Who Is Eligible

  • For a household to be eligible for rent-geared-to-income (RGI) assistance, at least one member of the household must be 16 years old or older and able to live independently; and each member of the household must meet at least one of the following criteria:
    (i) the member is a Canadian citizen; or
    (ii) the member has made an application for status as a permanent resident under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada); or
    (iii) the member has made a claim for refugee protection under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada).
    A household is not eligible for rent-geared-to-income assistance if a removal order has become enforceable under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada) against any member of the household.
  • Proof of Residency Status must accompany the application.
  • Any member of the household named in the application must not have been convicted of an offence under Section 55 of the Housing Services Act, 2011, or a crime under the Criminal Code (Canada) within the last two years, in relation to the receipt of rent-geared-to-income assistance. Some exemptions may apply.
  • Any member of the household named in the application must not owe rent or housing charge or arrears with respect to a previous tenancy in any housing project under any transferred housing program unless a member of the household has entered into a repayment agreement, or made reasonable efforts to enter into an agreement with the person to whom the arrears or amount is owed for the payment of the arrears or amount and the member is making or intends to make all reasonable efforts to repay the arrears or amount. Some exemptions may apply.
  • Any member of the household named in the application that owns residential property suitable for year-round occupancy must agree to sell it within six months of being housed. Extensions may apply.
  • At least one member of the household must be 16 years old or older and able to live independently (proof of age must accompany the application).
  • All members of the household as defined must sign the application and consent. Also, if housed, all other forms and documents required by the Housing Provider must be signed by such members of the household as described or have it signed on their behalf by an approved designate (i.e. parent, guardian, person with power of attorney or authorization to complete an application and provide consent on behalf of an applicant). Proof of age must accompany the application.
  • The number of bedrooms allocated to a household is dependent on the number of persons in the household for subsidized housing.
  • Any member of the household eligible for subsidized housing must make reasonable efforts to pursue certain types of income, if entitled, as follows:
    • Basic financial assistance under the Ontario Works Act, 1997;
    • Support under the Divorce Act (Canada), the Family Law Act or the Interjurisdictional Support Orders Act, 2002;
    • Unemployment benefits under the Employment Insurance Act (Canada);
    • A benefit under Section 2 of the Ontario Guaranteed Annual Income Act;
    • A pension or supplement under Part I or II of the Old Age Security Act (Canada);
    • Support or maintenance resulting from an undertaking given with respect to the member under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada).
      Failure to make a reasonable effort to pursue such income, if entitled, may result in cancellation of the application, removal from the waiting list and, if housed, cancellation of subsidized rent
      Note: Special Priority Rent-Geared-to-Income (RGI) household members are not required to pursue the specified document(s) or income(s) if the pursuit of the document(s) or income(s) will place the member's safety at risk.
  • All members of the household must report any change in the information provided in the application to the Central Housing Registry in writing and, if housed, to the housing provider within thirty (30) calendar days of the change occurring (i.e. change of address, telephone number, household size, type or amount of income). Failure to report changes may result in the cancellation of the application and removal from the waiting list and, if housed, cancellation of the subsidized rent. The reporting period may be extended with the consent of the Central Housing Registry or the Housing Provider as the case may be.

For further information, visit the Central Housing Registry Windsor Essex County website or contact:

Central Housing Registry Windsor-Essex County

Windsor Location
2470 Dougall Avenue, Unit 6
Windsor, Ontario
N8X 1T2
Phone: 519-254-6994
Fax: 519-254-9166
Email: chrwec@wechc.com 

Esssex County Location
Victoria Place Plaza
35 Victoria Avenue, Unit 6
Essex, Ontario
N8M 1M4
Phone: 519-776-4631
Fax: 519-776-5510
Email: chrwec@wechc.com 

Housing and Children's Services

P.O. Box 428, Station A
Windsor, Ontario
N9A 6L7

Phone: For general information call 311. For detailed inquiries call 519-255-5200 ext. 6240.
Fax: 519-256-7107
Email: sshousing@citywindsor.ca