By james art Durham charity opens affordable homes at Pickering Farm
Tyreke Reed | CBC News | Posted: Oct 23, 2024 8:00 am | Last update: 1 hour ago
The charity Dedicated Advocacy Resource Support calls the project a “first in Canada”
A charity has set out to provide affordable housing in the Greater Toronto Area – by opening transitional housing in an old farmhouse.
The charity Dedicated Advocacy Resource Support (DARS) along with Pickering regional councilor Maurice Brenner began work on the project in early 2024. The house officially opened on 10 October.
The house is now home to seven people who have become homeless.
“What we’re trying to do is create a hobby farm where the residents can take care of the animals as well as we take care of them, so hopefully they can move on in their lives.” said Margaret Eskins, executive director of DARS.
Eskins says the rent for tenants in the house will only consist of the rent portion of their income supplement, which is 58 percent.
“So for example, someone who’s on Ontario Works pays $410,” she said.
The farmhouse takes on a unique component by incorporating farm work into the residents’ transition to permanent housing.
Eskins said residents will care for the farm’s animals, which include goats and chickens, as well as grow their own food. Because of these components, she calls the project a “first in Canada.”
Eskins said residents will now be able to save a portion of their income on food.
“It helps them make ends meet,” she said.
Eskins said a lot of volunteer work and community support went into renovating and opening the house.
Eskins said the project was funded through capital grants, which included $75,000 from Durham Region and $50,000 from the city of Pickering’s casino revenue.
Eskins said the charity will not have to pay rent to TACC Developments for 10 years, which equates to about $70,000.
“Shelters are not the solution,” says the adviser
According to Durham Region, there are currently six emergency shelters in the region, offering a total of 190 beds.
While shelters offer some relief, Brenner said “shelters are not the answer” to ending homelessness.
“They are exposed to mental health issues, alcoholism, drug addiction and there is no stability,” he said. “They give you hot food, but you have to leave.”
That message is echoed by tenants of the house such as Alan Phillips, who says he spent several years homeless in Region Durham before being offered a place at the house.
“You’re off the street, but there’s not a lot of help in some of the shelters for you,” he said.
Phillips was the first tenant to move into the home. Now he runs the house.
“This is heaven to me,” he said.
Eskins says DARS is already considering continuing the work by converting other farmhouses into transitional housing.
She says she hopes governments will take notice of the work being done and invest in similar projects to help end homelessness.