Independence through

The Ontario Provincial Election is on October 6, 2011

The first phase of our campaign involves getting our messages in front of all parties and all candidates running in the fall provincial election in the form of letters and postcards.  The second phase will involve personal visits with our elected representatives after the election.

Send a postcard today to your local candidates!  Dowload a postcard here or call 905-853-2862 x228 and we would be happy to send you some via mail.

For all-candidates meetings and candidates campaigning door-to-door, our below issues are summarized into three fact sheets:

1. Primary Issue - Intervenor Services funding
2. Secondary Issues - Ontario Disability Support Program
3. Secondary Issues - Stable base funding

KEY ISSUES

PRIMARY ISSUE: To ensure future funding models take the unique and complex needs of our clients into account

While the current government has made substantial (and long overdue) infusions to Intervenor Services over the past several years, last year’s proposed funding allocation model by the Ministry of Community and Social Services showed us that this funding is extremely vulnerable.  If implemented, this funding model would have resulted in a significant decrease in our funding.  Our advocacy efforts in 2010 led to the Ministry taking the proposed model off the table and committed to working with the sector and consumers to design a fair, equitable model.

While DeafBlind Ontario Services supports the creation of a fair and equitable service system, it cannot come at the expense of our clients and their unique and complex needs.

SOLUTION: Ensure present levels of service and funding are maintained for our clients, and any new funding model that is created takes inflationary measures into account.

SECONDARY ISSUES:

1. Increase Ontario Disability Support Program levels

While the current government has made annual cost-of-living increases to the Ontario Disability Income Support program, these benefits remain more than 18% below what they were in 1993 when compared to inflation.  At present, ODSP provides for an income that is 40% below the poverty line at about $1,000/month to spend on rent, food, clothing and transportation.

Last fall, the government announced it was conducting a comprehensive review of the social assistance program, which includes ODSP.  We are hopeful that people with disabilities, including deafblindness, who live on ODSP will be able to break the cycle of poverty and live their lives as independently as possible.

SOLUTION: The Social Assistance Review Committee should have the support of government to recommend comprehensive reform and acted on quickly.  ODSP benefits need to provide for real costs of living and should not be less than the recognized poverty line.  Rates should reflect average market rates and be adjusted annually for inflation.

2. Support OASIS’ advocacy efforts

Ontario Agencies Supporting Individuals with Special Needs (OASIS) is a volunteer-based organization representing 156 agencies providing support and services to people with developmental disabilities.  DeafBlind Ontario Services is a member of OASIS.

The Ontario government is looking at ways to contain costs within the broader public service, which includes a recommended funding freeze for public services. This freeze will affect the quantity and quality of the support and services that OASIS agencies provide to thousands of individuals. These services help ensure that vulnerable Ontarians can live as independently as possible and become contributing members of their communities.

People who are congenitally deafblind require 24 hour support.  Staff must be highly trained to work with this unique population.  A 2007 report by the Ministry of Community and Social Services Expert Panel on Training cited low recruitment rates, inadequate qualifications, poor retention of employees, low wages, low morale and the inability of Colleges to meet the increasing need for trained staff.  Employees who receive specialized training, competitive wages and benefits are more likely to enter and remain in the sector.

SOLUTION: A 2% base increase to OASIS agencies budgets will help ensure quality services and supports in Ontario.  A multi-year commitment will stabilize the sector through funding that addresses current system capacity, will meet future demands and will bring wages to a level that is comparable with other human services sectors.

For more information on OASIS advocacy efforts, please visit www.ontarioforoasis.ca

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