May 2022
Read our latest blog post from AMO's Senior Advisor, Michael Jacek, talking about how OMSSA and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) work together. OMSSA members may not realize that our organizations are already joined at the hip and together we can accomplish much through collaboration while being mindful of our respective roles and contributions.
May 2022
The purpose of this blog post is to highlight what was included in the 2022 Ontario Budget and to preview to members what to expect in terms of issues and potential outcomes in the upcoming Ontario Election that will occur on June 2nd, 2022. (Photo credit: Toronto Star)
April 2022
The importance of having a sensitive and informed response to domestic sex trafficking was put to the test during COVID-19. Many expected human trafficking would slow down during a global pandemic. What the Durham Human Trafficking Response Team saw was the exact opposite. Learn more about the experience from Jocelyn Siciliano of Durham Region Social Services.
April 2022
When you think of the word poverty, what do you see? Many see visions of people without access to drinking water in faraway places or of sprawling metropolises with rough-looking, crime-ridden neighborhoods. Most people have a hard time seeing poverty in their own charming little town, even though it exists. Poverty doesn’t always resonate with all people and all human service providers in the same way. Read more from County of Dufferin's Director of Community Services, Anna McGregor, on the work being done to address poverty and equity in this community.
April 2022
On April 7, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Chrystia Freeland, delivered the 2022 Federal Budget. Housing was the highlight of this Federal Budget with $10.1 billion in new spending over five years and a goal to double the amount of homes built over the next 10 years addressing housing supply.
March 2022
After years of seeing gaps between the care people need and the traditional programs offered, Sault Ste. Marie paramedics will finally have the chance to provide even better community-based healthcare to their patients. Soon, Sault Ste. Marie will have its own Community Paramedic program, a concept that has proven itself time and time again throughout Canada and is long overdue in this Northern community. Read more from Sault Ste. Marie Paramedic Chief Katie Kirkham on this program and its importance to the community.
March 2022
Throughout her years in public service, Grace Mater has been committed to collaborative approaches that enhance the lives of children and families in Hamilton. She stepped into the Operations Chief role for the City of Hamilton’s pandemic response as well as the General Manager, Healthy and Safe Community Department role prior to her retirement. Grace is also the recipient of the 2021 OMSSA Lifetime Achievement Award. OMSSA sat down with Grace to discuss human services, her career, and involvement with OMSSA.
February 2022
Cordelia Abankwa is the Assistant Deputy Minister of the Employment and Training Division with the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development and an executive leader and relationship builder with 30 years of experience in municipal and provincial public service where she has led innovation in complex, multidimensional environments. She is also the recipient of the 2021 OMSSA Patti Moore Human Services Integration Award. OMSSA sat down with Cordelia for an interview to discuss her work with the Ministry and experiences over her career within municipal and provincial settings.
February 2022
As young leaders we know we have only hit the tip of the iceberg when it comes to our career development. We are two of the three co-founders of the Multiculturalism Group. The group focuses on cultural inclusion through empowering, engaging and educating staff about multiculturalism. This opportunity has allowed us to develop our leadership skills through coaching, leading and mentoring individuals. We would like to share a few of the lessons and skills we have developed as leaders that can be applied across all of the human services sectors. Read more from OMSSA's 2021 Young Leader Award recipients.
January 2022
As one of the prototype locations for Employment Services Transformation (EST), it has been nearly a year since the roll out in Haldimand-Norfolk. EST is the first major step of the Social Assistance (SA) transformation in Ontario, quickly followed by centralized intake in February. We know we are in the first stages of an ongoing transformation which will continue until 2024. Learn more about the experience in Haldimand-Norfolk.
December 2021
Dr. Kwame McKenzie is the CEO of the Wellesley Institute and is an international expert on the social causes of mental illness, suicide, and the development of effective, equitable health systems. He is also the recipient of the 2021 OMSSA Champion of Human Services Award. OMSSA sat down with Dr. McKenzie for an interview to discuss the work of the Wellesley Institute and his insights and lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic.
December 2021
In recent years, many Canadians have begun to question their historical literacy, especially as disturbing facts about Indigenous history continue to be brought to light. With the knowledge that Canadian history is a focal point of our education system, recent events have caused many to ask, "Why do I know so little about Indigenous history?"
November 2021
Municipalities can tackle poverty and its related costs head on by building free financial empowerment supports into municipal services. Supports like tax clinics, help accessing benefits, and one-on-one financial coaching/counseling can improve participant income, saving and debt levels, enhance credit scores and reduce financial stress.
November 2021
The Speech from the Throne is intended to provide a broad vision of the federal government’s priorities for the term. It is widely expected that the NDP will support the Throne Speech and work on common priorities with the Trudeau government.
November 2021
Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy delivered the Ontario Government’s 2021 Fall Economic Statement. The campaign style speech and response sets the tone for the upcoming 2022 Ontario Election.
October 2021
Canada must realize that Reconciliation is not about saying sorry. Reconciliation is not about ticking off the easy boxes of the TRC Calls to Action – erecting monuments to survivors; adding curriculum in schools; and inserting land recognitions before meetings.
October 2021
On September 20th, Canadians voted in the 2021 Federal Election and the outcome did not produce much change from the 2019 Election. From an OMSSA perspective, we were paying the most attention to early years and child care, housing, expiring pandemic benefits, long-term care and healthcare.
October 2021
On October 4, the Ontario Government delivered their Speech from the Throne. With a provincial election expected in June 2022, there was an expectation that this speech would set the stage for the upcoming election campaign, 2022 provincial budget and plans ahead for the fall session.
OMSSA’s Knowledge Exchange blog targets the OMSSA membership and stakeholders. The blog provides members with an opportunity for knowledge exchange to discuss sector issues across Ontario, and to provide a platform for communication between authors and members. An over-arching objective is to ensure readers are aware of the depth and breadth of sector issues, events, and activities across Ontario.
Thank you for your interest in OMSSA's blog. OMSSA welcomes submissions and ideas for the blog at any time. Before submitting your article or idea, please review our blog guidelines. If you have any questions, please contact OMSSA at communications@omssa.com.