The Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services is the ministry in

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

responsible for services to children and youth, social services such as

welfare Welfare, or commonly social welfare, is a type of government support intended to ensure that members of a society can meet basic human needs such as food and shelter. Social security may either be synonymous with welfare, or refer specificall ...

, the

Ontario Disability Support Program The Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) is a means-tested government-funded last resort income support paid for qualifying residents in the province of Ontario, Canada, who are above the age of 18 and have a disability. ODSP and Ontario ...

, and community service programs to address

homelessness Homelessness or houselessness – also known as a state of being unhoused or unsheltered – is the condition of lacking stable, safe, and adequate housing. People can be categorized as homeless if they are: * living on the streets, also kn ...

domestic violence Domestic violence (also known as domestic abuse or family violence) is violence or other abuse that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage or cohabitation. ''Domestic violence'' is often used as a synonym for ''intimate partner ...

, spousal support,

adoption Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting of another, usually a child, from that person's biological or legal parent or parents. Legal adoptions permanently transfer all rights and responsibilities, along with filiation, from ...

, and assisted housing for people with disabilities. The current Minister of Children, Community and Social Services is

Merrilee Fullerton Merrilee K. Fullerton is a Canadian politician and physician who is the Ontario Minister of Children, Community and Social Service since June 18, 2021. She represents the riding of Kanata-Carleton in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as a m ...

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 Workfare is a governmental plan under which welfare recipients are required to accept public-service jobs or to participate in job training. Many countries around the world have adopted workfare (sometimes implemented as "work-first" policies) to ...

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 due to 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 Cúram Software was an Irish software company headquartered in Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland with offices in Australia, Germany, India, the United Kingdom and the United States. The company produces Social Enterprise Management (SEM) soft ...

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 Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Hamilton has a population of 569,353, and its census metropolitan area, which includes Burlington and Grimsby, has a population of 785,184. The city is approximately southwest of T ...

) * Bluewater Youth Centre ( Goderich) (This Youth Centre has shut down in 2012) * Brookside Youth Centre (

Cobourg Cobourg ( ) is a town in the Canadian province of Ontario, located in Southern Ontario east of Toronto and east of Oshawa. It is the largest town in and seat of Northumberland County. Its nearest neighbour is Port Hope, to the west. It is ...

) (This Youth Centre has shut down in 2021) * Camp Dufferin (

hidden location Hidden or The Hidden may refer to: Film and television Film * ''The Hidden'' (film), a 1987 American science fiction/horror film * ''Hidden'' (2005 film) or ''Caché'', a French thriller film * ''Hidden'' (2009 film), a Norwegian horror film ...

) * Donald Doucet Youth Centre (

Sault Ste. Marie Sault Ste. Marie is a cross-border region of Canada and the United States located on St. Marys River, which drains Lake Superior into Lake Huron. Founded as a single settlement in 1668, Sault Ste. Marie was divided in 1817 by the establishment of ...

) * Cecil Facer Youth Centre (

Greater Sudbury Sudbury, officially the City of Greater Sudbury is the largest city in Northern Ontario by population, with a population of 166,004 at the 2021 Canadian Census. By land area, it is the largest in Ontario and the List of the largest cities and to ...

) * Kennedy House Youth Centre ( Ajax) * Portage Youth Centre (

Kenora Kenora (), previously named Rat Portage (french: Portage-aux-Rats), is a city situated on the Lake of the Woods in Ontario, Canada, close to the Manitoba boundary, and about east of Winnipeg by road. It is the seat of Kenora District. The his ...

) * Peninsula Youth Centre ( Fenwick, Ontario) * Ge-Da-Gi-Binez Youth Centre (

Fort Frances Fort Frances is a town in, and the seat of, Rainy River District in Northwestern Ontario, Canada. The population as of the 2016 census was 7,739. Fort Frances is a popular fishing destination. It hosts the annual Fort Frances Canadian Bass Cham ...

) * William E. Hay Youth Centre (

Ottawa Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...

) * Justice Ronald Lester Youth Centre (

Thunder Bay Thunder Bay is a city in and the seat of Thunder Bay District, Ontario, Canada. It is the most populous municipality in Northwestern Ontario and the second most populous (after Greater Sudbury) municipality in Northern Ontario; its population ...

) * Roy McMurtry Youth Centre (

Brampton Brampton ( or ) is a city in the Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Ontario. Brampton is a city in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and is a List of municipalities in Ontario#Lower-tier municipalities, lower-tier municipalit ...

) * Syl Apps Youth Centre ( Oakville) * Sprucedale Youth Centre (

Simcoe Simcoe may refer to: Geography Canada * Simcoe, Ontario, a town in southwestern Ontario, near Lake Erie, Canada * Simcoe County, a county in central Ontario, Canada * Lake Simcoe, a lake in central Ontario, Canada * Simcoe North, a federal and pro ...

)

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

Public Welfare

* William Martin, 1930-1934 *

David Croll David Arnold Croll, (born Davud Avrum Croll; March 12, 1900 – June 11, 1991) was a Canadian politician. He served as the mayor of Windsor, Ontario twice. He entered provincial politics in the 1930s, and served as minister of public works an ...

, 1934-1937 * Mitchell Hepburn, 1937 (April–October) * Eric Cross, 1937-1940 * Farquhar Oliver, 1941-1942 *

Harold James Kirby Harold James Kirby (April 28, 1895 – October 20, 1956) was a lawyer, real estate agent and political figure in Ontario. He represented Eglinton (provincial electoral district), Eglinton in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1934 to 1943 ...

