What does MMAH mean in HOUSING & AMENITIES

The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) provides a range of programs and services to support municipal governments, housing providers, businesses and communities. This includes planning and land use policies, building regulation, housing assistance programs, infrastructure funding, emergency management planning, tax policy advice and more.

There are several different options available to those seeking housing assistance through MMAH. These include subsidized rental housing programs through Rent Supplement Programs, Supportive Housing Programs or Portable Subsidy Programs; affordable home ownership options such as Rent-Geared-to-Income (RGI) apartments; as well as loans for repairs to existing homes through the Home Ownership Assistance Program (HOAP).

Individuals interested in applying for rent-geared-to-income housing must first locate an RGI provider in their area. Applications can then be submitted directly to the provider for consideration. Additional information about RGI is available on the Ministry’s website.

Municipalities play an important role in providing safe and secure affordable housing to their residents. Municipalities have authority over such matters as zoning bylaws that regulate density and land use; building standards that ensure new development meets safety concerns; public consultation processes that solicit public opinion about proposed developments; financial initiatives that offer incentives or subsidies for developers constructing affordable units; as well as other measures to monitor rental rates within their jurisdictions. The MMAH works with municipalities to ensure these roles are carried out effectively.

The MMAH has developed a number of initiatives specifically aimed at supporting municipalities in addressing homelessness issues associated with inadequate access to safe, permanent shelter or affordable living accommodation. These initiatives include funding resources such as the Community Homelessness Prevention Initiative (CHPI), which provides financial assistance to local non-profit organizations working on prevention strategies in local areas; increasing access to supportive housing resources through rent supplement agreements with service providers; as well as improving technical capacity through training opportunities for municipal staff involved in delivering homelessness services.

The Ministry works closely with small businesses across Ontario by providing access to a variety of financing options including loan guarantees, grants and tax incentives which can help them expand operations or purchase equipment needed to succeed in today’s competitive market place. Businesses may also benefit from professional business advice offered through various business service centres located across the province. In addition, commercial property owners may receive support from Tax Increment Financing which helps fund infrastructure improvement projects just like those used by residential developers when constructing new homes.

Yes, there are several energy efficiency retrofit incentive programs offered by the MMAH designed to help property owners reduce their energy costs while improving energy efficiency at the same time over time. Examples include rebates towards certain eligible home improvements such as insulation upgrades or replacing windows/doors with more efficient options.