House of Compassion

What House of Compassion does

House of Compassion is a registered charity (Charity Registration Number 118964196 RR0001) and independent not-for-profit organization headquartered at 169-171 1/2 Shaw Street, Toronto, Ontario. Founded in 1988 and operational since October 1989, it delivers permanent supportive housing and 24-hour care to 21 adults living with severe and persistent mental illness. The service model is a fixed-capacity residential program — three merged row houses offering 21 private bedrooms, shared living, dining, and garden space — rather than a transitional or emergency shelter. Residents qualify for rent-geared-to-income (RGI) housing (rent set at approximately 30% of income), receive three meals per day every day of the year, medication assistance, housekeeping, care advocacy, informal counseling coordination, and day/evening social-recreation programming. There are no proprietary technology platforms, mobile apps, APIs, or integrations; operations are delivered through on-site human staff and supported by a website (hoctoronto.com) used for awareness, volunteer recruitment, and donations.

The organization's revenue model is hybrid and non-commercial. Recurring operating funding comes from the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (since 2006) and rent-geared-to-income subsidies from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing; the City of Toronto provides rent supplements for 11 units added during the 2000 expansion; and federal capital funding has flowed through the Supporting Communities Partnership Initiative (SCPI). Tax-receipted charitable donations — collected in person at the administrative office and online via CanadaHelps.org — cover operating gaps not funded by government sources. Prospects for residency are acquired entirely through The Access Point, Toronto's centralized intake for supportive housing, requiring professional referral. There is no commercial pricing, no per-seat SaaS, no enterprise sales motion; the "customers" are residents, and the paying counterparties are three levels of government and a community donor base.

The board comprises six volunteer directors chaired by Neil Hetherington, with founders Bill Kerr, Gerard Collins, Dr. Robert Inman, and Michael Wills — supported by Rev. Dr. John Gladstone of Yorkminster Park Baptist Church — having incorporated the organization in 1988 after Kerr's 1986 "No Fixed Address" presentation to the congregation on the effects of deinstitutionalization. Headcount is reported at 11-50; no revenue figure, audited financials, funding rounds, acquisitions, or technology investments are disclosed in the input data.

Name

House of Compassion

Legal name

House of Compassion

Website

https://hoctoronto.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

House of Compassion is a Toronto-based registered charity providing permanent supportive housing and 24-hour care for 21 adults with severe and persistent mental illness. It is funded by Ontario provincial ministries, City of Toronto rent supplements, and charitable donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Supportive Housing Services

NAICS

Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities (62322), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities (6232), Other Residential Care Facilities (62399)

SIC

Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Mental Health Treatment Centers (HLAFACAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Behavioral Health–Capable Assisted Living (Mental Health/SUD Support) (HLADABAI)

Keywords

• Supportive housing services
• Permanent housing programs
• Mental health care
• 24-hour residential support
• Charitable social services

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Operating Funding: Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care provides operating funding. The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing provides Rent-Geared-To-Income funding for resident housing costs.
2. Rent Supplements: City of Toronto provides rent supplements for additional units beyond the original 10 units, supporting the expanded capacity of 21 residents.
3. Charitable Donations: House of Compassion relies on community donations to cover remaining operating expenses not funded by government sources. The organization is a registered charity (Charity Registration Number: 118964196 RR0001) and provides official tax receipts for all donations.
4. Capital Funding: Financial support from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing and federal funding through the Supporting Communities Partnership Initiative (SCPI) program for property acquisition and renovations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

House of Compassion provides permanent supportive housing at a single 21-bedroom residence in Toronto for adults living with severe and persistent mental illness. The organization delivers 24-hour on-site care, including three daily meals served 365 days per year, medication assistance, housekeeping, care advocacy, counseling coordination, and social recreation programming. Residents qualify for rent-geared-to-income subsidies and apply through The Access Point centralized housing intake system.

