It is the Region of Waterloo's role to administer and fund subsidized housing throughout Waterloo Region for individuals, families and seniors with low-to moderate-incomes. To access subsidized housing, the Region manages a Centralized Wait List for subsidized rental housing units and co-operatives. You must apply to be placed on a wait list. Applicants are contacted when housing becomes available. The number of people in need of subsidized housing exceeds the number of units available, meaning that wait times for an applicant to receive housing are significant.
If you have already applied for housing, visit the Community Housing Applicant portal to access your existing application and update your information.
Most people need to find their own rental housing in the private market while they are on the waitlist. See the Renter's Toolkit for tips on how to look for and budget for a place to live in the private rental market.
You need to meet certain conditions to be eligible for subsidized housing. The following criteria are required to qualify:
| Unit type | Housing in Wellesley, Wilmot Township | Housing in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, North Dumfries, Woolwich Township |
| Bachelor | $31,000 | $36,000 |
| 1 Bedroom | $36,500 | $46,000 |
| 2 Bedrooms | $46,500 | $55,000 |
| 3 Bedrooms | $42,000 | $63,000 |
| 4+ Bedrooms | $50,000 | $83,000 |
Please note: Households with an annual income that exceeds these amounts are not eligible for placement on the waiting list for the Region of Waterloo’s community housing programs.
Community housing program market rents are generally much lower than rents found in the private rental market. Households with incomes near the Household Income Limit (HIL) for each bedroom size may be too high to qualify for rent-geared-to-income assistance. Applying to the Community Housing waitlist is not a guarantee of housing.
Asset limits, effective July 1, 2023:
Our Community Housing Access Centre (CHAC) processes all applications. We keep your information up to date, so that housing providers can reach you to make an offer for housing.
There are three ways new applicants can apply for affordable housing:
1. Community Housing Applicant Portal – Using the Community Housing Applicant portal will allow you to enter your information, attach documents, receive email communications, and monitor the status of your application online. Your application will automatically save, so you can come back to it later. A valid email address and access to the internet is required.
2. Welcome Space – Visit a Region of Waterloo Welcome Space in Cambridge, Kitchener or Waterloo for assistance with your application.
3. Affordable Housing Application – Print and complete the affordable housing application and email it to the Community Housing Access Centre or drop it off at a Welcome Space.
Applicants who have indicated a special priority for affordable housing are assessed and contacted as a vacancy becomes available. See below for details about the priorities and criteria for each. Please contact Housing Applications at housingapplication@regionofwaterloo.ca to discuss your options before you email.
Victims of domestic violence can receive special priority for affordable housing. You may qualify if:
Victims of human trafficking can receive special priority for affordable housing. You may qualify if:
The number of bedrooms you qualify for depends on the number of people living with you. If you are in affordable housing now and a person you live with moves out, you may need to move to a smaller unit. If you would like to stay in the same building, and your building has a unit you qualify for, you can go on a wait list for a transfer.
If your building does not have the right unit size, you would work with your housing provider to apply for overhoused status with Community Housing Access Centre.
To apply for over-housed status, fill out and submit the affordable housing application and the building selection form.
You will be placed on the waiting list for units you qualify for and will need to choose at least ten possible sites.
If you are 60 years of age or older and have a direct family member living at Sunnyside Home, you may receive priority for a unit at Sunnyside Home. To qualify, you must:
To apply for Sunnyside priority, fill out and submit the affordable housing application and building selection form.
If you have lived in the Region of Waterloo for the last 12 consecutive months and have a low income, you may qualify for one of the three local wait list status categories below.
1. Homeless – If your household is currently unsheltered for one of the following reasons, you many qualify for homeless status:
2. Escaping Violence – If you have applied for Special Priority Status for Victims of Domestic Violence but are unable to provide proof of co-habitation or are experiencing exceptional risk due to criminal activity, you might qualify for Escaping Violence local status.
3. Separated Families – If your household has children in the care of Family and Children’s Services of Waterloo Region who will not be returned until adequate housing is found and housing is the only remaining protection issue, you might qualify for Separated Families local status.
The Region of Waterloo oversees 5,600 affordable housing units. You can view the properties in our affordable housing catalogue or see the full listing of properties in the print version of the Building Selection Form.
For descriptions about the types of affordable housing, read the list below:
The Region of Waterloo offers other affordable rent assistance programs for applicants that are on the Community Housing Access Centre waitlist. See the Who is Eligible section above for details. Eligible applicants will be contacted directly by the Region of Waterloo staff or eligible Community Partner referrals. This is a closed application process and is offered through invitation.
The Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB) program provides households with a portable housing benefit to assist with rental costs in the private housing market. The benefit is portable and can be used to help pay rent anywhere in Ontario. The Region of Waterloo will process applications for those applicants living in the Region. Contact your local Housing Service Department if you are living elsewhere and would like to apply for COHB.
This provincially administered benefit is available to eligible priority groups who are on, or eligible to be on, the Centralized Waiting List for Rent Geared-to-Income subsidized housing.
COHB pays the difference between 30 percent of the household’s adjusted family net income and the average market rent in the area. For recipients of social assistance, COHB will pay the difference between the shelter allowance and the household’s rent and utilities costs. The Province of Ontario administers the program and the benefit amount is reviewed every year.
Eligible applicants will be contacted directly by Region of Waterloo staff or eligible Community Partner referrals. This is a closed application process and is offered through invitation.
COHB applicants must reside in Ontario and be on the Community Housing Access Centre waitlist.
Benefit Amount:
The benefit amount will depend on the recipient’s household size and income. The amount is calculated using a formula that includes household income, the number of people in the household, and the local housing market rents in the Service Manager Area.
Calculation Method:
Portable Housing Benefit (PHB) calculation
The Portable Housing Benefit (PHB) is calculated by subtracting 30 percent of Adjusted Family Net Income (AFNI) for the household from 80 percent of the Average Market Rent (AMR) for the area:
Monthly Portable Housing Benefit = (AMR x 80%) – [(AFNI x 30%)] / 12
AFNI is the annual net income of all members of a family unit or benefit unit, excluding full-time students. It also excludes net Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) payments and net monthly Ontario Works (OW) or Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) payments. It is generally based on net income (line 23600 on your Canada Revenue Agency Notice of Assessment) if it reasonably reflects your net income or approximated net income.
AMR is the average rent in your area as determined and reported by the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). AMRs are published yearly by the CMHC in the Rental Market Report.
To view the Region of Waterloo's AMRs, view tables 1.1.2 in the Rental Market Report Data Tables - Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo.
Eligibility for the Program:
To receive COHB, applicants must agree to be removed from the Centralized Waiting List as required by Provincial program guidelines. Households will not be eligible to re-apply to the Region of Waterloo’s Centralized Waiting List while receiving the benefit.
Households cannot be receiving COHB and Rent-Geared-to-Income (RGI) housing or any other form of housing benefit at the same time.
COHB is a portable benefit, which means that it will continue to support households wherever they move in Ontario. The benefit amount may change to reflect the average local market rent.
The COHB program ends on March 31, 2029. Two years before COHB ends, households will be contacted to consider its options. These may include other rental assistance programs.
Application Process:
The application process is by invitation only. The Region of Waterloo and eligible Community Partner referrals will be contacting applicants from the following identified priority groups about COHB based on the availability of benefits:
Contacted applicants will require the following documents to submit an application for COHB:
For all applicants:
For each household income earner, who are not full time students:
There are a limited number of benefits available. All eligible applicants who have been contacted are encouraged to contact Region of Waterloo staff to ensure access to the program.
After the Application:
If you have been contacted as an eligible applicant and completed the application process, the Ontario Ministry of Finance (MOF) will contact you directly to inform you if your application has been approved.
When your application has been approved, you can contact the Province’s Information Centre for questions about your benefit at 1-888-544-5101 or 1-800-263-7776 (TTY).
If you are approved to receive this benefit, you are considered to be affordably housed. Your application for Rent-Geared-to-Income housing will be closed and you will be removed from the Centralized Waiting List.
Will my benefit amount ever change?
Your benefit amount will be reviewed annually by the Province and may increase or decrease if there are changes to your income, your household size or if you move to another location.
If your income decreases by more than 20 percent during the year, you may request a review from the Ministry of Finance to have your benefit amount reassessed.
If you move out of the Region of Waterloo to another location in Ontario, your benefit amount will be calculated according to the average local market rent of that area. It will be modified to reflect the change in rental charges.
What do I need to do to keep receiving COHB?
All COHB households will receive an annual renewal application from the Province in May. You must complete and return the form to confirm your household information and consent to remain in the program. The Province will provide information on how to submit the renewal application and the submission deadline.
The Province will provide several reminders and opportunities for you to submit your annual renewal in advance of the final September 1st deadline. Unfortunately, households who do not return their annual renewal application by the deadline will no longer be eligible to receive assistance through the COHB program. Reinstatement into the program is not permitted, as per Provincial program guidelines.
Province’s Information Centre can be reached at 1-888-544-5101 or 1-800-263-7776 (TTY).
Housing is an essential factor in a person’s health and wellbeing and is foundational to promoting a healthy community for all. This is why the Region created a new Rent Assistance Program to make housing more affordable for racialized families.
