Published plans and annual reports 2020-2021: Ministry of Seniors and Accessibility

Ministry overview

Ministry’s vision

The Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility strives to create an inclusive barrier-free Ontario where seniors and people with disabilities are independent, safe and socially connected. Through targeted supports, policy and program development, cross-government collaborations and strategic partnerships with businesses and not-for-profit organizations, the ministry supports seniors and people with disabilities in accessing services and resources to enable them to lead independent and socially engaged lives in their communities and to fully participate in the economy as consumers and contributors. As seniors and people with disabilities are as diverse as the rest of the population, their needs are equally diverse. The ministry’s policies and programs reflect this reality.

In addition, due to the COVID‑19 pandemic, the ministry has undertaken new initiatives to support seniors and people with disabilities through this unprecedented and challenging time.

To achieve this, the Ministry:

• Develops policy and programs that promote and facilitate the social, cultural and economic participation of seniors and people with disabilities in all aspects of day-to-day life.
• Administers and oversees compliance and enforcement of accessibility laws such as the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) and Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001 (ODA).
• Administers the Retirement Homes Act, 2010 (RHA) and the Seniors Active Living Centres Act, 2017 and oversees the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority (RHRA).
• Collaborates across government with key partners, as well as municipalities and community organizations to develop and fund programs to support greater access, independence, social connection, and active living for seniors and people with disabilities.
• Helps seniors stay healthy and safe including through the prevention of elder abuse.
• Ensures that people with disabilities are engaged in the ministry’s activities and legislative processes.
• Works with employers to champion the business case and economic benefits of employing seniors and people with disabilities.
• Partners with disability organizations to help connect people with disabilities with employers.
• Brings an accessibility and seniors lens to government policies, programs, services and initiatives.
• Supports the development and delivery of educational tools, resources, and events.
• Works across government to remove and prevent accessibility barriers in the Ontario Public Service (OPS) and leads the development and reporting of the OPS Multi-Year Accessibility Plan.
• Works with Federal, Provincial, Territorial partners and participate on policy forums and tables to discuss common challenges, share best practices and identify opportunities for collaboration.

COVID-19 response

The top priority of the Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility is the health and well-being of seniors and people with disabilities. The ministry works closely with partner ministries and stakeholders to develop and implement policies and programs that address the pressing needs of seniors and people with disabilities due to COVID‑19, and those that impact the residents and staff in licenced retirement homes.

From amendments to regulations, drafting emergency orders, and working across government to establish a consistent and adequate process to supply personal protective equipment, the ministry has been steadfast in its efforts to protect the health and safety of those living and working in the retirement homes sector.

The Ministry has also refocused existing programs, services and activities to address the impact of the pandemic by changing how services are delivered while meeting the existing and new needs of socially isolated seniors and people with disabilities.

Ministry programs

The Ministry supports, develops and delivers policies and public services to improve the quality of life for seniors and people with disabilities. It helps seniors lead safe, engaged, active and healthy lives and improves accessibility and employment for people with disabilities. Acting as an agent for positive change, the ministry plays a leadership role in advising on the development of government policies and programs that impact seniors and people with disabilities.

The Ministry is organized into two divisions that play the following key role:

Seniors and Accessibility Policy Programs and Strategic Partnerships:

• Develops policy, programs and strategic partnerships to help seniors and people with disabilities stay independent, active, safe and socially connected.
• Collaborates with other ministries to ensure seniors and accessibility considerations are built into government-wide policies and programs.
• Collaborates with stakeholders including accessibility and seniors’ organizations, employers (including the Employers’ Partnership Table), partner ministries, and broader public sector to support evidence-based, informed policy approaches and to undertake joint initiatives.
• Leads policy and regulatory development related to the Retirement Homes Act, 2010 and oversees the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority with the aim to ensure that retirement home residents are safe, respected and can make informed choices about their care options.
• Leads the design, implementation and management of the Seniors Community Grant program and the Seniors Active Living Centres (SALC) program.
• Improves access to information about programs and services available to seniors and individuals with disabilities by supporting the development of educational resources and facilitating information-exchange with key partners and Ontarians.
• Supports ministries in addressing obligations under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) by developing government approaches, strategies and tools.
• Consults with partner ministries, the Government of Canada and other provincial/territorial jurisdictions.

