of the cold programs.

We also secured COVID 19 emergency funds
We also secured COVID 19 emergency funds

to help both residents and our community partners.
to help both residents and our community partners.

So like all organizations around the world,
So like all organizations around the world,

when COVID 19 pandemic happened,
when COVID 19 pandemic happened,

everything changed for us overnight.
everything changed for us overnight.

All of the social services agencies in Peel
All of the social services agencies in Peel

had to change their operating model overnight.
had to change their operating model overnight.

So when the emergency funding came out,
So when the emergency funding came out,

the priority was getting the money
the priority was getting the money

in the hands of people that needed to spend it right away
in the hands of people that needed to spend it right away

because all of our other funding sources dried up.
because all of our other funding sources dried up.

And the Region was incredible.
And the Region was incredible.

They were able to put grants online,
They were able to put grants online,

get people to apply for the grants, get the grants vetted,
get people to apply for the grants, get the grants vetted,

announced, and funded in a record period of time.
announced, and funded in a record period of time.

That allowed us to be there for our clients
That allowed us to be there for our clients

when they need it most. Those were very scary times.
when they need it most. Those were very scary times.

Our emergency response, which includes shelters,
Our emergency response, which includes shelters,

street outreach and transitional housing, is set up
street outreach and transitional housing, is set up

with the end goal of getting our clients
with the end goal of getting our clients

permanent affordable housing as quickly as we can.
permanent affordable housing as quickly as we can.

Our street helpline operates
Our street helpline operates

24/7 to respond to urgent homelessness needs.
24/7 to respond to urgent homelessness needs.

Last year, the Peel Family Shelter in Mississauga
Last year, the Peel Family Shelter in Mississauga

was relocated to provide 110 units for families in need.
was relocated to provide 110 units for families in need.

We work with partners to support
We work with partners to support

transitional housing
transitional housing

for women and children fleeing domestic violence
for women and children fleeing domestic violence

and survivors of human trafficking
and survivors of human trafficking

I started having my own personal problems,
I started having my own personal problems,

hanging out with the wrong crowd
hanging out with the wrong crowd

and just wound up on the streets for several years.
and just wound up on the streets for several years.

Sometimes I would stay at the youth shelters there, but
Sometimes I would stay at the youth shelters there, but

there were conflicts on the streets,
there were conflicts on the streets,

people take advantage of you, steal from you.
people take advantage of you, steal from you.

So I just found it easier to just sleep outside.
So I just found it easier to just sleep outside.

It's funny how I learned about Peel Youth Village
It's funny how I learned about Peel Youth Village

because I had gone to some programs before,
because I had gone to some programs before,

not out of choice, as a youth for treatment,
not out of choice, as a youth for treatment,

but went myself as an adult wanting to change.
but went myself as an adult wanting to change.

That's kind of what got the ball rolling
That's kind of what got the ball rolling

when I had the right people to make those connections.
when I had the right people to make those connections.

The Peel Youth Village is really well-designed.
The Peel Youth Village is really well-designed.

It gave me, first of all, a place where I could feel safe,
It gave me, first of all, a place where I could feel safe,

and build my own character back
and build my own character back

and define who I am moving forward as an adult.
and define who I am moving forward as an adult.

To get people the help they need quickly,
To get people the help they need quickly,

we've modified our service delivery model to a needs based approach,
we've modified our service delivery model to a needs based approach,

providing customized housing solutions.
providing customized housing solutions.

Our new approach includes portable rent subsidies,
Our new approach includes portable rent subsidies,

which are attached to the person instead of the property.
which are attached to the person instead of the property.

This led to an additional 1,200 households
This led to an additional 1,200 households

getting faster access to affordable housing
getting faster access to affordable housing

On the 24th of March
On the 24th of March

I was evicted and I went to Ellen House, the shelter,
I was evicted and I went to Ellen House, the shelter,

and then I got the apartment
and then I got the apartment

and
and

it's nothing short of a miracle
it's nothing short of a miracle

because where I was, where I was facing,
because where I was, where I was facing,

being on the street to where I am today,
being on the street to where I am today,

it's like being in heaven
it's like being in heaven

that there's nothing else I can describe it.
that there's nothing else I can describe it.

