North East LHIN Launches Health and Housing Strategy

More Affordable Housing and Supports Needed for Seniors and Other At-Risk Groups

September 26, 2016 — Recognizing that housing is one of the social determinants of health, the North East Local Health Integration Network (NE LHIN) has collaborated with many partners to develop a housing strategy for Northeastern Ontario.

“Housing is a complex community issue and we all need to work together to meet the housing and health needs of Northerners. This includes all levels of government, health and social service sectors, as well as private businesses,” said Louise Paquette, CEO of the North East LHIN. “This strategy will act as a resource for partner organizations as they search for opportunities to improve access to housing for people in the North East Region.”

In developing the Innovative Housing with Health Supports in Northeastern Ontario Strategic Plan: 2016-2019, the NE LHIN worked with its Expert Panel on Housing, the Northern Ontario Service Deliverers Association (NOSDA), the Housing Services Corporation, SHS Consulting, and the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Manitoulin-Sudbury.

“In Northern Ontario, there is an urgency to create new housing models and opportunities as there is a shortage of appropriate and affordable housing stock. The population of seniors and persons with low income is higher than the provincial average,” said Chris Stewart, Executive Coordinator of NOSDA, at a NE LHIN September Board meeting.

“There are also numerous small communities with aging populations and few options for people who wish to live in their own homes and remain in their own communities.”

The strategy contains comprehensive list of objectives that cascade from the overarching themes including:

• Clients / People;
• Innovative Housing and Infrastructure;
• Innovative Health / Social Support Provision;
• Innovative Leadership and Sponsorships

The NE LHIN’s Expert Panel on Housing will continue to meet to examine the progress made on the strategy, as well as to respond to new opportunities.

Background:

• To read Innovative Housing with Health Supports in Northeastern Ontario Strategic Plan: 2016-2019 click on this link.
• The North East LHIN, in developing its current Integrated Health Service Plan, 2016-2019 (IHSP), heard from Northerners about the need for more housing support services to remain independent in their home communities. As a result, housing is named as a key enabler to improving population health in the LHIN’s IHSP.
• The NE LHIN sponsored a forum entitled “Building for the Future” in October, 2015. As a result of the forum, there was a request for the NE LHIN to undertake additional work on the matters of housing and health.
• The LHIN then put out a call and struck a North East LHIN Expert Panel on Housing made up of Francophone and First Nations people, the region’s urban and rural communities, as well as those working in the housing, health care, private, public, and economic development sectors.
• The Expert Panel led a second housing forum in June 2016 which was attended by more than 100 participants, where the draft plan was further discussed and was circulated to community partners for comment and feedback. The final version of the housing strategy was received by the NE LHIN Board at its meeting of September 21, 2016.

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For more information or to arrange interviews, contact Communications Officer Lara Bradley at Lara.Bradley@lhins.on.ca or 705-674-1492.

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