Program

Program   Speakers   Registration   Accommodation   Resources

Please note: Speakers may change and will be added as we get closer to the Policy Conference. Please visit our speakers page to learn more about our invited guests. 

Conference program may change at any time without notice. Some session descriptions include resources members can read in advance of the Conference.

Please view our Program at a Glance by clicking here


Wi-Fi Information

For those attending the Policy Conference in-person, please see the Wi-Fi login details below. 
Network: Marriott Bonvoy Conference
Password: OMSSA2022


Public Health Update

Ontario's Chief Medical Officer announced he is strongly recommending masking at indoor events which includes our upcoming 2022 Policy Conference. Masks will be available for attendees of the Conference at the registration desk. Please note that the wearing of a mask is not a requirement of registration or attendance but is encouraged as a public health precaution for the safety of everyone attending from across the Province. As always, OMSSA will continue to monitor public health information as it changes and will update members as more information comes in. 


DECEMBER 7

8:00 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.

 BREAKFAST / REGISTRATION  

8:00 to 9:00 a.m. 

Room: Main Foyer

 OPENING REMARKS  

9:00 to 9:10 a.m. 

Room: Grand Ballroom

Land Acknowledgement and Opening Remarks: 

  • Doug Ball, OMSSA Executive Director

  • Cathy Cousins, OMSSA President and Director of Homelessness and Community Engagement, Community Services, Region of Niagara

 PLENARY  

9:10 to 10:40 a.m.

Economic Turbulence, Public Policy Turmoil? Plotting a Course for Human Services Through 2023 and Beyond

Room: Grand Ballroom

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The global economy has experienced significant turmoil in recent years. Both the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have had a dramatic effect locally with inflation causing the price of groceries, fuel, and other consumer goods to rise. Interest rates have kept owning a home out of reach for many Ontarians, even though house prices have come down overall.

Meanwhile, the crisis in home ownership has only exacerbated the cost of renting a home, with Ontario cities being over-represented in lists of Canadian cities with the highest monthly rental costs.

And, we haven’t even mentioned the low unemployment rate!

What will these confusing economic circumstances mean for human services users who are already struggling? Likewise, what can OMSSA Service System Managers expect in 2023? Will there be a period of austerity in the human services, or should they feel buoyed by Ontario’s $2.1 billion budget surplus? Is a recession on the horizon that might see an increased demand for income and employment services, affordable housing?

On this panel we will hear from economists and public policy experts who will help untangle the difficult climate that we are in and what it will mean for human services delivery in the coming year and beyond. 

Resources:

Speakers:

  • John Michael McGrath, Staff Writer, TVO (moderator)

  • Lindsay Jones, Director of Policy and Government Relations, Association of Municipalities Ontario

  • Garima Talwar Kapoor, Policy Director, Maytree Foundation

  • Armine Yalnizyan, Fellow on the Future of Workers, Atkinson Foundation

 2022 AWARDS PRESENTATION 

10:40 to 10:45 a.m. 

Room: Grand Ballroom

  BREAK    

10:45 to 11:00 a.m.

Room: Main Foyer

 BREAKOUT SESSIONS  

11:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

 A  Building Partnerships Around Mental Health with Ontario Health Teams

Room: Trinity 4-5


 B  Finding Solutions to Housing Shortages: Discussion on the CMHC 2030 Strategy

Room: York AB


 C  THINK TANK: Decriminalization of Illicit Drugs

Room: Trinity 1-3

 LUNCH   

12:15 to 1:15 p.m.

Room: Grand Ballroom

 BREAKOUT SESSIONS  

1:15 to 2:30 p.m.

 D  THINK TANK: Food Insecurity and the Human Services

Room: Trinity 4-5


 E  Breaking Down Barriers and Silos in Human Services Integration

Room: Trinity 1-3


 F  THINK TANK: Children's Services A - Workforce Planning

Room: York AB

 BREAK   

2:30 to 2:45 p.m.

Room: Main Foyer

 PLENARY  

2:45 to 4:15 p.m. 

Moving from Words to Action on Supportive Housing

Room: Grand Ballroom

DECEMBER 8

8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

 BREAKFAST / REGISTRATION  

8:00 to 9:00 a.m. 

Room: Main Foyer

 OPENING REMARKS  

9:00 to 9:10 a.m. 

Room: Grand Ballroom

Land Acknowledgement and Opening Remarks: 

  • Doug Ball, OMSSA Executive Director

  • Henry Wall, OMSSA Vice-President and Chief Administrative Officer, Kenora District Services Board

 PLENARY  

9:10 to 10:40 a.m. 

Anti-Indigenous Racism Interventions: Wise Practices for Transformational Change

Room: Grand Ballroom

 2022 AWARDS PRESENTATION 

10:40 to 10:45 a.m. 

Room: Grand Ballroom

  BREAK    

10:45 to 11:00 a.m.

Room: Main Foyer

 BREAKOUT SESSIONS  

11:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

 A  Employment Services Transformation: Moving Forward with Promising Practices on Integration and Person-Centric Approaches

Room: Trinity 4-5


 B  Assessing Approaches to Encampment Policies: How to Address Needs Sustainably and Develop Effective Partnerships

Room: Trinity 1-3

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Communities in Ontario continue to struggle with finding an effective and sustainable model to provide housing supports and services to people living in encampments. A common measure adopted by municipalities has been the shelter system. And while this system certainly addresses the desire to move the problem out of public spaces, legitimate questions are being asked about whether this approach is adequate for addressing the underlying issues of homelessness.

On this panel, we will look at encampment policies, how they’ve been implemented, and what their results have been. We will also look at successful alternatives prioritizing partnerships that build an integrated and lasting approach to addressing this challenge.  

Resources:

Speakers:

  • Polly Smith, Director of Employment and Social Services, Municipality of Chatham-Kent and OMSSA Board Member (moderator) 

  • Ellen Buck-McFadyen RN, PhD, Assistant Professor, Trent/Fleming School of Nursing

  • Tyler Campbell, Director of Children and Social Services, City of Greater Sudbury

  • Dr. Laura Pin, Assistant Professor, Political Science, Wilfred Laurier University

  • Kelly-Anne Salerno, Assistant Director, Housing Operations Administration, Regional Municipality of Waterloo


 C  THINK TANK: Children's Services B - Collecting and Managing Data

Room: York AB

 LUNCH   

12:15 to 1:15 p.m.

Room: Grand Ballroom

 KEYNOTE AND CLOSING REMARKS   

1:15 to 2:30 p.m. 

Climate Change and the Human Services

Room: Grand Ballroom