Blog Archives - Page 7 of 18

Reflections on the 2023 Exchange Conference

by Tod Duncan | June 2023

Held in Ottawa this past May, OMSSA’s 2023 Exchange Conference brought together more than 330 people for two days of learning, sharing, and connecting. It was a huge success! Over the one and a half days of the conference, attendees got to see many great examples of the excellence of OMSSA Member organizations and the staff and managers who carry out important work geared towards improving the lives of so many Ontarians. The Conference program was packed with content related to the work that OMSSA Members do in housing and homelessness, children’s services, and employment and income supports. Learn more about our 2023 Exchange Conference.

From Struggle to Stability: Creating a Tailored Management Course for those Living with Low Income

by Carrie Wong, Nandita Bijur | June 2023

Now more than ever Canadians are recognizing the importance of financial well-being – achieving peace of mind about our financial situation, feeling secure in our ability to absorb a money setback, and having the freedom to make choices that allow us to enjoy life. Financial stress is compounded when people feel a loss of control and lack the appropriate knowledge and information to make decisions in their best interests. Carrie Wong and Nandita Bijur from Prosper Canada talk about the work they are doing in this area.

An Interview with Polly Smith

by Manny Kalra | May 2023

OMSSA sits down to speak with Polly Smith, Director of Employment and Social Services at the Municipality of Chatham-Kent about the importance of human services delivery, her career, and involvement with OMSSA.

Making York Region EarlyON Child and Family Programs More Accessible for Families Through the New EarlyON Registration Tool

by Monica Bryce, Kevin Pal | May 2023

OMSSA is featuring several of our 2022 Local Municipal Champion award recipients and their work in the Knowledge Exchange Blog. Please read the entry from York Region. In April 2022, the York Region EarlyON Child and Family Programs and Ontario Child Care Management System (OCCMS) teams in collaboration with CMSMs/DSSABs came together to develop and implement a system-wide, centralized online registration platform for EarlyON programs.

A Summary of the Region of Waterloo’s Encampment Decision

by Tod Duncan | May 2023

On January 27th, 2023, Justice M. J. Valente of the Ontario Superior Court rejected The Regional Municipality of Waterloo’s application for an injunction to evict individuals who were encamped on Region-owned property due to those individuals being in breach of a local By-Law prohibiting such actions. While the Justice praised the valuable work that the Region has already done to address homelessness, he nevertheless denied the injunction on the basis that the By-Law violated the homeless residents’ Charter right to life, liberty, and security. More recently, the Region announced that it has decided not to appeal the ruling. There are several significant takeaways that can be gleaned from this first-of-its-kind-in-Ontario decision. The decision represents the need for a serious shift in thinking around how OMSSA Members will address the issue of encampments moving forward.

The District of Thunder Bay Social Services Administration Board: Community Resource Centres

by Ken Ranta | April 2023

OMSSA is featuring several of our 2022 Local Municipal Champion award recipients and their work in the Knowledge Exchange Blog. Please read the entry from the District of Thunder Bay Social Services Administration Board. Over the past five years TBDSSAB has worked to create community resource centres for tenants and clients, creating centralized access for neighbourhood engagement and service enhancement.

An Interview with Henry Wall

by Manny Kalra | April 2023

OMSSA sits down to speak with Henry Wall, Chief Administrative Officer, from the Kenora District Services Board about the importance of human service integration and the issues of housing and homelessness in Northern Ontario communities.

Peel’s Youth Caseworker Team

by Dawn Fullington | April 2023

The Region of Peel is dedicated in creating a community where every person experiences a sense of belonging while having access to all services that may be required through each stage of life. As a result, the Peel Youth Caseworker team was founded, to provide integrated services to youth while being devoted to assisting residents out of poverty.

OMSSA Report on the 2023 Federal Budget

by Darryl Wolk | March 2023

On March 28th, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland delivered the 2023-24 Federal Budget. The budget was themed around the cost of living, dentalcare and clean energy. Learn more about some of the highlights relevant to OMSSA Members and the municipal human services sector.

OMSSA Report on the 2023 Ontario Budget

by Darryl Wolk | March 2023

On March 23rd, Ontario’s Minister of Finance, Peter Bethlenfalvy, delivered the 2023 Ontario Budget. The budget comes at a time when Ontario is facing a housing crisis, homelessness crisis, pandemic recovery, inflation, and global economic uncertainty. Learn more about some of the highlights relevant to OMSSA Members and the municipal human services sector.