Housing Access Centre | City of Stratford

Applying to Rent-Geared-to-Income Housing

The Housing Access Centre (HAC) is a part of the City of Stratford Housing Division and is responsible for processing and managing all applications for rent-geared-to-income (RGI) housing locally through a centralized waiting list. RGI housing is a unit for which tenants pay no more than 30% of their household income on rent. Household income must be below Household Income Limits set by the province.

To receive an offer for Geared-to-Income Housing you must submit an application and be placed on a waitlist through the Housing Access Centre. This includes housing offered by Perth and Stratford Housing Corporation, non-profit providers, and private rent supplements.

Who Can Apply?

The following is eligibility criteria for Rent-Geared-to-Income programs:

You must be 16 or older, and able to live independently.
You must be a Canadian citizen, or have (or applied for) Permanent Resident Status in Canada or be a Refugee Claimant.
You must meet the income eligibility criteria.
No household member has an enforceable removal order against them.
No household member owes rent arrears or damage-related money to a social housing provider, unless:
- the Service Manager accepts there are extenuating circumstances, or
- the member has a repayment agreement in place, or has made reasonable efforts to enter one and is making reasonable efforts to repay.
No household member has been convicted within the last 2 years of an offence under the Housing Services Act or Criminal Code related to receiving RGI assistance, unless they were unaware, unable to prevent it, or were coerced by an abusive partner in a Special Priority case.
Household members must divest any ownership interest in residential property suitable for year-round occupancy, in Ontario or elsewhere, within the timeline set by the Service Manager.

To remain eligible for rent-geared-to-income (RGI) assistance after moving in, household members may also be required to apply for any benefits they may qualify for, such as:

Ontario Works
Divorce or support payments
Employment Insurance
Guaranteed Annual Income (GAINS), Old Age Security (OAS), and/or Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS)
support or maintenance from an immigration sponsor under the Immigration Act

Types of Housing Programs on the Waitlist

Rent Support Programs

Rent supports are government-funded payments (also called subsidies or benefits) that bridge the gap between what a household can afford to pay and what the actual cost of housing is. Depending on the program, type of payment, and source of funding, these payments can be used for both private market and community housing units.

Social Housing Providers

Community housing refers to housing that is owned and operated by non-profit housing corporations, housing co-operatives, and municipal governments.

While most local community housing providers offer rent-geared-to-income (RGI) housing which is managed through the centralized waiting list, many also provide market rents for which they maintain their own waiting lists, and which typically cost less than what is available in the private market. The following providers fill their RGI units through this waiting list:

Banbury Cross Housing Cooperative Inc. (Stratford)
Bard of Avon Housing Cooperative Inc. (Stratford)
Emily Murphy Centre (Stratford)
Festival City Housing Cooperative Inc. (Stratford)
Little Falls Housing Cooperative Inc. (St. Marys)
Perth and Stratford Housing Corporation (Atwood, Listowel, Milverton, Mitchell, St. Marys, Stratford)
Vineyard Village Non-Profit Housing (Stratford)

Perth and Stratford Housing Corporation

Perth and Stratford Housing Corporation has Rent-Geared-to-Income Housing buildings in the following communities: Atwood, Listowel, Milverton, Mitchell, St. Marys, and Stratford. This housing portfolio includes apartment buildings, semi-detached homes, single-detached homes, and townhouses; unit sizes range from bachelor to 5-bedrooms.

Steps to Apply for RGI Assistance

If you are interested in applying for RGI housing, you will need to complete the following steps:

Step One – Fill out a Housing Application Form

Download a copy of the Housing Application Form. You can also pick up an application form in-person at: 1^St Floor Reception, City Hall Annex Building, 82 Erie Street, Stratford.

Housing Application Form

Asset Review Form

Step Two – Complete and provide required documentation

The following is a list of all the required documents that must be provided with your application for everyone listed on the application form. (Some items may not apply to some individuals.)

Copies of Canadian birth certificates, Canadian passport, Permanent Resident card or refugee claimant documents for all members of the household.

Helpful Handout for Status in Canada Verification

Custody documentation for all dependents.

Helpful Handout for Child Custody Verification

Copy of arrears repayment agreement and receipt of first payment for anyone in your household who owes money to an Ontario community housing provider (also known as a social housing provider).
Copies of all household monthly income for you and all persons who will be living with you.

Helpful Handout for Income and Assets Definitions

Self-employed - please provide proof of income such as your latest income tax, investment Interest income, Form T 2125, Statement of Business or Professional Activities.
Form 306 - Assets Review Form, completed by your financial institution, for all household member's.
If pregnant, provide proof of pregnancy i.e. something in writing from your medical practitioner confirming pregnancy or ultrasound picture containing your patient name.

*When filling out these forms, it is important that you read the instructions carefully. The Housing Access Centre can only determine eligibility for RGI assistance based on a complete application. An incomplete application will delay your addition to the waiting list.

Step Three – Complete Additional Forms, if applicable

Form 103 – Special Priority Application: Special Provincial Priority Status (SPP) - You would use this form if you are currently living with someone who is abusing you, you have recently stopped living with someone who was abusing you, or you have been a victim of human trafficking. It is meant to help you separate permanently from the person abusing you and keep you safe.

Form 104 – Declaration of Intent to Sell Property: If you own, or have a legal interest in a residential property that can be lived in year-round, you will be required to sell your interest in the property within six months after you have moved into geared-to-income assisted housing. Please complete an Intent to Sell Property form in addition to your application.

Form 108 – Request for Accommodation: If you require accommodation for a ground floor or modified unit, please complete a Request for Accommodation Form in addition to your application.

Form 109 – Independent Living Assessment: If you are required to identify the level of assistance related to carrying out the obligations of a tenancy, and essential daily activities, please complete an Independent Living Assessment in addition to your application.

Form 111 – Consent to Release Personal Information: If you would like to leave an alternate contact, other than yourself for receiving or sharing information about your application, please complete a Consent to Release Information Form in addition to your application.

Step Four – Submit your completed application package

In-Person: 1^St Floor Reception, City Hall Annex Building, 82 Erie Street, Stratford

By Mail: City of Stratford Social Services Department – Housing Division, 82 Erie Street, Stratford, ON N5A 2M4

By Fax: 519-273-7191

Online: Social Housing Application

*online portal does not prompt for Asset Review Form so ensure it is completed, as this will be requested upon processing the application

What Happens Next?

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens after I apply?

You will receive notification of being added to the waitlist or if further information is required to be added to the waitlist. There is no need to check in about your status or ask when you will be getting an offer. You will hear from us when it’s time to complete an annual update and from the provider when an offer is available to be made to you.

Can I make changes to my application?

Yes. Please fill out a Building Selections Update Form update form and submit to The City of Stratford Social Services Department- Housing Division.

How long will I wait?

Unfortunately, our waitlists are quite long and there is no way to predict when an offer will be made. A 2026 application is considered relatively recent so it is unlikely that an offer of RGI housing will resolve any immediate or even medium-term housing issues you’re experiencing.

Do you have Emergency Housing?

Please see our Homelessness Page for resources on Emergency Housing

What happens if I don't agree with a decision that has been made?

Please fill out a Request to Review a Decision Form within 10 days of the date of the decision and submit to The City of Stratford Social Services Department- Housing Division.

Waitlist Policies

Refusal To Offer Unit By Housing Provider Policy

Cessation of Eligibility – Refusal of Offer

Occupancy Standards

Selecting Perth and Stratford Housing Corporation Units