Residential Care Licensing 

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What is Residential Care Licensing?

Residential Care Licensing (RCL) is the unit within the Department of Families that serves as the licensing authority, under The Social Services Administration Act, to license or approve facilities that provide residential services to adults with an intellectual disability (as defined under The Adults Living with an Intellectual Disability Act) or a mental disorder (as defined by The Mental Health Act). Residential care is defined as care, supervision, and accommodation.

As the licensing authority, RCL promotes the rights of adults living with an intellectual disability or mental disorder to receive quality care and supervision in home settings. All homes/facilities that provide residential care must be licensed by RCL.

Residential Care Licensing assesses all application packages to ensure residences meet health and safety standards to provide for the well-being of individuals in the community. If an applicant is approved, Residential Care Licensing will issue a Letter of Approval or licence.

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Types of Residential Settings

Case managers with the the Residential Licensing Unit receive and approve applications for host family homes and shift-staffed homes.

Host Family Homes

A host family home is a residential care facility where a maximum of four individuals who are unrelated to the homeowner live with the homeowner/renter in their primary residence. The homeowner or renter provides residential care to the individuals.

The Community Living disABILITY Services (CLDS) program refers to a host family home as a home share and the homeowners as home share providers. The terms home share and host family are interchangeable. Home shares typically have a maximum of two supported individuals, but can increase to a maximum of four, subject to existing guidelines.

There are two types of home shares in the CLDS program: private and agency supported:

• The agency supported model involves a service provider agency that provides support and oversight for the home.
• The private model does not involve the presence of an agency to provide support and oversight for the home.

Both models are a living situation in which an adult who is eligible for CLDS shares a home with a support provider who is contracted to provide accommodation, care and supervision to the adult. You can apply to be a host family home provider with the CLDS program or community mental health services provided through regional health authorities.

If you are interested in becoming a private home share provider through the CLDS program, please visit the Expression of Interest page. If you are interested in becoming an agency supported home share provider, please contact a CLDS-funded service provider agency in your community that provides these services.

If you are interested in becoming a host family home provider for one or more adults who is eligible for community mental health services, please contact your regional health authority.

Shift-Staffed Homes

A shift-staffed home is a residential care facility where individuals are supported by staff hired by a service provider agency to provide residential care. Prior to being considered for licensing, the agency is required to submit a proposal to either the CLDS program or regional health authority for approval. If the CLDS program or regional health authority approves the home, the licensing process can be initiated.

Shift-staffed homes are required to comply with code requirements related to providing care. In most cases, an occupancy permit from the local municipality is also required before a Letter of Approval or Licence for the home to be operated as a residential care facility can be issued.

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More Information

For more information about requirements to operate a residential care facility, please visit the Resources page.

For general enquiries on residential care licensing, please contact the Residential Care Licensing program in your region.

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Eastern Region

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Northern Region

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Western Region

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Winnipeg