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Investing in Community – A Rental Housing Forum

News

by Michelle Soltysiak

September 2, 2026

2:37 pm

Comments

by Michelle Soltysiak

September 2, 2026

2:37 pm

Comments

Join local experts for an informal conversation about rental housing, community investing, and the opportunities shaping our communities.

Presented by Empower Simcoe, in partnership with Mortgage Wellness and the Peggy Hill Team.

Investing in Community: A Rental Housing Forum, is an engaging and informative free event designed for investors, landlords, business owners, real estate professionals, developers, and community stakeholders interested in the future of rental housing in Simcoe County.

Whether you’re expanding your investment portfolio, supporting workforce housing needs, helping clients navigate the market, or seeking to better understand emerging trends, this forum will provide practical information, meaningful connections, and actionable ideas.

Speakers:

Nick Lecuyer – Mortgage Wellness

Peggy Hill – The Peggy Hill Team

Details:

Wednesday, October 7th, 2026 | 1:00pm to 3:00pm | Barrie & District Association of Realtors – 676 Veterans Drive, Barrie, ON L9J 0H6

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Michelle Soltysiak

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Let's create a future without limits!

Victoria Ptasiuk

Former President, Foundation Board of Directors

On behalf of the Empower Simcoe Foundation Board of Directors, we sincerely thank all our donors, volunteers, community partners, and employees. Your incredible generosity and tireless efforts to assist the Empower Simcoe Foundation in responding to community needs through collaborative fundraising are to be applauded.

Dr. Claudine Cousins

Empower Simcoe

Chief Executive Officer

Transformation is happening all around us; within the section and the broader environment. We want to be aligned with, and ahead of that change. We will leverage our reputation and expertise as we grow our organization by taking the good we are doing and making changes to what we could be doing better.

Margaret Good

Good Girls Marketing and Consulting Services Inc.

CEO

Giving back makes me feel that I’m contributing a little bit to making life better for other people. It’s my small contribution. I want to make life a little bit easier and happier for people, to know they are loved and cared about and are important.

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Staff Name	Position	Years of Service
Fernando Bertucci	Community Support Services Coordinator	40 years
Loretta Maloney	Accommodations Support Worker	35 years
Paul Windross	Community Support Worker	35 years
Jody Crompton	Accommodations Support Worker	35 years
Kathy Lemon	Accommodations Support Worker	35 years
Cindy Hayes	Supported Independent Living Worker	30 years
Meaghan Kelly	Community Support Worker	30 years
Heather Hauck	Community Support Worker	25 years
Jamie Ellis	Family Support Worker	25 years
Rhonda Vanata	Accommodations Support Worker	25 years
Lisa Wright	Supports and Services Supervisor	25 years
Sheri-Lynn Leppard	Accommodations Support Worker	20 years
Nancy Smith	Accommodations Support Worker	20 years
Shannon Windsor	Supported Independent Living Worker	20 years
Michele Kapteyn	Supports and Services Manager	20 years
Kari Nesbitt	Accommodations Support Worker	20 years
Kerrie-Sue Christie	Senior Support Worker	20 years
Miranda Mitchell	Accommodations Support Worker	20 years
Kim Tiffin	Senior Support Worker	20 years
Elizabeth Oliver	Supports and Services Supervisor	15 years
Karen Hilton	Accommodations Support Worker	15 years
Mallory Gutterson	Supports and Services Supervisor	15 years
Jessica Lynne Miller	Accommodations Support Worker	15 years
Cortney Moreau	Community Support Worker	15 years
Krista Telford	Community Support Worker	15 years
Laura Welsh	Accommodations Support Worker	15 years
Kamila Romanowicz	Finance Manager	15 years
Jamie Hall	Corporate Communications Manager	10 years
Michelle Thomas	Accommodations Support Worker	10 years
Hayley Van der Voort	Accommodations Support Worker	10 years
Miriam Mittler-Barbieri	People and Culture Scheduler	10 years
Debbie Degagner	Accommodations Support Worker	10 years
Lea Ward	Accommodations Support Worker	10 years
Melissa Pinkerton	Community Participation Support Worker	10 years
Danielle Skelton	Supported Independent Living Worker	10 years
Tracey Tiriboyi	Accommodations Support Worker	10 years
Lindsay Moore	Senior Support Worker	10 years
Lindsay Balfe	Supported Independent Living Worker	10 years
Jessie Chronowski	Family Support Worker	5 years
Jeanette Hamilton	Infant and Child Development Worker	5 years
Vinil Varghese	Accommodations Support Worker	5 years
Katy Cosgrove	Community Support Worker	5 years
Aditya Maratha	Accommodations Support Worker	5 years
Ricki Jacobs	People and Culture Business Partner	5 years
Princess Obayando	Accommodations Support Worker	5 years
Mae Marchand	Scheduling and Systems Administrator	5 years
Adrienne Volgmann	Infant and Child Development Worker	5 years
Kim Mantello	Accommodations Support Worker	5 years
Ebbisha Benjamin	Accommodations Support Worker	5 years
Kim Campeau	Payroll Specialist	5 years
Jamie McDougall	Accommodations Support Worker	5 years
Brittany Boyd	Community Support Worker	5 years
Fallon Wagner	Accommodations Support Worker	5 years
Angelia Brooks	EarlyON Indigenous Coordinator	5 years
Dana Booth	Quality and Innovation Systems Coordinator	5 years
April Lillie	Accommodations Support Worker	5 years
Julie Lorriman	Community Participation Support Worker	5 years

