MOOSONEE - A housing provider in Moosonee is facing a financial crisis.
At the Cochrane District Services Board (CDSB) meeting on March 20, board members discussed the growing concerns surrounding the Moosonee Non-Profit Housing Corporation (MNPHC) and called for immediate action from the province.
Established in 1987, MNPHC operates 126 units across three townhouse communities in Moosonee, a remote northern Ontario community accessible only by train or plane for most of the year.
The housing provider has accumulated approximately $6.6 million in deferred maintenance costs, and over the next decade, it is projected to need $36 million to sustain its housing assets.
Despite this, MNPHC receives only about $126,000 annually for capital repairs, roughly $1,000 per unit.
“The non-profit is unique in Ontario as the only housing provider that is 100 per cent provincially funded,” said Lindsay Cumming, CDSB’s director of housing.
“In 2006, an agreement was made with the CDSB and Moosonee with the province to administer social housing and programs in Moosonee, with the understanding that the costs would be covered entirely by the province.”
However, Cumming said while costs have risen, funding hasn’t kept pace. She also noted there are 148 people on the waitlist to access social housing in Moosonee.
“We’ve reached a critical point where we cannot keep up with capital repairs,” she said.
Among the most pressing issues are deteriorating roofs and windows, Cumming said.
Many of the original single-pane wooden windows have exceeded their lifespan, leading to moisture intrusion, mold growth, and structural deterioration.
Shingle and siding replacements have been delayed because of financial constraints, further exacerbating maintenance costs.
Additionally, wastewater backups have been a recurring problem, with a major incident in August 2023 affecting 10 units. The cost to remediate the damage is estimated at $1 million. Without preventative measures, future incidents remain a significant risk.
Cumming added that repair costs in Moosonee are significantly higher than elsewhere due to transportation and supply chain challenges.
“Costs have doubled or tripled to do any work in Moosonee because we are limited by transportation, supplies, and workforce,” she said.
CDSB wants the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) to increase the benchmark allocation from $126,000 to $1.6 million annually.
Additionally, the board is asking for a one-time capital grant of $6 million to cover urgent repairs, including window and roof replacements.
“These units were built in the 1980s, and some of the shingles are original,” Cumming said.
“Without additional funding, we are at risk of closing units that we won’t be able to repair. Moosonee relies heavily on social housing, with about 25 to 30 per cent of the town’s housing stock consisting of social housing units.”
Timmins Coun. Lorne Feldman is concerned about the lack of funding.
“Right now, we're just trying to advocate for these hundreds of units to be brought into something that even resembles decent living conditions because of this, quite frankly, massive shortage of funding since 2006,” he said.
Board members stressed the importance of immediate intervention to prevent further deterioration of housing stock and ensure residents have access to safe and affordable housing.