, 1942-1943 * Farquhar Oliver, 1943 (May–August) * Percy Vivian, 1943-1946 *

Bill Goodfellow William Arthur Goodfellow (August 18, 1901 – May 10, 1983) was a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1943 to 1963 who represented the riding of Northumberland. He ...

, 1946-1955 * Louis-Pierre Cécile, 1955-1966 *

John Yaremko John Yaremko, (August 10, 1918 – August 7, 2010) was a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1951 until 1975 who represented the downtown Toronto riding of Bellwoods ...

, 1966-1967

Social and Family Services

, 1967-1971 *

Thomas Leonard Wells Thomas Leonard "Tom" Wells (May 2, 1930 – October 11, 2000) was a politician in Ontario, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party from 1963 to 1985 and was a cabinet minister ...

, 1971-1972 *

René Brunelle René Joseph Napoléon Brunelle (January 22, 1920 – April 14, 2010) was a Canadian politician, who represented Cochrane North in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1958 to 1981 as a Progressive Conservative member. Background Bru ...

, 1972 (February–April)

Community and Social Services

, 1972-1975 * James A. Taylor, 1975–1977 * Keith Norton, 1977–1981 * Frank Drea, 1981–1985 *

Bruce McCaffrey Bruce Robert McCaffrey (September 23, 1938 – August 9, 2002) was a politician in Ontario, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1977 to 1987 as a Progressive Conservative, and was a cabinet minister in the governme ...

, 1983–1983 * Robert Elgie, 1985 (Feb 8 – May 17) * Ernie Eves, 1985 (May 17 – June 26) * John Sweeney, 1985–1989 *

Charles Beer John Charles McWaters Beer (born November 24, 1941) is a Canadian former politician. He was a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1987 to 1995, and served as a cabinet minister in the government of David Peterson. Backgrou ...

, 1989–1990 *

Zanana Akande Zanana Lorraine Akande (born ) is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. She was a New Democratic member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1990 to 1994 who represented the downtown Toronto riding of St. Andrew—St. Patrick. She ser ...

, 1990–1991 *

Marion Boyd Phyllis Marion Boyd ( Watt; March 26, 1946 – October 11, 2022) was a Canadian politician in Ontario. She was a New Democratic member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1990 to 1999 who represented the riding of London Centre. She ...

, 1991–1993 *

Tony Silipo Tony Silipo (August 10, 1957 – March 10, 2012) was a Canadian politician. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1990 to 1999 representing the New Democratic Party in the downtown Toronto riding of Dovercourt. In 1999 he was a ...

, 1993–1995 * David Tsubouchi, 1995–1996 *

Janet Ecker Janet Ecker (born October 18, 1953) is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. She was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1995 to 2003, and was a senior cabinet minister in the governments of Mike Harris and Ernie Eves. Backgro ...

, 1996–1999 * John Baird, 1999–2002 *

Brenda Elliott Brenda Elliott (born October 27, 1950) is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. She served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as a Progressive Conservative from 1995 to 2003, and was a cabinet minister in the governments of Mike Harris and ...

, 2002–2003 (as Minister of Community, Family and Children's Services) * Sandra Pupatello, 2003–2006 *

Madeleine Meilleur Madeleine Meilleur (born November 22, 1948) is a Canadian nurse, lawyer and former politician in Ontario, Canada. She was a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 2003 to 2016. She represented the riding of Ottawa—Vanier. ...

, 2006–2011 *

John Milloy John Christopher Milloy (born June 29, 1965) is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 2003 to 2014 who represented the riding of the Kitchener Centre. He served as a cabinet ...

, 2011–2013 * Ted McMeekin, 2013–2014 *

Helena Jaczek Krystina Helena Jaczek is a Canadian physician and Liberal politician, currently serving as the Member of Parliament for Markham—Stouffville in the House of Commons of Canada and as the Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Receiver ...

, 2014–2018 *

Michael Coteau Michael Joseph Coteau is a Canadian politician who serves as the Member of Parliament for Don Valley East in the House of Commons of Canada. From 2011 to 2021, he was a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario representing the pr ...

, 2018-2018

Children and Youth Services

* Marie Bountrogianni, 2003-2005 (was Children's Services from 2003-2004) * Mary Anne Chambers, 2005-2007 * Deb Matthews, 2007-2009 * Laurel Broten, 2009-2011 *

Eric Hoskins Eric William Hoskins (born November 29, 1960) is a Canadian physician and former politician who served as Ontario Minister of Health and Long-Term Care from 2014 to 2018. A member of the Liberal Party, he sat as a member of the Provincial Parli ...

, 2011-2012 * Laurel Broten, 2012-2013 * Teresa Piruzza, 2013-2014 *

Tracy MacCharles Tracy MacCharles (born ) is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. She was a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 2011 to 2018 who represented the riding of Pickering—Scarborough East. She was a member of cabinet in th ...

, 2014-June 2016 *

, 2016–June 2018

Children, Community and Social Services

* Lisa MacLeod, 2018-2019 *

Todd Smith Todd Smith may refer to: People *Todd Smith (musician), American singer, songwriter and guitarist * Todd Smith (politician), Canadian politician *Todd Smith (singer), American vocalist and member of Selah *Todd Smith (wrestler), American wrestler * ...

, 2019-2021 *

, 2021-

References

External links

Minister's Biography

{{Authority control Community and Social Services

Childhood in Canada