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Emergencies: Are you homeless or about to become homeless?

Emergency housing

Local Ontario Works (OW) offices may be able to help with emergency housing if you are homeless.  Belleville also has a homeless shelter, Grace Inn. If you are being evicted for rent arrears, you can ask for funds from the Housing and Homelessness Fund.  You can use the money to pay back rent you owe and stop your eviction, or to pay set-up costs at a new residence.  Many communities also have warming centres during the winter months.

Enrichment Centre for Mental Health offers transitional housing for the homeless in Hastings and Prince Edward Counties.

Next Step Housing Connection (NSHC) has a list of community supports available. This page will provide you with information on housing, food, shelters, addiction, financial assistance, counselling, medical help and clothing. 

Local OW offices in our area:

  • Hastings County Ontario Works: Call 613-771-9630 or 1 866-414-0300 between 8:30 am – 4:30 pm or go to your nearest Ontario Works office.
    • Hastings County Emergency After Hours Line for Homelessness:  Call 1-877-528-9514 Monday-Friday between 4:30 pm – 8:30 am, 24 hours on weekends and holidays.  This line offers immediate response to individuals within Hastings County identifying as homeless outside standard business hours through phone support to facilitate an action plan that may allow the individual to obtain shelter for the night, receive immediate food security, or locate to a safe space out of an unsafe environment.
    • The Rent Connect program is where landlords can post listings and tenants can search for available accommodations. You can also call Hastings County for an in-person appointment with a Rent Connect Agent by calling them (phone numbers listed on website) or send an email to inquiry@hastingscounty.com.
  • Prince Edward-Lennox & Addington Social Services: Call 613-354-0957 or 1-866-354-0957

Financial help

CALC’s Financial Resources for Tenants tip sheet lists places you can get funds to help with rent.

Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) gives emergency financial help for electricity or gas bills. See our LEAP Tip Sheet for how and where to apply.

Hastings County H.E.A.T. Program – The Hastings County Energy Assistance Top-Up (H.E.A.T.) program was designed to reduce the risk of homelessness by assisting with winter heating bills. An application form is available for download on their website.

Housing for young people

Youthab’s Transition Home provides safe and affordable housing to young people aged 16 – 24 who are looking for a home but are not ready to live on their own yet.

Youthab’s Co-Operative Housing Program provides safe and affordable housing to young people aged 16 – 24 who are ready for semi-independent living.

Shelters for victims of domestic violence

See our Domestic Violence emergencies page.

Food emergencies

211 Ontario has a list of food banks and other food resources.  Enter your postal code or city at the top of the page, then click the Food icon further down on the page. In the page that opens, you will see a bunch of food resource options.  Clicking any one of them opens a list of resources in your area.

Hastings & Prince Edward Counties

Visit the “We All Deserve to Eat” website for more information on where to find available food in the Belleville area, including hot or frozen meals.

Hastings County Community Services Booklet (2023) has information on food banks and meal programs.

The Hastings Housing Resource Centre’s list of community supports available, provides information on where to find food (as well as housing, shelters, addiction, financial assistance, counselling, medical help and clothing).

Community Development Council of Quinte runs the Good Food Box and Good Baby Box programs. These boxes provide fresh fruits and vegetables and are available for anyone.

Lennox & Addington County

Local food banks are listed on the SouthEastHealthLine.ca website and on the Lennox & Addington Social Services’ Community Supports site (scroll to the bottom of page).

Kingston Good Food Box includes locations in Lennox & Addington County where you can pick up a box. Boxes are available for anyone.

Other community food programs are listed on the KFL&A Public Health website.