OMSSA Virtual Forum Program 2025

In this talk, Alex Rivard will be discussing the ‘not in my backyard’ phenomenon (better known as ‘NIMBYism’) in Canada. He will discuss what ‘NIMBYism’ looks like and why it matters. Crucially, this talk will highlight the role that ideology plays in structuring opposition to new housing and how this poses both constraints and opportunities for trying to shift opinion. Finally, he will discuss his research that matches public preferences on housing with the preferences held by city councillors in Canada. This work, again, finds that ideology is incredibly important and that—importantly—city councillors listen and respond to their constituents’ preferences surrounding housing. 

Presenters:

• (moderator) Erin Valant, Director of Housing Services, Regional Municipality of Durham
• Alex B. Rivard, Assistant Professor, Political Science, Centre for Social Sciences, Athabasca University

The United Counties of Leeds and Grenville will present on their Affordable Housing Development Lab (“The Lab”) designed to assist non-profit groups, municipalities, and community-minded entrepreneurs to conduct a feasibility assessment and development plan, at no cost, to move forward with affordable housing construction projects located in Leeds and Grenville to provide long-term affordable housing to households in need.

Presenters:

• (moderator) Erin Valant, Director of Housing Services, Regional Municipality of Durham
• Caroline Rigutto, Affordable Housing Coordinator, United Counties of Leeds and Grenville

Douglas Kwan, Director of Advocacy and Legal Services at the Advocacy Centre for Tenants (ACTO) will present on current issues at the Landlord Tenant Board and how service managers can best prepare for hearings related to community housing.

Presenter:

• (moderator) Erin Valant, Director of Housing Services, Regional Municipality of Durham
• Douglas Kwan, Director of Advocacy and Legal Services at the Advocacy Centre for Tenants

Housing Services Corporation will present on End of Mortgage agreements and assist service managers in maintaining units in the system and negotiating new service agreements with housing providers in their community.

Presenters:

• (moderator) Erin Valant, Director of Housing Services, Regional Municipality of Durham
• Jody DeGagne, Director, Capital Strategies and Innovation, Housing Services Corporation

Known as the founder of the “housing first” approach, clinical and community psychologist Sam Tsemberis, PhD, has been an influential voice in the discussion of homelessness in Canada, the United States, and throughout the world for decades. The approach he outlined over 30 years ago was based on the idea that to find success in supporting people who are unhoused and addressing the concurrent issues they are often dealing with, we must ensure they have access to secure housing alongside other social and health services. “Housing first,” in other words, saw housing as a prerequisite to providing social services and not the goal of providing those services. 

In this session, Sam Tsemberis will provide a quick overview of “housing first” and the principles that guide the approach. His presentation will be followed by a dialogue with OMSSA’s Executive Director, Aaron Stauch, on ways of addressing the challenges faced by service system managers and other organizations working to address homelessness. In particular, how do we advocate most effectively for a “housing first” approach in a time of political and social discord marked by the increasing criminalization of and antipathy towards the unhoused? This discussion will consider ways we can effectively change the narrative around “housing first” to ensure this approach receives the stable funding it needs from other levels of government. 

Presenters:

• (moderator) Aaron Stauch, Executive Director, OMSSA
• Sam Tsemberis, Founder and CEO, Pathways Housing First Institute & Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA

Homelessness in Ontario, and throughout Canada, continues to be an issue that confounds government policy makers. According to a report jointly produced by HelpSeeker Technologies, OMSSA, AMO, and NOSDA, Ontario has seen a more than 25% growth in homelessness between 2022 and 2024. Despite this growth, there is growing consensus around the solutions to chronic homelessness. It’s well-understood that homelessness is fuelled by a lack of access to addiction and mental health supports, challenges related to affordability, and the absence of supportive housing options. With the absence of consistent funding to support solutions, inaction around homelessness has had profound human and community consequences, as well as downstream effects, adding a significant financial burden to the healthcare system.  

Under these circumstances, why is it important for social service providers and health professionals to work together to address homelessness? What approaches can be taken to shift the thinking around homelessness and to more effectively engage elected officials and the broader community? What can be done to “change the narrative” around the urgency and importance of this work?  

On this panel, three primary care physicians will draw on their expertise working to address homelessness in Ontario in order to provide insight on how we can make meaningful progress on this issue. Sharing insights into their research and successful collaborations, they will help to outline a path forward on homelessness that can be followed together, by those in healthcare and social services.  

