DEFINITION OF INCOME JAN 1, 2012 Income means the total amount of all payments of any nature paid to or on behalf of or for the benefit of the member, subject to exceptions. O. Reg. 298/01, s.50 (2), (3), (5) and (6). Income includes, but is not limited to the following: (a) gross salaries, wages, overtime payments, commissions, bonuses, tips, gratuities; (b) self-employment income (c) the gross amount of employment insurance benefits; (d) the gross amount of workers compensation payments or other industrial accident insurance payments made because of illness or disability; (e) the gross amount of any old age security, federal guaranteed income supplement and spouse s allowance and financial assistance under the Ontario Guaranteed Annual Income Supplement (GAINS); (f) the gross amount of every kind of pension, allowance, benefit and annuity whether from a federal, provincial or municipal government of Canada or any level of government of any other country or state or from any other source; (g) the gross amount of alimony, separation, maintenance or support payments; (h) the gross amount of gains from investments including interest or dividends on stocks, shares or other securities, and where the actual income cannot be determined, an imputed rate of return set by the City of Greater Sudbury from time to time; (i) the gross interest income from savings or chequing accounts in a bank, trust company or a credit union; the gross amount of interest earned or payable from bonds, debentures, term deposits or investments, certificates, mortgages or lump sum payments or other assets; (j) an imputed income equal to the total appraised value of all assets which do not produce interest income multiplied by a rate of return published by the City of Greater Sudbury from time to time. Gross Household Income means the aggregate income of: 1. The tenant/member and every person residing in the leased premises; 2. Every tenant/member on the lease/occupancy agreement temporarily residing elsewhere. Spouse, in relation to a member of a household, means, (a) an individual of the same or opposite sex to the member, if the individual and the member have together declared to the Service Manager that they are spouses, or (b) an individual of the same or opposite sex to the member who is residing in the same dwelling place as the member, if the social and familial aspects of the relationship between the individual and the member amount to cohabitation and the individual is providing financial support to the member, the member is providing financial support to the individual, or the individual and the member have a mutual agreement or arrangement regarding their financial affairs. O.Reg. 298/01, s. 4(1).
EXAMPLES OF POSSIBLE SOURCES OF INCOME (Domestic or Foreign) Pensions and Allowances Old Age Security (OAS) Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) Guaranteed Annual Income Supplement (GAINS) Canada Pension Plan (CPP)/Quebec Pension Plan Social Security (other countries)widow s Pension Income Producing Assets Farm property which produces income Real estate (residential, commercial, farmland, cottage, mobile home) which produces rental income Non-Income Producing Assets Life Insurance (with a cash surrender value) Registered Retirement Savings Plan (unless locked-in) OTHER SOURCES OF INCOME Employment (full-time, part-time, casual, seasonal, odd jobs) Self-employment (child care, music teacher, business) Tips, gratuities Vacation pay Workers Compensation payments Insurance payments Provincial or Municipal payments Ontario Works (OW) Ontario Disability Support Plan (ODSP) Company Pension Private Pension Public Service Pension Civilian War Pension Disability Pension War Veterans Allowance (DVA) Savings accounts (bank, trust company, credit union), annuities, Guaranteed Investment Certificates, stocks or shares, bonds, debentures, mortgages, loans, notes, term deposits Real estate (house, condominium, summer cottage, farmland, commercial or vacant land) in any country collection of, or investments in, other valuable non-income producing assets (i.e. coins, stamps, antiques, art, etc.) Employment Insurance Commission payments Payments under compensation for Victims of Crime Act Payments from official Guardian or Public Trust Payments from Children s Aid Society or Catholic Children s Aid Separation payments Alimony payments/support Payments (for spouse or child) Support from relatives or other source War Veterans Allowance (other countries) Military/Militia/Civil Defence Allowances Canada Manpower Retraining Allowance Training Allowances Licence which produces income (i.e. Taxi Licence) Business interest which produces income Business asset which does not produce income Non-interest bearing chequing accounts Mortgage income Immigration allowance Student grants
APPENDIX C January 2012 TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR RENT-GEARED-TO-INCOME ASSISTANCE A household is eligible for rent-geared-to-income assistance if: o Each household member must be a Canadian Citizen, have applied for permanent resident or made a claim for refugee protection under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and no removal order has become enforceable. (Proof of Residency Status must accompany the application) o No member of the household has been found by the Ontario Housing Tribunal, the Landlord and Tenant Board, or a Court of Law to have misrepresented his/her income or the income of their household in relation to the receipt of rent-geared-to-income assistance. No member of the household has been deemed to be ineligible for rent-geared-to-income assistance. o At least one member of the household must be 16 years old or older and able to live independently. o Any member of the household named in this application must not owe rent / occupancy charges or damages to any federally, provincially or municipally funded housing groups in Ontario, or must be actively adhering to an approved repayment schedule. OTHER REQUIREMENTS: o Any member of the household named in this application that owns residential property suitable for year-round occupancy in or outside of Ontario must sell it within six (6) months after they begin to receive a rent-geared-to-income subsidy. o All members of the household who are 16 years or older, must sign the application, the release and consent and the declaration and if housed, all other forms and documents required by the provider must also be signed. If the member of the household who is 16 years of age or older is unable for any reason to sign the application or consent or to make a valid application and give a valid consent, the application and consent may be signed by a parent, guardian, person with power of attorney or authorization to complete an application and provide consent on behalf of the applicant. o The number of bedrooms allocated to a household is based on the number of persons in the household requesting rent-geared-to-income assistance and governed by the local occupancy standards. o Any member of the household receiving rent-geared-to-income assistance must make reasonable efforts to pursue income if entitled to receive such income under the Ontario Works Act, 1997, Divorce Act (Canada), Employment Insurance Act (Canada), financial undertakings given under the Immigration Act (i.e. Sponsorship (Canada)), and any pension or other benefit an individual may be entitled to receive from the Provincial and Federal government, and o Any other eligibility requirement established by the government of Ontario and the Service Manager as amended from time to time.