Page 49 - Walking_The_Red_Road

6. Rules and requirements disadvantage and/or exclude particular Aboriginal community members.
But at the same time I notice too that if you are trying to get into Geared to Income housing or subsidized housing or any kind of housing agency that offers more affordable housing to families and parents, there is a...residency requirement.
They mean you have to live here for a year before you can be considered. Yes. So. It sucks. So, you’re coming here, you’re going to school, you’re trying to set up your accommodations, and you can’t even apply, or you’re not even eligible for the housing that’s allocated to help you.
Because the Crisis Centre is different. You have to pass the guidelines to get in there. I mean, a person could have an old criminal record that does not allow them in there. And so these types of things have to come down. So the person has an equal opportunity to get a home.
And because of references, things like that, if we don’t have them, you don’t get the room, even.
Participants with criminal charges, criminal histories or unable to provide references said they were refused housing. Community members changing from OW (Ontario Works) provided at the beginning of the month to ODSP (Ontario Disability Support Program) provided at the end, identified that the almost two month gap between payments made it very challenging to maintain rent and food.
7. Aboriginal community members are thankful for the landlords and services that welcome and support them.
So when I came here I came off the bus; I only had seven dollars; pack of smokes. Got off the bus and I came here to the Friendship Centre. And I just basically walked in and said, “Hi! I’m homeless. I don’t have anywhere to stay. I don’t have any money. I don’t suppose anybody could help me?!” [Laughs] And they did.
I enjoy living in North Bay. They’ve got two lakes here, the Friendship Centre, they have, uh, some programs here that are self help. Narcotics Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous, Circles. . . They have the Farmer’s Market, they have a lot of good things here, eh?
Well I do know that the Food Bank in North Bay is awesome. And there’s lots of churches and organizations that help out; if it wasn’t for them, people would be slipping through the cracks like crazy.
But you do get those rare landlords who don’t really care what colour you are.
Participants shared that many of North Bay’s services are better than those they had experienced in other communities. Many thought that North Bay’s food banks, church food banks, and housing-related supports should be recognized for their work and positive impact. Transit was identified as a barrier to accessing these supports.
Walking the Red Road | REPORT OF THE URBAN ABORIGINAL COMMUNITIES THRIVE PROJECT | 49
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