HTH SPACE

Why This Project?

Many of the individuals living on the streets are not there by choice or due to personal failure, but because the existing support system is structurally inadequate. In Ontario, a single person on Ontario Works (OW) is entitled to a maximum of $743 per month — with $343 allocated for housing and $400 for basic needs. But in reality, $743 is not enough to rent even the most basic accommodation.

As a result, those without family support or access to shared housing are often left without any place to live. When no housing is secured, the government claws back the housing portion, leaving them with only $390–$400 per month — barely enough to purchase food, let alone survive. Without a kitchen, storage, or stable shelter, many are forced to rely on expensive, unhealthy, ready-made food and often face a cycle of decline, incarceration, or emergency intervention.

This project aims to reverse that trajectory by offering a shared living model: pooling OW entitlements to create stable, collective housing with a shared kitchen. This structure enables residents not only to reclaim what they are entitled to, but to live with stability, dignity, and access to healthier food and shelter.

Research Proposal