PRESS RELEASE: Living in Poverty, Homeless and Being Lured into Crime and Human Trafficking – People with Intellectual Disabilities Falling Through the Cracks

For Immediate Release//Toronto, Ontario, November 12, 2025

“It’s not right this is happening!”

“This is heartbreaking…”**

These are the voices of Ontarians reacting to the escalating crisis in our province’s Developmental Services sector, a crisis that’s been decades in the making. 

More than thirty years of chronic underinvestment have led to over 53,000 adults with intellectual disabilities waiting for essential supports and services. Some of our most vulnerable citizens are slipping through the cracks, forced to live in extreme poverty, on the streets and increasingly at risk of being lured into crime or sex trafficking.

Community Living Ontario (CLO) and OASIS have come together in partnership to call for urgent action and long-term investment. Together, they are launching a public awareness campaign to share stories of people who are being left behind by a system that has been underfunded far too long.

“The situation we’re in right now is the result of successive governments not funding the Sector properly,” explains Chris Beesley, CEO of Community Living Ontario and Dr. Robert Walsh CEO of OASIS. “People and families regularly share their concerns and challenges with us. Over the past few months, we’ve also met with key government officials about this situation including Minister Michael Parsa and staff members of MCCSS. We look forward to working together to find a meaningful and productive solution to a situation that has plagued families and the Developmental Services Sector for more than 30 years.” 

Some of the 53,000 adults languishing on long waiting lists have waited decades for supports and services. Assistance with medication management, basic life skills and help to find homes, jobs, and community activities are what’s needed to allow adults with intellectual disabilities to live a life of dignity and inclusion.

“When I was asked to take part in the campaign, I didn’t hesitate,” says Niko Pupella, CLO Council President and one of the people featured in the public service announcement. “I was homeless for over a year so these are real life experiences that people are going through. After thirty years of underfunding something has to change.”

For media inquiries, please contact:

Teresa Kruze. tkruze@rogers.com 416-727-8145

Community Living Ontario and OASIS 

—

#WaitingToBelong www.waiting2belong.ca

**“It’s not right this is happening!”

“This is heartbreaking…”** 

These quotes are among the many messages the Sector received after people in a community discussion group viewed the Public Service Announcement (PSA). The people in the focus group were between 17-74 years old and came from a cross section of the public which included numerous business executives, a retired minister, a university instructor, a psychotherapist and two high school students.

Breaking Point: Data Reveals Urgent Need for Action on Poverty and Exploitation 

Poverty 

  • According to Statistics Canada, 28% of adults with severe disabilities living alone have incomes below the poverty line (Statistics Canada, 2022) 
  • Inclusion Canada has estimated that 73% of people with intellectual disabilities living apart from family have incomes below the poverty line (Inclusion Canada, 2024). 
  • Single people relying on ODSP almost inevitably live under the poverty line: ODSP provides a maximum of $17,000 per year, whereas the poverty line is approximately $28,000 (depending on region).

Homelessness 

  • In the GTA, one in five shelter users has a developmental disability. 
  • Other sources have put this figure between 12% and 35% (noting that the group accounts for about 2% of the population). 

Crime 

  • Community Living Ontario has received a number of reports from member agencies about people with intellectual disabilities being drawn into potential criminal activities such as drug and theft rings, and having their apartments taken over. 
  • People with developmental disabilities make up 17% of all forensic inpatients in Ontario (i.e. where mental illness is a factor in crime), 8% of people in community mental health justice programs, and 2% of provincial and federal correctional facility inmates. (CAMH) 

Victimization 

  • In Canada, the rate of violent victimization (i.e., sexual assault, robbery, physical assault) against women with intellectual disabilities is four times higher than for women without a disability. 
  • Women and girls who have an intellectual disability are at high risk of abuse and trafficking due to various factors including a lack of access to services; social marginalization, stereotyping, and discrimination; social isolation; fear of losing supports and resources; and low educational attainment and unemployment. 

Community Living Ontario is a non-profit organization that advocates for people who have an intellectual disability and their families. For more than 70 years, the organization has worked to create inclusive communities where everyone belongs, through education, advocacy, and collaboration with government and community partners. 

OASIS (Ontario Agencies Supporting Individuals with Special Needs) represents more than 190 member agencies across the province that provide vital services to people with developmental disabilities. Together, OASIS members serve tens of thousands of Ontarians and employ over 25,000 staff dedicated to promoting inclusion and independence.