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities:

• Leads the planning, delivery and oversight of all activities undertaken by the Minister‘s statutory advisory bodies including the Accessibility Standards Advisory Council, Standards Development Committees, and Legislative Reviewers.
• Leads all legislative and regulatory policy activities on the development and implementation of the AODA, new accessibility standards and the review of existing standards in O. Reg. 191/11 - Integrated Accessibility Standards.
• Helps ensure public, private and not-for-profit sector organizations understand and comply with the provincial accessibility standards by conducting compliance assistance, audit, and enforcement activities in alignment with the government's overall compliance objectives.
• Educates and builds awareness among businesses, not-for-profit organizations and the broader public sector about accessibility laws, and ensures businesses and communities understand and have the tools and supports required to comply with the AODA and to champion accessibility.

COVID-19 response

Given the population base the ministry serves, all programs and activities have been refocused to address the needs of seniors and people with disabilities during the COVID‑19 pandemic.

Strategic plan

The Ministry supports the government plan to build a future with a better quality of life and a higher standard of living. The ministry will contribute to a better quality of life by continuing work on creating an inclusive barrier-free Ontario, where seniors and people with disabilities are independent, safe, active and socially connected. It will make Ontario more accessible for everyone as well as promote the benefits of age-diverse, accessible workplaces and communities where everyone is respected and able to participate and enjoy the future they deserve.

In 2020-21, the Ministry will focus on:

