The Rainy River District Social Services Administration Board has decided to temporarily fund a local social housing program until further discussions with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing next month.
Originally run by the federal government, the Fort Frances Native Urban Wahkaihganun Corp. was devolved to the province and now is being downloaded to the municipal level.
The local DSSAB was informed in early February that an order-in-council had been passed, transferring the responsibility for funding and overseeing the housing program to the board beginning March 1, 2004.
The corporation had not been downloaded to municipalities in 2002 with other social housing programs because it had been designated a “program in difficulty,” or PID.
Some of the problems facing the corporation identified by the province included high administration costs, an underfunded reserve, building condition audits, and large maintenance expenditures.
“These weren’t issues that the DSSAB themselves identified. These were issues that were brought to our attention by the province,” noted DSSAB CAO Donna Dittaro.
Until the ministry could prove these problems had been solved, the DSSAB voted to refuse to accept responsibility for the corporation. “We just want assurance from them that the issues they identified have been resolved,” Dittaro said.
The DSSAB recently received a letter from Toni Farley, director of the social housing branch of the ministry, indicating the local housing corporation has made great improvements over the last few years.
“She said the administrative costs have decreased and they forecast further reductions to bring it down to the acceptable standard,” Dittaro said of Farley’s letter.
Farley also indicated the reserve no longer was underfunded and the 2004 contributions have been made.
“We’re just going to look for confirmation that the contributions were made for prior years: 2001, ’02, and ’03,” Dittaro noted.
“In terms of the building condition audits, [Farley] said the Fort Frances Native Urban group has made necessary repairs to properties and that they have tracked their maintenance expenditures for long-range forecasting,” she added.
Farley also promised to send all up-to-date financial reports for the housing program as well as recent operational reviews. “They are quite happy with the progress that was made there,” Dittaro said.
The DSSAB will meet with a ministry rep April 16 to further review the information regarding the corporation.
“He’s coming on the 16th to meet with our housing committee and the staff, just to review all the information again,” Dittaro said. “That is good, because that’s what it was all about was communication.”
Until then, the DSSAB has agreed to pay the subsidy for April based on the information provided by Farley.
“The disagreement is between the DSSAB and the province. It has nothing to do with the Fort Frances Native Urban program, so why should the corporation suffer?” Dittaro argued.
She also stressed the DSSAB would not be taking control of the program.
“The Fort Frances Native Urban program will maintain its own separate board and its own separate staff,” Dittaro explained. “That’s the way it is with all the non-profit housing in the district.”
The role of the DSSAB, she said, is to “ensure that all the housing programs follow the terms of their operating agreements and all applicable legislation as well,” and to make sure they receive funding.
The Fort Frances Native Urban Wahkaihganun Corp. provides low-cost housing to First Nations people in Fort Frances who are in need.
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