Product overview

House of Compassion offers a single, unified supportive housing program for adults with severe and persistent mental illness. The core offering is Permanent Supportive Housing at their Shaw Street residence, which accommodates 21 residents who each have private bedrooms and access to shared living spaces. This is complemented by 24-Hour Care and Support Services providing daily meals, medication assistance, housekeeping, counseling coordination, and individualized supports. Social Recreation and Programming offers day and evening activities, while the Rental Assistance Program helps residents access rent-geared-to-income funding. Together, these services form an integrated model combining deeply affordable housing with personalized daily care and community support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Permanent Supportive Housing Permanent supportive housing offering for adults living with severe and persistent mental illness, providing private bedrooms, affordable housing, and 24-hour on-site care in a small compassionate community of 21 residents at 169-171 1/2 Shaw Street, Toronto.
• 24-Hour Care and Support Services Round-the-clock staff presence providing daily meals (three meals/day, 365 days/year), medication assistance, housekeeping, care advocacy, counseling coordination, and individualized supports for the 21 residents of House of Compassion.
• Social Recreation and Programming Day and evening programming opportunities including social recreation activities, community events, arts programming, gardening, peer engagement, and shared mealtimes to foster connections and well-being among residents.

Quantifiable outcome

• 21 residents housed permanently
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered founding, significant and core.

• Yorkminster Park Baptist ChurchfoundingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 1989Congregation members including Bill Kerr, Gerard Collins, Dr. Robert Inman, Michael Wills, and Rev. Dr. John Gladstone founded House of Compassion in 1988. The church community provided initial financial support through donations and rallied congregation support for the organization. The church community was instrumental in the founding and early funding of the organization.
• St. Jude Community HomessignificantStrategic or Co-development PartnerHouse of Compassion developed through meaningful partnership with St. Jude Community Homes and the City of Toronto, contributing to inclusive community development and supportive housing network.
• The Access PointcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCentralized access point for supportive housing in Toronto. Prospective residents must apply through The Access Point (1-888-640-1934). House of Compassion is one of multiple providers accepting applications through this system. Professional referral is required.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Margaret's Housing and Community Support Services: Toronto nonprofit focused on supportive housing and community services for people living with mental health and/or substance use challenges. Operates a similar small-scale, permanent housing-with-support model in the Greater Toronto Area.
• Dixon Hall: Toronto community services nonprofit that includes supportive housing programs for vulnerable adults alongside broader community programming. Comparable Toronto footprint, target population, and funding model (government + donations).
• Houselink Community Homes: Toronto nonprofit providing supported housing and community supports for people with mental health and addiction challenges. Operates a comparable model of small, permanent supportive housing units with on-site staff, directly competing for residents and government funding in the same Toronto network.
• St. Jude Community Homes: Toronto-based supportive housing provider explicitly identified as a long-standing partner of House of Compassion. Operates a similar small-scale, permanent housing model for vulnerable adults in Toronto, making it a close operational peer.
• Fred Victor: Toronto charitable organization providing supportive and transitional housing, drop-in services, and mental health support. Operates a comparable model serving adults facing homelessness and mental illness, competing for similar government contracts and donor dollars.
• Yonge Street Mission: Toronto faith-based charity providing supportive housing, drop-in services, and mental health supports for people experiencing poverty, homelessness, and mental illness. Comparable operating model, target population, and reliance on donations and government funding in Toronto.
• Mainstay Housing: Toronto-based nonprofit supportive housing provider serving individuals with complex needs, including mental health challenges. Comparable small-site permanent housing model and similar reliance on government rent supplements and provincial funding streams.

Broad incumbents

• WoodGreen Community Services: One of the largest social service agencies in Toronto, offering supportive housing, mental health programs, and senior services. Comparable in serving similar client populations and accessing overlapping government funding, but at significantly greater scale and breadth than House of Compassion.
• Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Toronto: Toronto branch of Canada's largest national mental health charity, providing housing, case management, and recovery programs for people with mental illness. Comparable in target population and funding sources, but operates at a broader, more diversified scale.

Others

• The Access Point: Centralized access point for supportive housing in Toronto, through which House of Compassion and peer providers receive resident referrals. Not a competitor but a key infrastructure / channel partner, included here because it shapes the demand pipeline and competitive dynamics across all of House of Compassion's direct peers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/house-of-compassion
• Xx.com/HocToronto

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about House of Compassion