The City of Stratford Social Services Department is the provincially-designated Consolidated Municipal Service Manager (CMSM or ‘Service Manager’) responsible for administering social services in the City of Stratford, Perth County, and the Town of St. Marys. This department helps those who need assistance with accessing income, housing, homelessness services, and childcare supports.
Ontario Works
This division provides financial assistance through monthly support payments to help with the costs of living for those who qualify. Health benefits may also be available for for eligible clients and their families, as well as recipients of the Ontario Disability Support Program. Ontario Works helps to facilitate access to employment assistance programs such as workshops, counselling, training and education which help recipients of the program to find and maintain employment.
Housing Division
This division offers rent-geared-to-income and subsidized rental housing for eligible households (singles and families). The units are owned and managed by the City of Stratford (through the Perth and Stratford Housing Corporation), non-profits, co-operatives and private landlords.
In addition, the Housing Division manages the Centralized Waiting List for RGI housing, oversees a number of other rent support programs and a home ownership program, and is responsible for developing and implementing a Housing and Homelessness Plan for Stratford, Perth County, and St. Marys.
Homelessness
The Social Services Department is committed to ending homelessness. There are a number of programs, services, and supports available locally that are designed to respond to homelessness in the communities of Stratford, Perth County, and St. Marys. These include: short-term emergency accommodation, homelessness prevention programs, housing assistance, outreach supports, supported housing, and intensive case management services.
Children's Services
Children’s Services supports a system of child care and early years programs and services that is accessible, inclusive of high quality, and responsive to local needs. The division implements the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) System, provides financial assistance to eligible families in need of help paying for child care, and supports the inclusion of children with special needs through its Resource Consulting program. It also provides wage supports and professional learning opportunities to the child care and early years workforce, supporting recruitment, retention and building overall system quality.
Anne Hathaway Daycare
Located at 103 Bruce Street, Stratford, Anne Hathaway Daycare is a municipally-operated early childhood education centre for children from 18 months to 5 years old. The daycare offers an inclusive setting based on the Emergent Curriculum. Fee subsidy, flexible and emergency care is available.