In this week’s edition of Update Friday: Open letter from our CEO, Council’s 30th anniversary celebration and Orange Shirt Day campaign and more. Read the full edition: https://bit.ly/UF-Sep-25 Sign up for our newsletter: https://bit.ly/Subscribe-To-UF
Council Newsletter: Summer 2026 (June – August)
Celebrating Robert and Kristen’s New Chapter This summer was a special time for Robert, one of our former Council members. On July 11, he married his long-time partner, Kristen, after eight years together. They celebrated their special day with family and friends and included a meaningful sand ceremony. Robert and Kristen are both connected to the Community Living movement and … Read More
Intact Public Entities and Community Living Ontario Enter Strategic Partnership
July 10, 2026 Intact Public Entities (IPE), a leader in providing insurance solutions, including complimentary risk management and claims services to public entities and non-profit organization across Canada, is excited to announce a new strategic partnership with Community Living Ontario. Community Living Ontario (CLO), a provincial association that advocates with and supports people with intellectual disabilities, and their families also … Read More
Ontario School Inclusion Survey
A survey on the school experiences of students with disabilities in Ontario What is the survey about? Community Living Ontario is partnering with Jess Whitley at the University of Ottawa to conduct a study to better understand children with disabilities’ school experience. We are interested in hearing about your child(ren)’s experiences, including specific questions about exclusion, seclusion, and restraint. Who can take part in the study? The study is for families whose child(ren) … Read More
Council Newsletter: Spring 2026 (March-May)
Council Members Lead Workshop on Inclusive Meetings at Karis Connected Conference – Toronto On May 1, 2026, Dzidra Halar and Brianne Taggart attended the Karis Connected Conference in Toronto, where they led a workshop on creating more inclusive meetings. The workshop focused on ways to ensure that everyone in a meeting feels heard, valued, and respected. Around 20 people participated in the session, … Read More
Track the Movement – Spring 2026 (March – May)
What happened in March? Empowering the Leaders of Tomorrow On March 2nd, 2026, Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) Member, Rida Aslam, and Community Living Ontario’s (CLO) Youth Coordinator, Leshona Lennard, facilitated a “How to Be a Good Leader” workshop for 7 youth in the CityServe Employment Readiness Program (Scarborough, ON). Following this, Leshona facilitated two “Building Inclusive and Accessible Spaces” workshops (on March 4th) and two “How to be a Good Leader” workshops (on March 6th) for … Read More
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