The Rent Assistance Program provides rent assistance to reduce housing costs for 200 households. The rent assistance is portable, which means the funding will follow the family where they choose to live in Waterloo Region. Families can use the money to help make their current home more affordable or move to another rental home.
The new program will support affordability for all and will:
This is a closed application process. Eligible households are referred through local agencies and the Community Housing Access waitlist.
Application Process:
The Region of Waterloo and eligible referring Community Partners’ staff will contact eligible applicants from racialized communities. Contacted applicants will require the following documents to submit an application for BBFP:
For all applicants:
For each household income earner, who are not full time students:
There are a limited number of benefits available. If you have been contacted you are encouraged to complete your application as soon as possible to ensure access to the program.
After the Application:
If you have been contacted as an eligible applicant and completed the application process, you will start to receive the program benefits either directly, or by having rent assistance paid directly to your landlord.
If you are approved to receive this benefit, you are considered to be affordably housed. Your application for Rent-Geared-to-Income housing will be closed and you will be removed from the Centralized Waiting List.
Once you begin to receive benefits, you can reach out to Region of Waterloo or Community Partners’ staff with questions about the program.
Will my eligibility for the program be reviewed?
Your benefit amount will be reviewed annually by Region of Waterloo or Community Partners’ staff. You may be found ineligible for the program if your household:
What do I need to do to keep receiving BBFP?
All BBFP households will receive an annual renewal application that must be completed and returned to confirm the household information and consent to remain in the program. The Region of Waterloo or Community Partners’ staff will provide information on how to submit the renewal application and the submission deadline.
You will receive reminders and opportunities for you to submit your annual renewal in advance of the annual review deadline. Unfortunately, households who do not return their annual renewal application by the deadline may experience a delay in receiving their benefits, or removal from the BBFP rent assistance.
If you have a question or concern about affordable housing that is not answered here, please contact Housing Applications at housingapplication@regionofwaterloo.ca.
| 1. How long will I wait for affordable housing? |
| As in many communities, the demand for affordable housing is high in Waterloo Region. How long you wait can depend on how many properties you choose on your application and their popularity. If you have been granted priority status, you will be housed sooner than applicants who do not have this status. Being on the waitlist does not guarantee an offer of housing. |
| 2. How do I keep my application active? |
| You must keep your application up to date, including your contact information and required documents, to maintain your eligibility and ensure housing providers are able to reach you at the time of offer. |
If you do not keep your application up to date, it could result in a housing offer being counted as a refusal or your file being cancelled. To update your information, complete the Applicant Information Change form and submit it to CHAC using one of the contact methods listed below.
If you require an additional bedroom for one of the reasons listed on the application your doctor must fill in a request for additional bedroom form and it must be submitted to CHAC using one of the contact methods listed below.
Applicants on the wait list will receive one offer for housing. Make sure that the properties you have chosen are where you would like to live.
As soon as a unit opens up, you and/or your alternate will be contacted by the housing provider. It is important that you keep all of your information up to date.
If you don't respond within 24-48 hours (this varies depending on the building you are offered), your file may be cancelled.
Refusing an offer will result in a loss of subsidy for people already living in subsidized housing. If you are an applicant, your file may be cancelled and you will need to re-apply with a new application date.
To update your information, complete the Applicant Information Change form and submit it to CHAC using one of the contact methods listed below.
6. How do I defer my application for community housing?
To defer your application for up to 12 months, complete the Request for Deferral of Application Form and submit it to CHAC using one of the contact methods listed below.
7. How do I remove my name from an application for community housing?
If you would like your name to be removed from an application for community housing, please contact CHAC using one of the contact methods below.
8. How do I cancel my application for community housing?
If you would like to cancel your application for community housing, please contact CHAC using one of the contact methods below.
9. What if I disagree with the decision that I am not eligible for affordable housing?
If you disagree with a decision about your application, we do recommend that you try to work with the person who made the decision. If you are unable to do so, you can request a review by completing and sending Community Housing Access Centre the Request for Review form that was mailed to you with your decision letter. Only certain types of decisions are reviewable.
If you do not have the review form, please contact CHAC using one of the contact methods below.
10. Is my information private?
The Region of Waterloo collects personal information in the Community Housing Application and supporting documents under the Housing Services Act, 2011. The Region uses this information to determine a person's eligibility for housing, continuation of housing, and the appropriate rent-geared-to-income charge.
With consent, the Region may exchange personal information in this application with Access Sites and housing providers to arrange a placement or housing assistance. Personal information may also be exchanged between the Region and other institutions where required or allowed by law.
If you have any questions about the collection and use of personal information, please contact CHAC using one of the contact methods below.
Region of Waterloo Community Housing Access Centre can be contacted by:
