Subsidized Housing Guidelines and Document Requirements

Please ensure you meet basic eligibility requirements (listed below) and have the necessary documents before starting your application.

Register to Apply Online

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for subsidized housing, you must meet all of the following conditions:

  • At least one member in the household must be 16 years or older
  • All members of the household must be a Canadian Citizen, Permanent Resident or have Refugee Claimant Status
  • No member of the household is currently under a deportation, departure or exclusion order to leave Canada
  • No member of the household owes money to a social housing provider
  • No member of the household has been convicted of an offence within the past two years under the Housing Services Act (HSA), the Social Housing Reform Act or the Criminal Code in relation to the receipt of rent-geared-to-income assistance
  • Annual household income from all sources must be less than $80,000
  • Total value of all assets owned by you and all members of your household who are over the age of 16 must be less than $75,000. Bank accounts, investments and real estate are examples of assets. Some assets, including Registered Retirement Savings Plans, Registered Education Savings Plans and Registered Disability Savings Plans are not counted toward the limit, but you must still declare them.
  • You must be able to live independently, with or without supports

Completing the Application

  • Complete all sections of the application form.
  • For each member of your household you must include proof of your status in Canada. Include a copy of one of these documents:
    • Canadian birth certificate or Canadian passport
    • Canadian citizenship document, 8.5 x 11 paper form (both sides)
    • Permanent resident card (both sides)
    • Record of landing Convention refugee documentation and/or Refugee claimant form

Household Members

List the names of all adults and children (including yourself) who will live with you in subsidized housing. You must attach proof of legal status in Canada for all household members.

Previous Addresses

List the addresses where you have lived for the past three years.

Modified Accommodations

There are a limited number of social housing units that have been modified for people with physical disabilities. These units have varying types of modifications, which can include the design and shape of the rooms, size of doorways, roll-in showers, grab-bars and door handles. For more details on modified units view york.ca/housing

Income Information

Fill in the monthly income (before deductions) for you and each person in your household 16 years of age and older. Please refer to Income Table for examples of income.

Definition of Income
‘Income’ means ALL income (i.e. gross income), benefits and gains of every kind and from every source.
Definition of Assets
‘Assets’ include any savings, investments and property owned by any member of your household over the age of 16.

Examples of Income

Work/benefits/education

  • Full-time, part-time, casual, seasonal
  • Self-employed
  • Disability pay, sickness pay, long term income protection plan, Employment Insurance, etc.
  • Commissions, overtime pay, vacation pay, bonuses, etc.
  • Support payments received
  • Maternity leave top-up by employer
  • Full/part-time student

Pension

  • Old Age Security (OAS)
  • Guaranteed Annual Income System (GAINS)/Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS)
  • Canada/Provincial Pension Plan - (CPP), (QPP)
  • Government pensions from other countries
  • Company pensions, private pensions, etc.
  • Civilian war pensions
  • Public service pensions

Payments and allowances

  • Workers Safety Insurance Board (WSIB) payments
  • Ontario Works (OW)
  • Ontario Disability Support Plan (ODSP)
  • Military or Militia or Civil Defense allowance
  • Immigration allowance
  • War Veteran’s allowances
  • Training allowances
  • Payments from Children’s Aid Society

Examples of Assets

Assets/investments that count toward the asset limit:

  • Bank accounts (savings accounts and chequing accounts, Tax-Free Savings Accounts (cash), overseas or foreign accounts, etc.)
  • Investments (stocks and bonds, annuities, stocks, shares, bonds, term deposits, Guaranteed Investment Certificates (GICs), mutual funds, overseas or foreign investments, Tax-Free Savings Accounts (investments), etc.)
  • Real estate equity (the value of the property as determined by the current MPAC assessment, minus the amount of any mortgage(s) owing and any balance owing on any loans/lines of credit secured against the property)

Assets/investments that are exempt from the asset limit:

  • Registered accounts/investments (Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP), Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP), Registered Retirement Income Fund, Locked-in Retirement Account, Locked-in Income Fund, Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP), etc.)
  • Personal motor vehicles
  • Life insurance with a cash surrender value up to $100,000
  • Prepaid funerals
  • Business assets (business bank accounts, business property, business vehicle, taxi license) up to $20,000
  • Trust fund for a person with disability, up to $100,000

Note: For each member of your household aged 18 years or older, you must provide a copy of the Notice of Assessment and T1 General for the most recent tax year. If you do not have a Notice of Assessment or T1General you can request one by calling the Canada Revenue Agency at 1-800-959-8281 or visit canada.ca/en/revenue-agency

Asset Information

List all assets owned by you and each person in your household 16 years of age and older. You must also declare any assets that you own with someone else.

Your household’s total assets must be less than $75,000 to be eligible for subsidized housing in York Region. Some assets, including Registered Retirement Savings Plans, Registered Education Savings Plans and Registered Disability Savings Plans are not counted toward the limit. You must still declare these assets when you apply. You are also responsible to update your application if there is a change to your assets. You will need to provide verification of the value and ownership of each asset when you are closer to a housing offer.

Examples of assets are included in the application checklist. If you own an asset that is not on the list, it may still need to be declared. If you have questions about what you need to declare, please contact Housing Access, 1-877-464-9675.

Application for Special Priority for Survivors of Domestic Abuse/Human Trafficking

Only fill in this section if it applies to you.

Special Priority is intended to permanently separate victims of abuse from their abuser.

Special Priority is only given to applicants whose safety is at risk because they live with someone who is abusing them. It does not apply to applicants who want to separate from someone because a relationship is not working.

Complete this section only if you are applying to the waiting list because someone that you live with, or have lived within the last three months, is abusing you or you are/were a victim of human trafficking within three months. You will have to provide a record confirming the abuse. You will also need to complete the Special Priority Application package which Housing Access will send to you.