Community Services Committees in Ontario

A Community Services Committee (or Social Services Committee) is an advisory committee and local board that advises and makes recommendations regarding policies, directives and strategies to Council regarding the municipality’s role as Service Manager under the Housing Services Act (HSA) responsible for the planning, coordination, and delivery of the following services:

• Community Housing – provides community housing, rent supplement programs and manages and develops affordable housing programs. Community housing is housing owned and/or operated by local housing providers (PHC), non-housing corporations, and housing co-operatives
• Ontario Works – centralized intake access centre processes applications for Ontario Works, Child Care Fee Subsidy and housing.
• Children’s Services – plays a central role in planning, funding, administration and operation of early years and licensed child care services, as well as delivering Ontario’s Child Care Fee Subsidy program.
• Homelessness Initiatives and Prevention – provides financial assistance, life stabilization services, funding for community initiatives that address poverty, food insecurity and homelessness.

on behalf of the municipalities in their geographic service area.

Governance

The makeup of Community Services Committees varies considerably between Service Managers.

In general, the municipality in its role as Service Manager is the sole shareholder of a Local Housing Corporation (eg. Northumberland County Housing Corporation (NCHC)) which is run by a Board of Directors that reports to the Community Services Committee. The Committee also hears from Housing & Social Services department staff and community service partners that receive funding and provide social services.

As an advisory committee, decisions made by the Committee are considered recommendations and are forwarded to Council for final approval.

Responsibilities

Ensuring the municipality meets their responsibilities as Service Manager.

Budget

In general, funding is determined by:

1. Province sets funding formulas
2. Service Manager does local needs assessment and prepares Housing and Homelessness Plan
3. Plans and requests submitted to province and funding is allocated.
4. Service Manager integrates funding into municipal operating budgets.
5. Year-end reconciliation, adjustments, and compliance reporting.
6. Ongoing oversight ensures service delivery matches provincial standards.

The funding formulas are outlined in:

• O. Reg. 369/11: Subsidies for Part VII Housing Projects
• O. Reg. 367/11: General

Example: Hastings County

In 2025, Hastings County Community & Human Services Committee budget included:

• $117.4M total expenses
• $94M in revenue
• $23.5M net cost, $18M of which is for community housing operating costs

After provincial funding and collected revenues cover most expenses, the net cost is split (“apportioned“) between the Service Manager’s and municipalities’ operating budgets in the service area based on their share of the weighted assessment (total value of all properties) as determined by Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC):

Cost sharing

• Ontario Works benefits: Provincial government funds 100% of benefit amounts since January 2018
• Ontario Works administration: Split between 50/50 and a portion subject to the provincial upload
• Children Services: Municipal governments top up provincial funding
• Social Housing: Municipal governments cover shortfalls between required housing service levels and provincial funding.
• Capital Projects: May involve local co-investment to qualify for matching federal/provincial funds
• Federal government funds their programs:
  • National Housing Strategy programs
  • Reaching Home (homelessness)

Terms of Reference example

Regulation

• Housing Services Act
  • O. Reg. 369/11: Subsidies for Part VII Housing Projects

Examples

• Bruce County Human Services Committee
• Grey County Community Services Committee
• Hastings County Community & Human Services Committee
• Kingston Housing and Homelessness Advisory Committee
• Greater Peterborough Joint Services Committee (previously Peterborough Regional Liaison Committee)
• Renfrew County Community Services Committee
• Simcoe County Affordable Housing Advisory Committee
• Brantford
• Greater Sudbury
• Kingston
• Muskoka
• Ottawa
• Renfrew County