The Cochrane District Services Board (CDSB) began accepting applications on February 3, 2026, for the 2026–2027 housing and homelessness grant cycle. The annual program distributes federal and provincial funds to local non-profits and community groups that run front-line services, including emergency shelters, rent supports and other essential services for vulnerable residents.
According to a late‑2025 point‑in‑time snapshot, 488 people in the Cochrane District were identified as experiencing homelessness (Aug. 31, 2025), up from 390 in 2024 — an increase of roughly 25 percent. The grants are funded primarily through Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy, which aims to make homelessness rare, brief and non‑recurring. Funding will support organizations serving communities across the district, including Timmins, Cochrane, Iroquois Falls, Kapuskasing, Hearst and Smooth Rock Falls.
For the 2026–2027 cycle the board is prioritizing people who are recently unhoused or at high risk but who can be stabilized with moderate supports — the so‑called “medium‑acuity” group. This focus aligns with the board’s REACH: Med 30% target and the priorities outlined in the Cochrane 10‑Year Housing Plan, which set a goal of stabilizing 30 percent of this cohort through targeted housing supports to prevent long‑term homelessness.
Board Chief Administrative Officer Brian Marks has been a leading voice for Housing First models and a coordinated “System of Care” approach to homelessness. Service providers in the region have also emphasized that building trust with people who have experienced abuse and trauma is essential to helping them move into and keep housing; as Jake Moore of the Salvation Army told The Daily Press, “In order to help somebody out of homelessness, you have to build trust.” Board Chair Michelle Boileau — who is also mayor of Timmins — has welcomed the clearer federal‑provincial funding picture and said the arrangement should help maintain funding stability for local homelessness services.
Community agencies interested in applying for the 2026–2027 grants can find application details and deadlines on the CDSB’s official website.
