What we are seeing is that agencies across the region are relying on ulterior methods to off-set the rising costs including fundraising and one-time grants to account for the expenses of their valuable programs and services. This current form of funding is unsustainable and is resulting in large discrepancies between agencies across the region introducing issues like wage disparity which affects staffing levels and challenges recruiting leadership positions. These ongoing discrepancies are putting some organizations at risk which inherently affects the vulnerable people in Ontario that these organizations are built to support.

As a member of Ontario Agencies Supporting People with Special Needs (OASIS) and Community Living Ontario (CLO), KW Habilitation is committed to advocating for agencies all around the province funded under the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS). Our CEO, Ann Bilodeau is an active member of the Provincial Network on Developmental Services and is a Co- Chair of the Developmental Services Workforce Initiative and steering committee and a member of the Provincial Executive Director group with CLO. 

On behalf of KW Habilitation, we support Community Living Ontario (CLO), Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres (OCRCC), Ontario Association of Interval and Transition Houses (OAITH), Ontario Agencies Supporting People with Special Needs (OASIS), and Family Service Ontario (FSO) in sending a multi-sector joint letter directed to The Honourable Minister Michael Parsa, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS). This letter is valuable for our community as it expresses the ongoing issue surrounding agencies funded under the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS) who are being affected by rising costs and have not received sufficient increases to meet ongoing demands. 

Overall, this letter seeks to protect the sustainability of these organizations as the funding discrepancies within programs and organizations funded by the MCCSS require the immediate action of the government. Specifically, a 5% increase in unrestricted base funding and a long term sustainable funding model across all sectors.

Below is the full letter to The Hon. Minister Micheal Parsa Minister of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS).

[embeddoc url=”https://www.kwhab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/2023-09-25-Joint-Letter-to-Hon.-Parsa-1.pdf”]