Nipissing social services board owed $2.1M in unpaid rent

The District of Nipissing Social Services Board faces over $2 million in unpaid rent from subsidized tenants, a $200,000 increase from 2023.

The District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board (DNSSAB) is facing more than $2.1 million in outstanding rent payments from subsidized tenants, with arrears increasing by $200,000 since 2023.

“There’s no question in my mind that inflation has played a big part of this, and it’s highly difficult for families to keep up with the inflationary costs that are ongoing,” said board chair Mark King, speaking with CTV News on Friday.

He is attributing the rise to inflationary pressures, noting that even below-market rents are becoming unaffordable for those on fixed incomes.

“People, especially those in geared-to-income housing, are under pressure because of the inflationary process we’ve gone through in the last year or year-and-a-half. This has placed huge pressure on people being able to pay for their normal living costs,” King said during Wednesday’s board meeting.

The Nipissing District Housing Authority oversees 896 subsidized and affordable units. King acknowledged that while a collection process will be pursued, the board’s auditor, Dean Decaire of BDO Canada, warned that some older debts may need to be written off.

The exact amount to be written off remains undetermined as of this publication.

Tracy Bethune, the authority’s tenant services manager, said staff are grappling with more “complex tenancies,” as tenants increasingly enter subsidized housing without adequate supports. During the meeting, she cited staff turnover, delays for hearings with the Landlord and Tenant Board, and non-payment as contributing factors to the growing arrears.

With files from CTVNorthernOntario.ca journalist Eric Taschner