• Supporting seniors throughout the COVID‑19 crisis by:
  • Helping all licensed retirement homes prevent and contain COVID‑19 through immediate relief for costs related to infection control, active screening, staffing and personal protective equipment.
  • Working with Public Health Ontario to identify retirement home residents as a priority group for testing and enabling the automatic testing for COVID‑19 when retirement homes submit samples for standard respiratory testing to ensure the identification of potentially unknown cases.
  • Working across government to establish a consistent and adequate process to supply personal protective equipment to retirement homes.
  • Amending  O. Reg. 166/11, the general regulation under the Retirement Homes Act,  2010 to require all retirement homes in Ontario to follow any guidance, advice or recommendations given to retirement homes by the provincial Chief Medical Officer of Health.
  • Establishing emergency orders under the March 17, 2020 declaration of emergency to:
    • provide retirement homes with more flexibility to recruit and reassign staff to address the impacts of this new virus and to focus more resources toward implementing the protocols and procedures put in place to keep residents safe;
    • require retirement homes to report any outbreak of COVID‑19 to the Retirement Home Regulatory Authority, as well as the local medical officer of health;
    • address potential labour relations implications associated with the homes temporarily taking in hospital patients and potentially requiring care and staff beyond what is provided in the current retirement homes context; and
    • limiting the work of retirement home staff from working in more than one retirement home or in a long-term care home or other health care setting to reduce the risk of transmission between care settings.
• Working with sector partners to utilize technology to address negative impacts of social isolation of seniors amid physical distancing directives.
• Ensuring vulnerable seniors and people with disabilities have access to the essentials they need to live at home, e.g., food and medicine, during the COVID‑19 public health emergency.
• Developing a multi-ministry Strategy for an Aging Population to create an Ontario, where older adults are respected, supported and living well in their communities. The strategy will help seniors:
  • Remain healthy, active and socially engaged.
  • Stay safe and secure.
  • Age at home and in communities.
  • Participate in the labour market and economy as they wish.
• Supporting seniors in the community by:
  • Continuing Seniors Active Living Centre programs, which provide social and recreation programs for seniors;
  • Providing Seniors Community Grants to not-for-profit community groups for projects to encourage greater social inclusion and volunteerism;
  • Promoting Age-Friendly Communities to make communities more inclusive and accessible for all older residents;
  • Providing information through public education to support healthy aging;
  • Recognizing seniors’ contributions; and
  • Improving access to information about programs and services available to seniors.
• Helping keep older Ontarians safe and secure by:
  • Supporting and increasing awareness of seniors’ safety as well as enhancing security for individuals who may experience vulnerabilities due to cognitive and physical challenges or abuse;
  • Implementing the Retirement Homes Act, 2010 and oversee the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority;
  • Supporting elder abuse prevention; and
  • Overseeing the Finding Your Way (Wandering Prevention) program.
• Reducing barriers for people with disabilities under the four key areas of the Advancing Accessibility in Ontario Framework:
  • Breaking down barriers in the built environment.
  • Government leading by example in its role as a policy maker, service provider and employer.
  • Increasing participation in the economy for people with disabilities.
  • Improving understanding and awareness about accessibility.
• Making it easier for businesses to become accessible based on key inputs from reviews and to comply with the law through simplified messaging and processes.
• Coordinating the implementation of the Ontario Public Service (OPS) Multi-Year Accessibility Plan, beginning the development of the next multi-year plan, and lead by example by working with ministries to embed accessibility in their policies, programs, and services.
• Working across government to help ensure government information and communications on COVID‑19 is available in accessible formats and that other unique needs of people with disabilities are considered in the development of COVID‑19 initiatives.
• Working with partners to support Ontarians with disabilities during the self-isolation period by finding ways to ensure that assistance and support is available by:
  • Encouraging volunteerism and providing support for our partners in the disability community
  • Encouraging businesses and other organizations to consider the unique needs of people with disabilities in the delivery of goods and services
• Providing support to the Rick Hansen Foundation to administer the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification program in select communities across the province to determine ways to remove identified barriers in the built environment for people with visible and invisible disabilities.
• Leveraging partnerships to educate the public and businesses on the economic benefits of accessibility, break down myths and address the stigma about people with disabilities.
• Focusing public education and outreach activities on key accessibility barriers including employment for people with disabilities and accessible communities.
• Ensuring the policy development, implementation and enforcement of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA).
• Expected outcomes include:
  • Retirement home residents and staff are kept informed, safer and healthier during the COVID‑19 crisis.
  • Isolated and vulnerable seniors and people with disabilities can better access essentials (e.g. food, medicine, and community) during the COVID‑19 crisis.
  • Older Ontarians remain in the community, reducing demand on acute and long-term care.
  • More older adults are connected and engaged, reducing social isolation and leading to wellness and better health.
  • Ontarians are less at risk for abuse and fraud, and their rights and dignity are protected.
  • More older adults are employed and volunteering, achieving greater financial security.
  • More businesses engaged in employing people with disabilities and helping to grow the economy.
  • People with disabilities can fully participate in all aspects of daily life, reducing social and economic isolation as well as leading to overall improved health.
  • Reduction of barriers that people with disabilities and older Ontarians face in their daily lives including employment and the built environment.

Table 1: Ministry planned expenditures 2020-21 ($M)

Detailed Financial Information

Table 2: Combined Operating and Capital Summary by Vote

Historic Trend Table

Agencies, boards and commissions (ABCs)

Accessibility Standards Advisory Council (ASAC)

The statutory Accessibility Standards Advisory Council is responsible for providing high-level strategic advice to the Minister responsible for the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 on matters related to the implementation of this legislation and other accessibility matters, including accessibility standards.

Regulatory authority

Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority

The Ministry is responsible for policy and regulatory development related to the Retirement Homes Act, 2010 (RHA) and for managing the government’s accountability relationship with the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority (RHRA). The RHRA is an independent regulatory body created by the RHA to administer and enforce the RHA and its regulations on behalf of the government. The RHA provides a framework for the regulation of retirement homes in Ontario and establishes a requirement for a memorandum of understanding between the ministry and the RHRA setting out the requirements related to the governance of RHRA, its administration of the RHA and carrying out its other objects under the RHA.

The RHRA is responsible for licensing retirement homes, educating licensees, and conducting inspections, investigations and enforcement activities. It also handles consumer complaints about retirement homes, provides consumers with information about retirement homes, and maintains a public register of retirement homes in Ontario.