AGF Investments	Alicia McLeod	Allandale Pharmasave Pharmacy	Ally Truen
Amber Sperling	Amy Cann	Andrea Dickins	Angela Brown
Anna Rinaldi	Anonymous Wine-Cookbook	Arnold Veen	Ashley Anderson
Ask4Care Support Services Inc.	Barbara Warne Estate	Barrie Bingo Sponsors Association	Barrie Colts
Bayfield Carpet Inc	Bertram Construction (Ontario) Ltd.	Boathouse Eatery	Bradanick Construction Services Inc
Bruce Askey	Bryan & Ollie Moffatt	Caitlin Beresford	Cari Whyne
Caroline Hood	Carolyn Harris	Catulpa Community Support Services	Colleen McGinnis
Compu-SOLVE Technologies Inc.	ComVida Corporation	Daniel and Ann Johnston	Desjardins Insurance
Donald Matheson	Dorota Rynkowski	Dorvict Home and Health Care Services	Drury Well Drilling
Dynamech Trade Services Inc.	Elaine Knowlson	Empower Simcoe Employee Giving	Equitable Life of Canada
Erica Sample	Essa Painting	Frank Matys	Fully Promoted; 1872846 Ontario Inc.
Gilda Ann Whyne	Helen Thompson	Hicks Morley LLP	Humberview Mobility
Huronia Alarm & Fire Security Inc.	IBEW Local 636	Innisfil Community Foundation	Innovative Automation Inc.
Investigative Risk Management	IODE West Gwillimbury Chapter	J Plumbing	Janice Griffith
Jeffrey Ptasiuk	Jessica MacDonald Architect Inc.	Jessica Skinner	Joseph McIsaac
Just Junk	Karl Cadera	Kim Stephens	Kiwanis Club of Barrie
Lake Country Office Solutions Inc.	Lauren Benmergui	Lilley Financial Group	Linda Forrest
Loreen J Dugale	Lothar and Brigitte Thiemann	Lucy Bray	Lynn Kelman
Mabel's Label's	Mackenzie Gamache	Mary Curl	May Court Club of Barrie
Mayor Don McIsaac	Melchoir Family Foundation	Michael E. Reed Professional Corporation	Michelle Inch
Michelle Soltysiak	Million Dollar Round Table Foundation	Mitchell Whyne	Motion
Nancy Chambers	Natalie Scott	Natasha Dresler	Nexim Healthcare Consultants
Northern Performance Windows and Doors	Optimist Club of Barrie	Orillia Electric	Pam MacLeod
Pat and Keith Mills	Peggy Harris	PETER RUDDELL	PhaseONEelectrical
Pooran Law	Powell Jones LLP, Chartered Accountants	Quayle's Brewery	Rachel Bennett
RBC Royal Bank of Canada	Rebia Tariq	Rick Speare	Robert & Jackie Nunn
Ron Ptasiuk	Rose Mary and Thomas King	Rotary Club of Barrie	Rotary Club of Barrie Huronia
Sassy Divas Chapter: Red Hat Society	Shirley Hutchinson	Speare Construction & Contracting Inc.	Spectrum Financial Strategies
Steve Eyers	Steve McEown	Sunshine Carpet & Flooring	Surbhi Warach
Surelock Homes Ltd.	Susan Green	Tamara Hopkins	Tasse Design Inc
The Community Foundation of Orillia & Area	Tom Richardson Electric (Stroud) Ltd.	Unique Minds Academy	United Way Centraide (East Ontario)
Vavala Group Inc.	Victoria Ptasiuk	Vipond Fire Protection	Wall-Armstrong & Green
Wallwin Electric Services Ltd	Wallwin Integrated Systems	Water Depot Essa	Wendy Stephens
WHS Automotive	Wild Wing Brechin	William Dorey	Winmar Barrie/Orillia

