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Funds don't help region's Iaiordabie housing woes The Canadian Champion, Fniday, Apnil 6, 2001-5 By PAUL MITCHISON Special ta The Champion Halton Region ks receiv- ing $1.4 million for social housing, but it won't build a single new apartment or townhouse unit. The money [rom the Province is to be spent on capital improve- inents and administration costs lor puhlic housing programs. In Hallon, sincc 1999, municipal taxes have providcd subsidies amounttng to $34 million annually, an obligation no longer shared by the Province. Gwen Maloney, director of Halion's Non-profit Housing Corporation division. said the tunds, white welcome, don't tackle the shortage of affordable housing. "It's really go( nothing to do wiîh whal it costs to build, it's just ibat we've got 10 put administrative systems in place." A despcrate shortage ç)f allèrd- able housing ni Burlingion and tlie rest ol ihe region continues to exisi, she saîd. "There's no money there for new construction -wlîaî we*d really like is l'or the lederal and provincial governthîcnts Io get back int the housiiîg business." Beiwec'n the Bialton Non-Prolit Housing Corporation and Halion Housing Authtîrity there are cîîr- _____________________ ind alfordable housing, she said. Others stay wîîh famîlies and 'iWhat weld '«"y lriends or "fait mbt worse and like lis for the federal worse situations- an *The provincial govemment adprovincial recently downloaded the responsi- eoverninents to met bîlity for planning and delivery of back into the housing business." rently 1,820 housîng unîts, apart- ments and townhouses providing shelter l'or disabled resîdents, sen- iors, families on social assistance and the working poor. Rents in mosi of those unis are subsîdized by municipal taxpayers so they don't exceed 30 per cent of a household income. On top of these subsidized units, there are also about 2,200 lowcr-cost bous- ing nits available between pri- vately owned co-ops and non-prot- it projects. But it still doesn't comne close to meeting the need in Halton, where there are 1,80X) names ou a waitîng tsIt to get into Halion's subsidized houstug and wherc some lailies can expci 10 watt up tii seven ycars. Untold numbers curreutly ceave Halton and end up in cither Hamilton or Toronto in order to social housing services. On top of that, respounsibtlity for mosi leder- ally-funded social housiug was transferred 10 the Province under a tederal/provincial social housing agreementi n November, 1999. According 10 a provincial govent. meut news release, $29.5 million will be provided across Ontario for entitlemenîs of the employees who were translerred Iroru provincial 10 the municipal level. About $6 million will be given for what the Province describes as start-up costs, $9 million for effi- ciencies in administration, techuol- ogy, staff training, business realigumeut and other cosis. 'The Province will also be distnib- uting a further $58 million in feder- al lundiug relaîed 10 the federal housing program. These funds can be used for building, reviews, cap- ital repairs and other social housîng purposes. The Province will also provide inunicipalities with an additioual $8 million l'or a uew computerized property tmanagement systeru ihat will help them manage social bous- ing more efficienily. MOND Information Now Available Onhline atnHlhcr Milton District Hospital bas officially joined the online world. I-aIton Healtbcare Services' nese web site, www.haltonhealthcare.com, contains information about botb HHS hospitals, Milton District Hospital and OakvilIle-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital. Tbc site gives tbose wiîb computers easy access to HHS information in one convenient location. "We are very excited 1(1 offer t>ur communiîy anotber source of information about îbeir bospital" said Cindy McDonell, Cbîef Operating Officer aI MDH. "We alset olfer everyone a way 10 gel tbeir questions or con- cernis answered by prcvidtng a Comments button on every page." By clickîng on the Comments bution your question or concern is sent via email to the HHS Public Relations office. AIl queries are answered either by the Public Relations Department or forward- cd to tbe appropriate staff member. The web site is also playing an important role in recruiting. HHS is actively recruiting nurses, physi- cians and other bealtbcare professionals. Currcntly in Miltons, tbere aire no farnly physicians accepîîng new patients. However, HHS is acîîvely recruiting f'or new physictans for the ,irea. The web site is viewed as a valuable bool 1(5 assisti n tbe recroîtînent efforts. What sort of information is available ait www.haltonhealthcare.com? Programs and Services - Looking for a complete surinmary of tbe services offered at MDH'l Tbe Prograis and Services pages tîflèr an osersýiew ol' wbat is .îvailable in Diagnostic Imagîng, Obsîetrics. Surgîcal. Medical, Rebabîlîtation and Geriaîric Servic- es ai MDI-. Career Opportunities - Loo-king for a job in tbe bealîbcare field'? Tbis section is a summary of tbe types of positions available at Halton Heathcare Services. Tbe user bau tbe option of applying online for a position. Visiting oiar Hospital - Do you know someone wbo is a patient a MDH? On the Visiting our Hospital page your will find everytbing you need to know before visiîing the bospital. Information such as visiting bours, general visiling guidelines, cafeteria bours, vending machine locations, Gift Sbop bours, pastoral services and accessibility initiatives for tbe deaf, deaf- ened and bard-of-bearing. Need a Doctor? - Looking for a family physician? Presently there are no doctors accepting new patients, bowever, keep an eye on this section wbere you can find names and numbers of family pbysicians accept- ing new patients. Information on HHS recruitment efforts for physicians can be found in tbe Career Opportunities section. Fundraising - Would you like 10 make a donation 10 your communîîy bospital? Tbe MDII Foundation is reponsible for generating and administrating aIl cbari- table gifîs Ils the bospital. On the fundraîsîng page, you wtll find information on foundation events and bow iii donate to the bospital. Voîunteering - Inîerested in volunteering? At MDII, tbe auxîliary wcîrks 10 enhance tbe services tbe bospi- l provides. For more information about tbe Auxilary's fundraisîng actîvîties, the Junior Volunteers or if you are înteresied in donaing your lime to tbe bospital. cbeck oui these pages. What's Happening? - A listing of aIl current articles and press releases about HHS. Other information available online includes a coro- plete l-HS Board of Directors and Senior Management listing, phone numbers and bealth educa- tion events. So next lime you need some information about MDH, OTMH or HHS, be sure to cbeck out our website at www.baltonhealtbcare.com! Written by Rebecca Stoneman, Public Relations Associate at Halton Healthcare Services www.haltonhealthcare.com pal 1