Amalgamation of Children’s Aid Societies
Over the last few years, Ontario’s Children’s Aid Societies (CASs)63 have been undergoing major changes. Since 2011, 16 societies amalgamated into seven to increase efficiencies and improve sustainability. Bill 89 will, if passed, provide the Minister with the authority to order that a society amalgamate with one or more other societies, or undertake other types of restructuring if it is in the public interest. The Bill, if passed, also provides the Minister with ancillary powers, such as the ability to order the creation of documents, plans, and budgets – to facilitate restructuring.
Since 2011, 16 societies amalgamated into seven to increase efficiencies and improve sustainability. Bill 89 will, if passed, provide the Minister with the authority to order that a society amalgamate with one or more other societies, or undertake other types of restructuring if it is in the public interest. The Bill, if passed, also provides the Minister with ancillary powers, such as the ability to order the creation of documents, plans, and budgets – to facilitate restructuring.
No decisions have been made with respect to reconfiguration and/or additional amalgamations.
A new funding model then drastically reduced the budgets of many CASs, which resulted in increased workloads. The CASs had to do more with less and try to make serious choices about how to deliver children’s services.
Since 2011, 16 societies amalgamated into seven to increase efficiencies and improve sustainability. Bill 89 will, if passed, provide the Minister with the authority to order that a society amalgamate with one or more other societies, or undertake other types of restructuring if it is in the public interest. The Bill, if passed, also provides the Minister with ancillary powers, such as the ability to order the creation of documents, plans, and budgets – to facilitate restructuring.
No decisions have been made with respect to reconfiguration and/or additional amalgamations. Obviously, this restructuring of the CASs is a major issue for the delivery of French-language services64 in the important field of special education. Vigilance will be required to ensure that, for example, when a designated CAS or a CAS that provides French-language services is amalgamated with a larger organization that does not provide French-language services or is not in a designated area, it continues to fulfil its obligations as a government agency.
63. There are 47 Children’s Aid Societies in Ontario, 44 of which are members of the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies. More than half of those CASs are in areas designated under the French Language Services Act. The CASs are funded by the provincial government. For more details, see http://www.oacas.org/childrens-aid-child-protection/locate-a-childrens-aid-society/ (page consulted in March 2017).
64. In 2010, the Commissioner recommended incorporating active offer of service in French in all CASs and creating a group of French-language service providers for CASs unable to deliver services in French. Following those recommendations, the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies established a French Language Services Advisory Committee in 2012 and made a commitment in 2013 to incorporate active offer in the CASs.