Risk Identification	Mitigating Actions/Controls ( currently in place)
Journey to Belonging – potential change in funding and service delivery model	Collaboration with Ministry. Planning, education, organization structural changes, ongoing communication with unions and workforce
Lack of cost of living funding increases resulting in the erosion of quality and capacity of service delivery over time.	Consistent dialogue and advocacy with funders. Reliance on fundraising to supplement government funding shortfalls. Invest in efforts to improve efficiency and productivity.
Labour disruption.	Union negotiations with the support of labour relations lawyer. Work stoppage/contingency plan.
Cyber Security Breach.	Employee cyber security training. Invest in up-to-date cyber security technology and best practises. Off-site backups. IT audits.
Temporary or permanent loss of funding from main funders.	Consistent dialogue and advocacy with funders. Maintain contingency fund. Maintain fundraising efforts.
Major disruption to operating environment due to natural disasters, pandemics, war, terrorism and other catastrophic events.	Pandemic planning, business continuity planning, insurance, contingency fund.

Investing in Community – A Rental Housing Forum

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Belonging

Resources:

Resources:

Resources:

Engagement

Resources:

Resources:

Resources:

Expression

Resources:

Resources:

Resources:

Well-Being

Resources:

Resources:

Resources:

Ontario Electricity Support Program (OESP)

Eligibility by Income level (estimate):

Housing Retention Fund (HRF)

How to apply:

Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP)

Get Started

Documents required for interview include:

— Congratulations to our 2024-2025 Award winners —

Congratulations on reaching these milestones, and thank you for your continued efforts to empower people to lead a meaningful and inclusive life.

— Our thanks to all our supporters! Your donations and event sponsorship mean the Empower Simcoe Foundation is always able the help the people and families who need it most. —

Legacy Gifts

Consider Your Legacy

% of visitors by geographic area

Visits to the Thornton EarlyON Child and Family Centre

According to Osazee Okungbowa, Empower Simcoe Supports and Services Supervisor, the program’s individualized approach has been key to Shawn’s success.

That growing confidence is evident beyond the kitchen.

What is Respitality?

Respite + Hospitality = Respitality

Investing in Community – A Rental Housing Forum

Share this story

Add Comment Cancel reply

Belonging

Resources:

Resources:

Resources:

Engagement

Resources:

Resources:

Resources:

Expression

Resources:

Resources:

Resources:

Well-Being

Resources:

Resources:

Resources:

Ontario Electricity Support Program (OESP)

Eligibility by Income level (estimate):

Housing Retention Fund (HRF)

How to apply:

Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP)

Get Started

Documents required for interview include:

Service Awards

— Congratulations to our 2024-2025 Award winners —

Congratulations on reaching these milestones, and thank you for your continued efforts to empower people to lead a meaningful and inclusive life.

Donors & Event Sponsors

— Our thanks to all our supporters! Your donations and event sponsorship mean the Empower Simcoe Foundation is always able the help the people and families who need it most. —

Legacy Gifts

Consider Your Legacy

% of visitors by geographic area

Visits to the Thornton EarlyON Child and Family Centre

According to Osazee Okungbowa, Empower Simcoe Supports and Services Supervisor, the program’s individualized approach has been key to Shawn’s success.

That growing confidence is evident beyond the kitchen.

What is Respitality?

Respite + Hospitality = Respitality