A group of agencies say that people in Waterloo region with developmental disabilities are being left on waitlists across the region and the groups say it’s a reflection of lack of support across the province.
Nine member organizations have formed the Developmental Services Planning and Advisory Council of Waterloo Region (DSPAC) wrote a press release that detailed the growing need for their services.
Among these organizations are Sunbeam Community and Developmental Services. CEO Brian Swainson told CBC News there’s been a tight squeeze on social services for a long time and it needs addressing.
“We’re very grateful for the funding we do get,” he said. “But if you compare it to health and community sectors, they tend to get a regular amount each year of a base funding increase … and our sector has gone years and years without a reliable increase.”
Since 1993, the core funding of the social services sector in Ontario has risen just under seven per cent, he said. Meanwhile, as the DSPAC’s press release details, the cost of living has gone up by more than 60 per cent.
The services that generate a waitlist include supportive housing, which can include everything from group living with 24/7 support staff to supportive independent living. Across all agencies in the region, Swainson said there’s absolutely no extra capacity.
Currently, 716 people are on the waitlist for supportive housing options, but all 741 spots in group, supportive and independent inclusive living placements are already accounted for. Only a handful of spots open each year — meaning the wait time may be up to 15 years for individuals in need.
“When individuals are welcome into a home through one of our housing programs, they pretty much are with us for life. So vacancies don’t come open very often,” Swainson said.
The other services offered by organizations like Sunbeam include caregiver relief and community support in the form of day programs, overnight respite, recreational activities, skills development, employment and vocational training, autism services and behavioural support.
The release notes that organizations in charge of these services play a long role in preventing caregiver burnout. Currently, though, the release says there are at least 1,200 people waiting for those supports.
Other local agencies involved in the call to action were Aldaview Services, Community Living Cambridge, DeafBlind Ontario Services, Elmira District Community Living, Karis Disability Services, Extend-A-Family Waterloo Region, KW Habilitation Services and Parents for Community Living KW.
Swainson said that families are forced to pick up the slack of underfunded agencies and, in turn, the provincial government.
Ann Bilodeau, CEO of K-W Habilitation Services, said in the press release that the “waitlists underscore the urgent need for immediate action.”
“Families across Waterloo Region are being forced into crisis situations, especially while awaiting supportive housing options for their loved ones while service providers are already stretched thin,” she said.
The provincial need: ‘a call for help’
Swainson noted the provincial need but acknowledged that he can’t speak for the entire provincial sector. The numbers, however, point to similar problems.
Community Living Ontario released an update in late November 2024 that detailed the reason behind their #WaitToBelong campaign.
Their release said that there are currently over 52,000 Ontario residents waiting for support services for intellectual disabilities, with many of them waiting for multiple types of support.
While the government has provided a “modest” increase in the last budget, CEO Chris Beesley wrote that it “doesn’t even begin” to cover the money needed to achieve waitlist reductions.
Of that number, the release notes that 28,000 people are waiting for housing-related support and 42,000 are waiting for community support services that range from staff support to mental health services.
That number has jumped from 2020, where 34,000 people were waitlisted, to 2023, when it reached 42,000, to now at 52,000. And that number is just the adults.
“There are thousands of children and young adults having very complex needs who are on their own wait list,” said Swainson. “We just can’t put a number to those, but we know the need is great.”
On the brink of a provincial election, Swainson said the local call for help isn’t necessarily a political approach; rather, the agencies involved felt there was no time like the present to bring the issue forward.
Swainson said that all he can do is hope that local and provincial agencies work together to continue to push for support and further advocacy.
“We are worried, but that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be raising our voices and coming together on this.”
