The Community & Human Services Committee is a joint advisory committee and local board of Hastings County that advises and makes recommendations to County Council regarding the County’s role as Social Service Manager under the under the Housing Services Act responsible for overseeing operation and delivery of:
- Social Housing – provides community housing buildings located in all areas of Hastings County, rent supplement programs and manages and develops affordable housing programs.
- 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:
- Belleville
- Quinte West
- Centre Hastings
- Hastings Highlands
- Marmora and Lake
- Tweed
- Bancroft
- Deseronto
- Carlow/Mayo
- Faraday
- Limerick
- Madoc
- Stirling-Rawdon
- Tudor and Cashel
- Tyendinaga
- Wollaston
As an advisory committee, decisions are forwarded to Council for final approval. Decisions made by the Committee are considered recommendations and are not final until approved by Council. It may also provide advice to council on matters, issues and policies pertaining to land-use, development and community planning. The role is advisory and consultative.
Governance
The committee consists of:
- 4 appointments from Belleville
- 3 appointments from Quinte West
- 2 appointments from County of Hastings
As of April 9, 2025 its members are:
- Warden Bob Mullin (Mayor of Stirling-Rawdon, Warden of Hastings County)
- Deputy Warden Tony Fitzgerald (Mayor of Hastings Highlands, Deputy Warden of Hastings County)
- Belleville
- Councillor Carr (2025-94)
- Councillor Thompson
- Councillor Seu (2024-186)
- Councillor Kelly, Alternate
- Quinte West
- Councillor Armstrong
- Councillor O’Neil
- Councillor Sharpe
- Hastings County
- Councillor DeGenova (Mayor of Tweed)
Term: 2 years
Meetings
Meetings are held the 2nd Wednesday of every month at 9:30 AM in Hastings County Council Chambers in the County of Hastings Courthouse and Administration Building at 235 Pinnacle St, Belleville, ON K8N 3A9 and on Zoom.
Responsibilities
As the Service Manager for the housing system under the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH), Hastings County is responsible for ensuring individuals have access to adequate, appropriate, and affordable housing that meets their needs.
Children’s Services
Homelessness
Prevent and reduce homelessness through the provision of innovative, evidence informed quality homelessness programming and responses.
With the Coordinated Access System, the By-Name List, the Community Response Program, and the support of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness and community partners, the focus is to reduce chronic homelessness in the community.
Homelessness intervention and prevention initiatives also include:
- Reaching Home
- Homelessness Prevention Program
- Veteran Homelessness Program
- Warming Centre operations
- After-Hours Emergency Homelessness program
- Quinte West Transitional Units and Enumeration.
Budget
In 2025, HPEPH’s budget included:
- $18.7M in total revenues and total expenses ($0 surplus/deficit)
- $13.7M from the Ontario government
- $240K from the federal government
- $4M from member municipalities’ property taxes
- $700K from member municipalities’ reserve funds
After provincial funding and collected revenues cover most expenses, the net cost is split between the municipalities in the Service Manager’s service area based on their share of the total value of all properties, adjusted by their tax ratios (ie. weighted assessment) using Current Values determined by Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC):
A municipality with mostly industrial property (higher tax ratio) may pay more than a residential-heavy municipality of similar total value.
