Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services

Template:Short description Template:Template other The Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (Template:Langx) is the ministry in Ontario, Canada responsible for services to children and youth, social services such as welfare, the Ontario Disability Support Program, and community service programs to address homelessness, domestic violence, spousal support, adoption, and assisted housing for people with disabilities. Michael Parsa was appointed Minister of Children, Community and Social Services after the resignation of Merrilee Fullerton in 2023.

Ontario Works

Ontario Works is a last-resort income support program for the poor. Prior to 1997, persons requiring this assistance received support under the General Welfare Assistance Act. While the Ontario Works program purports to better respect peoples dignity, build self-esteem and promote independence, its origins are in the Ontario Works Act, 1997 as a workfare programme under the Mike Harris government. Each of its participants is encouraged to be involved more in the community and find suitable employment.

Ontario Works is a program that provides income and employment assistance for people who are in financial need by developing an Action Plan in certain agencies. In other agencies participants are referred to other resources. This Plan identifies and addresses an individual's barriers to employment. It is a benefit for persons 18 years and older and by exception for peoples 16 to 18 and also single parents regardless of age. In order to qualify for Ontario Works, an applicant must be a resident of the province of Ontario, in immediate need of financial help, not have excessive assets and be a willing participant in employment assistance programs and activities.

There are exceptions to participating in employment related activities if the participant is unable to work for medical reasons or if they are the primary caregiver for a relative. The amount of money received from Ontario Works will depend on family size, income, assets, and housing costs. Those eligible for Ontario Works may be able to receive other benefits such as medical and dental coverage, eyeglasses, moving or eviction costs and employment-related costs.

Ontario Works also assists applicants for the Ontario Disability Supports Program (ODSP) by providing immediate financial assistance, application for ODSP and advocacy in the appeal process. Applications for Social Assistance in Ontario can now be completed online at; https://saapply.mcss.gov.on.ca/CitizenPortal/cw/PlayerPage.do. Eligibility can also be determined at the same link without directly applying.

In 2014, a $240-million Social Assistance Management System (SAMS) software platform deployed by IBM's Cúram Software caused $20 million of overpayments to 17,000 Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support Program (OW/ODSP) recipients, while thousands of others received token $5 monthly payments or nothing at all. Some were unable to pay for rent or electricity, in some cases leading to their eviction. Others were manually issued paper cheques.

Juvenile corrections

The ministry operates correctional facilities for juveniles who are convicted of crimes.

Secure juvenile facilities include:

• Arrell Youth Centre (Hamilton, Ontario)
• Bluewater Youth Centre (Goderich) (This Youth Centre has shut down in 2012)
• Brookside Youth Centre (Cobourg) (This Youth Centre has shut down in 2021)
• Camp Dufferin (Mulmur Township, Dufferin County) (Closed)
• Donald Doucet Youth Centre (Sault Ste. Marie)
• Cecil Facer Youth Centre (Greater Sudbury)
• Kennedy House Youth Centre (Ajax)
• Portage Youth Centre (Kenora)
• Peninsula Youth Centre (Fenwick, Ontario)
• Ge-Da-Gi-Binez Youth Centre (Fort Frances)
• William E. Hay Youth Centre (Ottawa)
• Justice Ronald Lester Youth Centre (Thunder Bay)
• Roy McMurtry Youth Centre (Brampton)
• Syl Apps Youth Centre (Oakville)
• Sprucedale Youth Centre (Simcoe)

Ministry agencies

• Autism Spectrum Disorders Clinical Expert Committee
• Community Opportunities Advocate
• Council of The Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers
• Premier's Council on Equality of Opportunity
• Soldier's Aid Commission

List of ministers

	Name	Term of office	Name	Term of office	Political party (Ministry)	Note
	Minister of Public Welfare						rowspan=2; style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"|Conservative (Hearst)
rowspan=1 style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"|	William Martin				Template:Dts	Template:Dts
rowspan=7; style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"|	David Croll				Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=5; style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"|Liberal (Hepburn)
Mitch Hepburn				Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Concurrently Premier
Eric Cross				Template:Dts	Template:Dts
???				Template:Dts	Template:Dts
Farquhar Oliver				Template:Dts	Template:Dts
Harold Kirby				Template:Dts	Template:Dts	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| Liberal (Conant)
Farquhar Oliver				Template:Dts	Template:Dts	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| Liberal (Nixon)
rowspan=20; style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"|	Percy Vivian				Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=2; style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"|Conservative (Drew)
Bill Goodfellow				Template:Dts	Template:Dts
Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=1; style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"|Conservative (Kennedy)
Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=2; style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"|Conservative (Frost)
Louis-Pierre Cecile				Template:Dts	Template:Dts
Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=4; style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"|Conservative (Robarts)
John Yaremko				Template:Dts	Template:Dts
Minister of Social and Family Services
John Yaremko				Template:Dts	Template:Dts
Thomas Leonard Wells				Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=9; style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"|Conservative (Davis)
Rene Brunelle				Template:Dts	Template:Dts
Minister of Community and Social Services
Rene Brunelle				Template:Dts	Template:Dts
James A. Taylor				Template:Dts	Template:Dts
Keith Norton				Template:Dts	Template:Dts
Frank Drea				Template:Dts	Template:Dts
Bruce McCaffrey (interim)				Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Concurrently Provincial Secretary for Social Development
Frank Drea				Template:Dts	Template:Dts
Robert Elgie				Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=2; style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"|Conservative (Miller)
Ernie Eves				Template:Dts	Template:Dts
rowspan=2; style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"|	John Sweeney				Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=2; style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"|Liberal (Peterson)
Charles Beer				Template:Dts	Template:Dts
rowspan=3; style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"|	Zanana Akande				Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=3; style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"|NDP (Rae)
Marion Boyd				Template:Dts	Template:Dts
Tony Silipo				Template:Dts	Template:Dts
rowspan=5; style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"|	David Tsubouchi				Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=3; style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"|PC (Harris)
Janet Ecker				Template:Dts	Template:Dts
John Baird				Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Designated "Minister Responsible for Children" after February 8, 2001
Minister of Community, Family and Children's Services						rowspan=2; style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"|PC (Eves)
Brenda Elliott				Template:Dts	Template:Dts
	Minister of Community and Social Services			Minister of Children and Youth Services			rowspan=8; style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| Liberal (McGuinty)
rowspan=11; style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"|	Sandra Pupatello	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Marie Bountrogianni	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
Mary Anne Chambers				Template:Dts	Template:Dts
	Madeleine Meilleur	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
Deb Matthews				Template:Dts	Template:Dts
Laurel Broten				Template:Dts	Template:Dts
John Milloy	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Eric Hoskins	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
			Laurel Broten	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
Ted McMeekin	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Teresa Piruzza	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=4; style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| Liberal (Wynne)
Helena Jaczek	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Tracey MacCharles	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
			Michael Coteau	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
Michael Coteau	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
Minister of Children, Community and Social Services							rowspan=5; style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"|PC (Ford)
rowspan=4; style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"|	Lisa MacLeod				Template:Dts	Template:Dts
Todd Smith				Template:Dts	Template:Dts
Merrilee Fullerton				Template:Dts	Template:Dts
Michael Parsa				Template:Dts	present

See also

• Family Responsibility Office

External links

• Ontario Works Act