Update Friday Newsletter: May 1, 2026

In this week’s edition of Update Friday, Community Living Month kicks off, multiple member events, and more! Read the full edition: https://bit.ly/4tbYOua   Sign up to our newsletter: bit.ly/Subscribe-To-UF

RDSP Shortcomings Continue to Put People’s Rights At Risk

When he introduced the Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) in 2008, the late Jim Flaherty promised that the initiative would help improve the lives of people with disabilities. According to Flaherty, a key goal was to help as many people as possible benefit from the program and save for their future. In light of these statements, it is unfortunate that, eighteen years … Read More

Ontario’s Ministry of Education Has a Policy on Seemingly Almost Everything – But Not on Solitary Confinement for Kids

In Ontario, there is no provincial legislation, policy, or guidance addressing the use of restraint and involuntary seclusion on children with disabilities in schools. This puts Ontario out of line with other jurisdictions, and is placing the mental health, quality of life, and learning outcomes of students at severe risk. Building on our Crisis in the Classroom report, Community Living Ontario is … Read More

The National Housing Council Wants to Hear Your Perspective on Accessible Housing

The National Housing Council is an advisory body to the federal Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities. The Council has launched a Review Panel on the lack of accessible housing in Canada and is inviting all individuals and organizations to share their perspectives. The review panel is especially interested in hearing from people directly affected by this issue, service providers, … Read More

Community Living Ontario Welcomes New Provincial Budget Investments in Developmental Services

For immediate release // Toronto, OntarioFriday, March 27, 2026 Community Living Ontario is pleased to see the inclusion of new funding to support people with developmental disabilities in the 2026 provincial budget. The budget includes an additional $407 million over three years “to help community organizations manage rising operational costs and continue delivering vital services… for individuals with special needs and developmental disabilities, as well as for survivors of … Read More

Track the Movement – Winter 2026 (December – February)

What happened in December?  Building Inclusive Spaces Together  On December 2nd, 2025, Community Living Ontario’s (CLO) youth and community engagement coordinator, Leshona Lennard, facilitated a ‘Building Inclusive and Accessible Spaces’ workshop at Sir Winston Church Secondary Schools. The workshop was attended by 13 students in the Non-profit and Education Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) program.   This workshop is part of Re:Action4Inclusion’s (R4I) Youth Leadership Workshop series, which is for youth aged … Read More

“We’re Not Okay”: Ontario’s Most Vulnerable Living in Tents and Exploited into Crime

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEWednesday, March 4, 2026 Toronto, ON – Leaders in Ontario’s developmental services sector are raising urgent concerns about a system they say is in crisis, with more than 53,000 Ontarians currently on provincial waitlists for critical supports. In Sudbury on Tuesday, local leaders reported individuals with developmental disabilities are experiencing homelessness and exploitation, including involvement in crime and … Read More

When it Comes to Disability, Specialization Often Leads to Stigmatization

A recent article from ICES and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) reported that people with developmental disabilities make up 22% of the 1,466 people who have spent more than a year in a non-forensic psychiatric inpatient bed in Ontario, despite accounting for less than 3% of the population. The article’s authors note that this is a problem caused in part by a shortage of appropriate community-based settings into which people can transition from health and … Read More