The Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services () 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 social assistance program overseen by the ministry. Prior to 1997, persons requiring this assistance received support under the General Welfare Assistance Act. Its origins are in the Ontario Works Act, 1997 as a workfare program which began under the Mike Harris government.
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) 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 The ministry is currently responsible for three agencies: Council of The Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers Ontario’s Youth Justice Task Force Soldier's Aid Commission
List of ministers NameTerm of officeNameTerm of office Political party(Ministry) Note Minister of Public WelfareConservative(Hearst) William Martin David CrollLiberal(Hepburn)Mitch HepburnConcurrently PremierEric Cross???Farquhar OliverHarold Kirby Liberal(Conant)Farquhar Oliver Liberal(Nixon) Percy VivianConservative(Drew)Bill GoodfellowConservative(Kennedy)Conservative(Frost)Louis-Pierre CecileConservative(Robarts)John YaremkoMinister of Social and Family ServicesJohn YaremkoThomas Leonard WellsConservative(Davis)Rene BrunelleMinister of Community and Social ServicesRene BrunelleJames A. TaylorKeith NortonFrank DreaBruce McCaffrey (interim)Concurrently Provincial Secretary for Social DevelopmentFrank DreaRobert ElgieConservative(Miller)Ernie Eves John SweeneyLiberal(Peterson)Charles Beer Zanana AkandeNDP(Rae)Marion BoydTony Silipo David TsubouchiPC(Harris)Janet EckerJohn Baird Designated "Minister Responsible for Children" after February 8, 2001Minister of Community, Family and Children's ServicesPC(Eves)Brenda Elliott Minister of Community and Social ServicesMinister of Children and Youth Services Liberal(McGuinty) Sandra PupatelloMarie Bountrogianni Mary Anne Chambers Madeleine Meilleur Deb Matthews Laurel BrotenJohn Milloy Eric Hoskins Laurel Broten Ted McMeekinTeresa Piruzza Liberal(Wynne)Helena Jaczek Tracey MacCharlesMichael Coteau Michael CoteauMinister of Children, Community and Social ServicesPC(Ford) Lisa MacLeodTodd SmithMerrilee FullertonMichael Parsapresent
See also Family Responsibility Office List of youth detention incidents in Canada
References
External links Ontario Works Act