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS February 2005 Who can apply? You can apply if: You are at least 16 years old. All members of the household are legal residents of Canada or have applied for refugee claimant status No member of the household is currently under a removal order which has become enforceable No member of the household owes money to any social housing provider. No member of the household has been convicted of an offence in relation to rent-geared-to-income assistance or found by a Court of Law or the Ontario Rental Housing Tribunal or the Landlord and Tenant Board to have misrepresented their income for the purpose of rent-geared-to-income assistance. You will be required to provide documentation clearly indicating your legal right to be in Canada. This may include, but is not limited to, a copy of your birth certificate, landed papers, or documents supporting your application for refugee status. When it is closer to the time when you will be offered housing you must: Be able to live independently, with or without support services (which you must arrange) An individual is considered to be able to live independently if he or she is able to perform the normal essential activities of day-to-day living; or can do so with the aid of support services and demonstrates that those support services will be provided when they are required. I own my own home. Can I still apply? If you own a residential property that can be used all year, you are required to have divested your interest in any residential property within 180 days after being housed in a rent-geared-to-income unit. I do not have an income. Am I eligible for social housing? You may be required to pursue income from one or more of the following sources: Ontario Works Support payments Employment Insurance Any pension or support payments required under a sponsorship agreement Any federal or provincial pension (CPP, OAS, GAINS ) Failure to pursue a specific type of income within the required time frame will result in a decision of ineligibility. What should I do if information or my situation changes after I submit my application? If there is a change in any of the information that you provide, you are required to notify the processor of this application within 30 calendar days of the change. You will be notified if additional documents or information is required. Can I choose where I want to live? Yes. When you apply for housing, you will be asked where you want to live. You can choose one or many locations. Your name will be added to the centralized wait list for each location where you are eligible. Do I get to pick what size unit I want? You can indicate what type of unit you want to live in. However, your choice must fall within a range of unit sizes that is determined by the occupancy standards that apply to your household size. How much rent can I expect to pay? Rent-geared-to-income is based on 30% of your gross monthly income, or if you are receiving assistance from Ontario Works or the Ontario Disability Support Program, a social assistance rent scale. Additional charges may apply depending on the housing project you select.
When will I be notified regarding the status of my application? Within seven (7) business days after your application is received, it will be reviewed to ensure that it is complete. You will receive written notice informing you whether your application is complete or not. If it has been determined that your application is not complete, you will be informed why it is not complete and what additional information is required to complete the application. You will also be given a time period in which to submit the required information or documentation. How long will it take for me to get a unit? The length of time before a unit becomes available will vary depending on the locations you choose. It may take some time because of the small number of vacancies. What happens while I am waiting for housing? It's important that you keep your file up to date. You must notify the housing registry within 30 calendar days if any of the information you provide in this application changes, for example: You change your address or phone number You want to live in locations other than those you chose on the application The number of people in the household changes Your income changes The contact person on the application changes We will send you a letter or contact you at least once a year. Your name may be removed from the centralized wait list if we cannot contact you. What if I need a special type of unit? Some housing providers have modified units or units where support services are provided. The Project Selection Sheet identifies which housing providers have accessible units. When do I provide verification of my income, assets and household composition? You will be required to provide the required information upon request by the housing provider and at least annually to assess your eligibility for rent-geared-toincome assistance. You will also be required to provide verification of income for your household prior to being offered a unit. How are people chosen for housing? The system for selecting households is based primarily on date of application. The Housing Services Act 2011 mandates a Special Priority status to those individuals who meet the basic criteria listed in the Confirmation of Abuse form. What is a housing Co-operative? Co-operative housing is managed by its residents who are referred to as members. Applicants wishing to live in a co-operative may be asked to complete an additional application by the Co-op and may be asked to attend an information meeting at each co-op for which they are interested in becoming a member. Co-op members are expected to participate in their community by becoming a member of the Board of Directors, committees, or participate in the maintenance of the property. How will I be contacted for an offer? Housing providers require a daytime telephone number so they can contact you when a unit becomes available. If you cannot be reached during the day, it would be helpful if you gave the Housing Registry a telephone number of a contact person who can be reached during the day so they can give you the message.