Presenters:

• (moderator) Stella Danos-Papaconstantinou, OMSSA President and Commissioner, Social Services, Regional Municipality of Durham
• Dr. Natalie Aubin, Regional Vice-President, Cancer Care and Vice-President, Social Accountability, Health Sciences North
• Dr. Andrew Boozary, Executive Director, Gattuso Centre for Social Medicine, University Health Network
• Dr. Stephen Hwang, Director, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions; Professor, Department of Medicine, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, and Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto; Canada Research Chair in Homelessness, Housing, and Health

In this session, we will look at how the goals of inclusion have continued to shift and evolve, as we learn more about diversity and identity. Participants will reflect on their own contexts and consider next steps for advocacy and action. 

Presenters:

• (moderator) Shannon Brown, Manager, Children’s Services Department, United Counties of Leeds and Grenville
• Shelley Moore, Educator/Consultant; Adjunct Professor, University of British Columbia

Presentation details coming soon.

Presenters:

• (moderator) Laura Sparling, Manager, Early Years Access and Inclusion, Regional Municipality of Peel
• Dr. Jean Clinton, Clinical Professor, Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University

EarlyON programs operate across Ontario and offer a variety of free drop-in and pre-registered programs. They provide high quality, low barrier access to programming for families with young children under the age of 6. While these programs are often viewed as an extension of child care, as EarlyON Child and Family Centres (emphasis added) they fulfill a fundamentally different, but equally vital role within Ontario’s early years system. This panel will explore why it’s important to preserve what sets EarlyON apart by highlighting how its programs can provide support for both children and their families/parents/caregivers, thereby strengthening communities in Ontario.  

The panel will focus on the following: 

• The relationship between inclusive and equitable EarlyON programming and child development.  
• The role EarlyON can play to support children, parents and caregivers, while fostering a sense of belonging within community.  
• The importance of EarlyON’s whole family approach and the role it can have in the broader continuum of social services.  

This session will appeal to those working within the early years and child care system, as well as those in other human services that provide supports to families with small children. 

Presenters:

• (moderator) Laura Sparling, Manager, Early Years Access and Inclusion, Regional Municipality of Peel
• Dr. Jean Clinton, Clinical Professor, Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University
• Sharon Douglas, Principal Consultant, S.M.D. Consulting Inc.
• Nicola Lyle, Chief Executive Officer, Peterborough Child & Family Centres
• Rhonda Turbide, Child & Family Services Program Manager, Thunder Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre

Service Managers across Ontario increasingly operate at the intersection of the crises of homelessness, mental health and substance use related harms, and material deprivation. 

Immediate evidence for this has emerged in an increased incidence of clients in crisis since Covid, including substance use emergencies, client-to-client violence, and new depths of despair, with heightened rates of frustration and anger often being directed at frontline staff, whether in community offices, emergency and transitional shelter housing, or social housing units.  While client complexity is similar across the province, the resources available to frontline staff to support clients differs from region to region. 

This is the context within which social service managers develop operational strategies, and that frontline staff and supporting community services work with clients.  This panel presentation offers perspectives from a cross-section of leadership, frontline, and community partner team members from across the Province, who are using all their experience, skill, and insight to develop best practices, and resources to provide the best service for their clients and effectively navigate an overwhelmed service system. 

Presenters:

• (moderator) Wade Matthews, Director of Human Services, District of Muskoka
• Joanne Barrington, York Region Social Assistance, Partnership Engagement Team
• Vikki Hannan, Employment Services Worker, County of Simcoe
• Christine Heavens, Director of Community Development and Services, Cochrane District Services Board
• Diane Ryder, Director, Mushkegowuk Employment & Training, Mushkegowuk Council
• Additional speakers to be added

In today’s complex and high-pressure human services environment, frontline staff are often overwhelmed by demanding caseloads and the emotional toll of crisis-driven work. This session challenges the default, deficit-focused narrative and invites participants to adopt a new, empowering perspective—one that centers on strengths, progress, and possibility. 

“Flipping the Script” offers practical tools and mindset shifts that support healthier workplace cultures, reduce burnout, and foster more empowering relationships with clients. Through real-world strategies and reflective dialogue, participants will explore how changing internal and external narratives can drive sustainable, positive change—both personally and professionally. 

Key Topics: 

• The Power of Narrative: Why it shapes outcomes 
• Empowerment Starts with You 
• Practical Strategies to Shift the Story 
• Leadership’s Role in Sustaining Culture Change 

Participants Will Leave With: 

• A fresh perspective on success in social assistance 
• Strengths-based tools to enhance worker wellness and resilience 
• Communication techniques that uplift and empower 
• Renewed purpose, positivity, and pride in their role 

Designed for frontline staff, supervisors, and leaders alike, this session is a powerful reset for anyone ready to reimagine what’s possible in human services 

Presenters:

• (moderator) Wade Matthews, Director of Human Services, District of Muskoka
• Melanie Verreault, Owner, Consultant, Trimeda Consulting