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OTTAWA The federal government has signed the first of what it hopes will be 13 funding agreements for a new rent supplement for low-income households.

The announcement todayon the $1.4-billion joint funding deal with Ontario will help the province roll out the Canada Housing Benefit next spring.

The benefit willgo tofamilies who are already on, or eligible to join,wait lists for social housing units, as well as those already living in community housing.

The Trudeau Liberals plan to sign similar deals with each province and territory, tailored to each jurisdictions needs, which is one reason why negotiations on the deals have taken as long as they have.

Theportable housing benefit is budgetedto cost$4 billion over 10 years, but the plan requires provinces and territories to pick up half the costs.

Federal spending plans peg the average subsidy at $3,000 a year, but Parliaments spending watchdog has warned the amountfalls short of helping the most financially stretched households, and could create pressure to increase rents in subsidized housing.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 19, 2019.

The Canadian Press

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Ontario signs on to housing help from the federal Liberal government - CityNews Calgary