Item - 2017.EX29.15

The Executive Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council authorize the Director, Affordable Housing Office, to enter into an administration agreement and/or related agreement(s) with the Ministry of Housing, Ministry of Community and Social Services or any other provincial entity necessary for the receipt and expenditure of funding under the Anti-Human Trafficking Community Supports Fund and the Investment in Affordable Housing (IAH) Program on such terms and conditions as are satisfactory to the Director, Affordable Housing Office and the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, and in a form approved by the City Solicitor.

2.  City Council authorize the Director, Affordable Housing Office, in consultation with the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration to undertake the Anti-Human Trafficking Community Supports Fund and Investment in Affordable Housing Program administration in accordance with the related administration agreements, including appropriate measures as the program proceeds to adjust program parameters, recipients, and year-end funding among program components as required to ensure full and effective use of available Federal/Provincial funds.

3.  City Council authorize the Director, Affordable Housing Office in consultation with General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration to enter into agreements with the provincial government, other City divisions, community agencies, private entities and/or individuals to deliver the Anti-Human Trafficking Community Supports Fund and Investment in Affordable Housing program, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Province's guidelines and the approved allocations on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Director, Affordable Housing Office and the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration in a form approved by the City Solicitor.

4.  City Council authorize the Director, Affordable Housing Office to:

a.  negotiate, enter into, and execute on behalf of the City, as necessary, a municipal housing facility agreement, a City "Contribution Agreement", or other agreements with Covenant House Toronto satisfactory to the Director, Affordable Housing Office, subject to receipt by the City of a business case for the repair and renovation of the property or properties and a program delivery plan, to secure the financial assistance being provided and to set out the terms of the project or projects and operation of the new affordable rental housing, on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Director, Affordable Housing Office and in a form approved by the City Solicitor; and

b.  execute, on behalf of the City, any security or financing documents or any other documents required to facilitate the funding process, including any documents required by Covenant House Toronto or its mortgagee(s) to complete construction and conventional financing and subsequent refinancing, where and when required during the term of the municipal housing facility agreement.

5.  City Council authorize the City Solicitor to execute, postpone, confirm the status of, and discharge any City security documents registered as required by normal business practices.

6.  City Council authorize the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration and the Director, Affordable Housing Office, to make the necessary budget adjustments to the 2018 City Operating Budgets for Shelter, Support and Housing Administration and the Affordable Housing Office, to utilize and spend (net $0) affordable housing funding from the capital and operating allocations of the Investment in Affordable Housing Program and the Anti-Human Trafficking Community Support Fund, with future year requests subject to Council approval through the annual budget process.

7.  City Council authorize the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration to make the necessary budget adjustments to the 2018 City Operating Budget for Shelter, Support and Housing Administration and to enter into the appropriate agreements with the provincial government, other City divisions, community agencies, private entities and/or individuals to allocate the Investment in Affordable Housing Program rent supplements.

8.  City Council reiterate the request to the Federal government to establish an office under the jurisdiction of Public Safety Canada to take action and dedicate resources to eliminate and prevent all forms of domestic and international human trafficking, and to collaborate with other orders of government, community agencies, and survivors to reduce the impact of human trafficking in Toronto and across Canada.

This report seeks City Council approval to participate in and allocate funds to Covenant House Toronto from the new provincial Anti-Human Trafficking Community Supports Fund and the federal/provincial Investment in Affordable Housing Program.

Toronto is one of the principal destinations in Canada where individuals are being trafficked and sexually exploited. On any given night, there are approximately 2,000 homeless youth in Toronto vulnerable to being trafficked. To address this concern, the City in partnership with Covenant House Toronto applied to the Province to undertake new initiatives to provide supports, transitional housing and rent supplements for eligible women and girls who are survivors of sexual exploitation and human trafficking.

The Ministry of Community and Social Services has confirmed Toronto’s Community Supports Fund allocation of $885,000 to the City to support Covenant House in providing support services for individuals being trafficked. The City also applied for $885,000 in capital funds to provide transitional housing and $297,000 to provide rent supplement support for women who are survivors of sexual exploitation and human trafficking. An announcement with respect to the capital and rent supplement funding is anticipated shortly.

The City Anti-Human Trafficking Working Group, comprised of 21 City services, will continue to collaborate with other orders of government and several community partners to identify ways to strengthen the protection of its residents and communities from human traffickers and to determine ways how City staff can effectively respond to the needs of trafficked persons.