Ontario's long-standing social assistance programs - including policies that claw back payments from homeless people - are being reviewed by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services.

Ministry spokesperson Kristen Tedesco said a portion of social assistance payments associated with shelter are based on an individual's actual shelter costs, and an individual with no shelter costs will only receive the "basic needs portion of income support."

That policy has been in place since the program's inception in 1998.

"This is a standard procedure for both Ontario Works and ODSP," said Start Me Up Niagara executive director Susan Venditti.

Danny Claybourn, a 58-year-old homeless man who spoke to The Standard earlier this week, said he learned about the clawbacks after spending winter nights at emergency hostels in St. Catharines this year.

He said his Ontario Disability Support Program cheques were reduced by half after stays at Southridge and Salvation Army shelters.

"They take $600 away from me, saying that's for shelter. I'm left with $600 a month," said Claybourn, who has recently been living in a tent at Centennial Gardens park.

Tedesco said the provincial government is "redesigning ODSP and Ontario Works to provide people with more effective and efficient support, while removing barriers between local service systems."

"As part of our reform, we will be redesigning ODSP to consolidate complex supplements and benefits into simplified financial support for people with severe disabilities. Front-line staff will work with people to help them connect to other supports," she said.

"Changes are being implemented gradually to update the system, so it can better meet the needs of those who need it the most and so people have time to understand and prepare for changes."

Venditti said she's eager to learn about the reforms referred to in the ministry's statement.

"It's pretty broad and I'm really interested in seeing what they're doing and whether or not what they're hoping to do is going to be backed up with sufficient funding, so we can have the capacity locally to meet their expectations," she said.

Venditti said recent changes implemented to integrate services have resulted in definite improvements in Niagara.

"In our agency we have a worker from Ontario Works who is in our office weekly helping with this," she said. "We have an outreach worker and other agencies have outreach workers who are all sort of feeding funnel now around the housing stability support program that the (Niagara) Region is managing right now."

Claybourn said he'd rather not stay at emergency hostels, adding the facilities are far too regulated to feel anything like home.

"That's not shelter," added Claybourn, who said he has been "trying so hard to get a place" to call home. "You have certain times you have to be in, and certain regulations."

He said his reduced ODSP payments make getting out of shelters extremely difficult.

In the meantime, Venditti said there are other supports available to help people who are in the same situation as Claybourn.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

"They now have a Housing Stability Fund to help a person get housed," she said. "We could probably remedy that problem."

Tedesco said the Community Homelessness Prevention Initiative also "allows service managers to address local priorities that better meet the needs of individuals and families who are homeless or at the risk of becoming homeless in their communities."

Venditti, however, said people in similar situations "might not understand all the ins and outs of this."

"That's why it's important that we have outreach workers and we have the drop-in centre where people can come in and get help, just to help people navigate through the system."

Allan.Benner@niagaradailies.com

905-225-1629 | @abenner1

- Centennial Gardens enhancements considered, despite park's ongoing homelessness issues

- New approach suggested for homeless shelters

- 'Little city' of homeless people in Centennial Gardens park concerns Gale Crescent residents

- Niagara 'shortchanged' by Ottawa, Queen's Park on homelessness: Heit