February 1, 2024
Join Us in Advocating For a Much-Needed Increase to our Funding in Ontario*
*While Saskatchewan receives annual increases for our sector, we are advocating for the same in Ontario.
As shared in this Dear Everybody in Ontario email on November 24, 2023, we have joined our developmental services colleagues across Ontario in advocating for an urgent +5% base-funding increase from our funder, the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services. Today we are sharing an update on how we are advocating and will continue to, even after the Province of Ontario announces its fiscal budget in March 2024. We are also sharing the key messages we are using, messages that you are invited to share with your local leaders and networks as well.
How Have We Been Advocating?
In December, our CEO, Janet Noel-Annable and Senior Vice President, Eugene Versteeg, met in person with Minister Michael Parsa of the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS) to share this urgent funding need in person. Thanks to 909 of you, people supported, families, members of Our Voices Matter, concerned community members and our board of directors who stood with us by adding their name to this list, we presented this growing list of names to the Minister.
Some of our leaders spoke with the Minister of Finance, Peter Bethlenfalvy, and Minister Parsa in person at a funding announcement for repairs at Karis Disability Services locations in Pickering. As well, our Karis leaders are having ongoing conversations with their connections and local MPPs.
Karis Disability Services’ Paul Gillam, Executive Director for Central East District, is sharing with Minister of Finance, Peter Bethlenfalvy (left) and MCCSS Minister Michael Parsa (right) at a funding announcement in Pickering.
Throughout January, we have joined with our sector partners in participating in multiple in-person presentations to the Ministry of Finance across Ontario through their pre-budget consultation process. To see an example of the type of messaging being shared, please watch this video of Executive Director (South District) Dave Petkau who graciously re-presented his speech on video so we can experience his message. It’s 7 minutes long but worth hearing!
A view of the typical room set-up in which pre-budget consultation presentations are made to the Minister of Finance.
We have also joined our sector partners by submitting a public, written pre-budget consultation submission from Karis Disability Services to the Minister of Finance, which you can read at this link.
Our Voices Matter groups, like Ottawa and Kingston, collectively wrote to their MPPs using a letter template created by Community Living Ontario, a template you can find at this link on CLO’s website.
And, local leaders across our organization continue to actively pursue further meetings with their MPPs and network tables to continue to advocate.
How Can You Help Advocate in February?
Here are some ways that you can continue to help advocate, and some tools to support you with what to say.
- There is still time to add your voice of support to our call for more funding at this link, or use this QR code:
- Connect with your local Karis leader to prepare to meet with your local MPP, sharing our core messages that you can find at this link; consider including a person supported and/or their family to join you in that meeting.
- Join the letter-writing campaign that is facilitated by Community Living Ontario on behalf of our sector, to reach your local MPP and Premier Doug Ford, at this link.
- Reshare our social media advocacy posts coming up in February on your personal accounts.
Thank you for all you do to advocate for the people who need and deserve appropriate levels of support across the province!
Eugene Versteeg
Senior Vice President