Examples of Accommodation Supplement for emergency and transitional housing

Client situation

Description of the housing

Eligibility for Accommodation Supplement

Client who has decided on a long-term lease in a motel or boarding facility.

This is not emergency housing.

Client should test their eligibility for Accommodation Supplement.

Client is getting an Emergency Housing Grant.

This is emergency housing.

A client with this type of emergency housing arrangement will not qualify for Accommodation Supplement.

When a client's emergency accommodation is funded through an Emergency Housing Grant, there is no expectation that this accommodation will be the client's home.

The stay in temporary accommodation, used as emergency housing, is intended to be for 7 nights at a time (or up to 21 nights in some cases). During the grant period, the client is required to make reasonable efforts to find alternative accommodation.

Client who is staying in transitional housing funded by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.

This is transitional housing (but in some circumstances the client may be eligible for Accommodation Supplement).

A client staying in this type of accommodation will generally not qualify for Accommodation Supplement.

Transitional housing is usually provided as short-term accommodation for people with an immediate housing need while support is put in place to transition them into sustainable housing (e.g. for 12 weeks). There is no expectation that this temporary accommodation will be the client's home.

However in some circumstances, the features of the accommodation (e.g. length of the stay, some level of access to the property for as long as they do not have other permanent housing and autonomy while they are staying in the premises) might support a view that the person is occupying the premises as their home.

Client can test their eligibility for Accommodation Supplement.

Note clients in transitional housing who are receiving Social Rehabilitation Assistance for that transitional housing are not eligible for Accommodation Supplement. See: Social Rehabilitation Assistance

Client who is staying in emergency housing not funded by an Emergency Housing Grant.

This is emergency housing (but in some circumstances the client may qualify for Accommodation Supplement).

A client staying in this type of accommodation will generally not qualify for Accommodation Supplement.

Emergency housing is short-term accommodation for people with an immediate housing need. There is no expectation that the emergency accommodation will be the client's home.

However in some limited circumstances, the features of the accommodation (e.g. length of the stay, some level of access to the property for as long as they do not have other permanent housing and autonomy while they are staying in the premises) might support a view that the person is occupying the premises as their home.

Client can test their eligibility for Accommodation Supplement.