People living with developmental disabilities and the local agencies that serve them are issuing an
urgent appeal for help directed at all candidates running in the 2025 provincial election. Over
52,000 people in Ontario are currently waiting for critical support and services due to serious
funding shortfalls within the sector, with an estimated 5,000 of them living right here in the Ottawa
region.
Equally distressing for local individuals and developmental service (DS) agencies, is the fear that
even continuing to provide current services is becoming extremely challenging.
“More than 30 local board chairs and senior managers have been meeting to try and find solutions
that don’t include closing residences and canceling programs because we know the people we
serve have nowhere else to go,” said Al Roberts, volunteer board Vice Chair of the Ottawa-Carleton
Association for Persons with Developmental Disabilities (OCAPDD). “Struggling to keep the doors
open or the lights on leaves no room to bring in new clients or initiate new programs. We are starting
to feel like the system is on the verge of collapse if significant steps aren’t taken.”
Since 1993, Ontario governments have only increased core funding to support agencies by less
than 7% even though the cost of living has soared by over 60% during that same period.
“Imagine living on the same amount of money you earned in 1993,” said volunteer board Chair for
L’Arche Ottawa, John Rietschlin. “Food, transportation, residential maintenance and upgrades, not
to mention staff costs have all increased while funding hasn’t kept pace. All of the board chairs
we’ve met with have said their organization would love to support additional individuals and
families, but everyone agrees we’re at the point we’re not even sure we can keep the people we
currently serve.”
People with developmental disabilities, and the boards of the organizations that support them, are
asking that immediate action be taken to ensure they are not forgotten. They would like all parties
and candidates to provide a proposed solution to address the long waiting lists and funding
shortfalls that have plagued the developmental services sector for decades.
As a group, the local board chairs and senior managers appreciated that a portion of the $310
million outlined in the 2024 budget, provided an approximate 3% increase for DS agency base
budgets. This was a positive step toward supporting the sector. While any additional resources
allocated to the DS Sector is always appreciated, the lack of necessary support places
organizations and staff at risk, and ultimately creates the possibility of fewer, and lower quality,
services and supports for people living with developmental disabilities in Ontario.
“It hasn’t been funded properly,” points out Community Living Ontario CEO Chris Beesley. “You can create a vision and be aspirational but unless you put the resources behind it, it’s meaningless.”
Robert Walsh, CEO of Ontario Agencies Supporting Individuals with Special Needs (OASIS) agrees.
“This chronic underfunding leaves agencies struggling to provide the critical services on which
people with intellectual disabilities and their families depend. The gap forces families to shoulder
more of the burden—financially, emotionally, and physically—just to meet basic needs. Is this the
Ontario we want to live in, where families are left to bridge the growing divide between what’s
needed and what’s funded?”
People with developmental disabilities, and the local agencies that support them, have a message
for voters in the upcoming provincial election.
“Please keep families in mind when casting your vote. Lead with your head and vote with your
heart”.
#WaitingToBelong
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www.waiting2belong.ca
For media inquiries, please contact: Teresa Kruze.
tkruze@rogers.com
416-727-8145
Community Living Ontario and OASIS