I am so happy and I'm at peace.
I am so happy and I'm at peace.

I'm really at peace, which I didn't have before.
I'm really at peace, which I didn't have before.

To increase the supply of affordable housing
To increase the supply of affordable housing

we're putting shovels in the ground and building on land
we're putting shovels in the ground and building on land

owned by the Region of Peel and Peel Housing Corporation.
owned by the Region of Peel and Peel Housing Corporation.

This saves the high cost of buying land with the savings
This saves the high cost of buying land with the savings

then invested in more units.
then invested in more units.

We can't do this alone.
We can't do this alone.

We work closely with other levels of government,
We work closely with other levels of government,

private and nonprofit partners to build more affordable housing.
private and nonprofit partners to build more affordable housing.

We have a BCF residences as we call it,
We have a BCF residences as we call it,

and our goal there is really serving families,
and our goal there is really serving families,

small families, primarily one and two bedroom suitable,
small families, primarily one and two bedroom suitable,

that are caught in homelessness to some extent.
that are caught in homelessness to some extent.

It was a challenge to be able to see what we could do,
It was a challenge to be able to see what we could do,

to be able
to be able

to bring some housing affordability into our area.
to bring some housing affordability into our area.

But we certainly see it's worthwhile.
But we certainly see it's worthwhile.

And with it close to our faith community,
And with it close to our faith community,

with the retail close by and great public transit,
with the retail close by and great public transit,

we thought it was an ideal setting to be able
we thought it was an ideal setting to be able

to work together with the Region of Peel
to work together with the Region of Peel

as well as other partners and make it happen.
as well as other partners and make it happen.

We've been able to bring 45 of those
We've been able to bring 45 of those

small families off of the Regional waiting list,
small families off of the Regional waiting list,

which is a thrill for us,
which is a thrill for us,

but others that are in as well are lower income in our area
but others that are in as well are lower income in our area

and be able to provide them with not only a safe place
and be able to provide them with not only a safe place

but a healthy place.
but a healthy place.

And so we're thrilled with the interface
And so we're thrilled with the interface

we have with the Region of Peel
we have with the Region of Peel

as well as the other partners in the area.
as well as the other partners in the area.

We're looking at creative and innovative options
We're looking at creative and innovative options

to solve the affordable housing crisis.
to solve the affordable housing crisis.

For example,
For example,

by engaging private owners
by engaging private owners

and landlords into our community plan.
and landlords into our community plan.

More affordable units can be created by helping
More affordable units can be created by helping

owners renovate and register second units in their homes.
owners renovate and register second units in their homes.

You know, I think it's good for both, for the house
You know, I think it's good for both, for the house

owner and tenants because we have more
owner and tenants because we have more

places this way.
places this way.

And people have easy
And people have easy

to, you know, find a place and be comfortable in the area.
to, you know, find a place and be comfortable in the area.

We're proud of the work we've done and we're honoured
We're proud of the work we've done and we're honoured

to work for an amazing team that serves Peel residents.
to work for an amazing team that serves Peel residents.

We have more work to do,
We have more work to do,

and we'll do everything we can to help
and we'll do everything we can to help

residents get and keep housing.
residents get and keep housing.

I live in Peel Living building.
I live in Peel Living building.

This building is everything to me.
This building is everything to me.

Everybody in this building from,
Everybody in this building from,

I'm on the first floor, from first floor to sixth floor
I'm on the first floor, from first floor to sixth floor

we are family.
we are family.

They are amazing buildings.
They are amazing buildings.

The super(intendants) take pride in their work.
The super(intendants) take pride in their work.

I regard the people at the Peel Region as a family.
I regard the people at the Peel Region as a family.

It's just, you know, they really care
It's just, you know, they really care

and it shows how much they will do for the community.
and it shows how much they will do for the community.

If you ask them for help,
If you ask them for help,

they'll move the earth
they'll move the earth

to get to help you.
to get to help you.