During the COVID‑19 crisis, the RHRA has played a key role in communicating with retirement homes and supporting them by providing necessary resources and guidelines on infection prevention and control based on directives of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, as well as connecting them to relevant contacts and authorities for additional information and supply of staffing and personal protective equipment. The RHRA also provides daily outbreak reports to the ministry and ongoing updates with respect to status of specific homes.

Legislation

The Ministry administers the following legislation:

• Seniors Active Living Centres Act, 2017
• Retirement Homes Act, 2010
• Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005
• Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001

Ministry organization chart

April 2020

• Minister for Seniors and Accessibility - Raymond Sung Joon Cho
  • Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister for Seniors and Accessibility - Daisy Wai
  • Deputy Minister - Denise Cole
    • Manager, Business Operations and Special Projects - Letitia Nolasque (A)
    • Executive Advisor - Mike Dougherty (A)
    • ADM, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities - Susan Picarello
      • Director, Public Education and Outreach - Kathleen Henschel (A)
      • Director, AODA Policy and Standards - Mary Bartolomucci
      • Director, AODA Compliance and Enforcement - Garth Napier
    • ADM, Seniors and Accessibility Policy, Programs and Strategic Partnerships - Jacqueline Cureton
      • Director, Public Education and Outreach - Kathleen Henschel (A)
      • Director, Planning and Programs - Kathleen Henschel
      • Director, Policy and Partnerships - Kinney Butterfield (A)
      • Director, Seniors Strategy - Don Embuldeniya (A)
    • ADM/CAO, Regional and Corporate Services^{footnote 3[3]} - Melody Robinson
      • Director, Human Resources^{footnote 4[4]footnote 5[5]} - Jennifer Stewart
      • Director, Corporate Finance^{footnote 5[5]} - Nadia Eid
      • Director, Regional Services and Corporate Support^{footnote 5[5]} - Marie Campbell
      • Director, Strategic Policy Developmentand Planning^{footnote 5[5]} - Kristina Lauesen
    • Director, Communications^{footnote 6[6]} - Murray Leaning
    • Director, Legal Branch^{footnote 7[7]} - Cheryl Carson (A)
    • Chief Information Officer, Government Services Integration Cluster^{footnote 8[8]} - Renee Laforet

Appendix: annual report

• In support of the 2019 Budget commitment, the Ministry in partnership with multiple ministries (Ministry of Health, Ministry of Long-Term Care, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Ministry of Attorney General, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Government and Consumer Services) developed a framework for a multi-year strategy (2020-2024) aimed at:
  • Creating an Ontario where older adults are respected, supported to live independently in their communities, and ensure they stay healthy and safe.
  • Promoting active aging to alleviate pressures on and protect the sustainability of the health care system.
  • Increasing social engagement and participation in the labour market or volunteer sector.
  • Improving navigation and access to the information, programs and services they need to age well.
  • Supporting seniors who are aging with disabilities and those who develop disabilities as part of their aging process.
  • Integrating aging and accessibility concerns into all policy considerations.
• Refocused and realigned ministry programs and use of resources in support of the government commitments, including:
  • Building capacity, extending the reach of and leveraging the existing network of Seniors Active Living Centres.
  • Refocusing the Seniors Community Grant program to prioritize the prevention of social isolation and elder abuse.
  • Realigned and leveraged existing partnerships with organizations, ensuring support to seniors, their families and caregivers through education and direct programs, as well as reviewing and overhauling existing programs to narrow their focus with clear outcomes to ensure that money is going to direct programing with minimal administration costs.
  • Expanding the use of existing digital platforms to reduce administrative burden for seniors-focused organizations and make it simpler for seniors to access information.
• Took into consideration the recommendations of the Third Legislative Review of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 report to inform the development of accessibility initiatives and approaches.
• Developed and announced the Framework for Advancing Accessibility in Ontario, which focuses Ontario’s efforts in four key areas to create a barrier-free and inclusive province.
• Provided $10 million to licensed retirement homes in Ontario to support prevention and containment of COVID‑19 by providing immediate relief for costs related to infection control and screening, staffing and personal protective equipment.
• Contributed $3 million in more than 260 projects through the Seniors Community Grant program to help aging adults stay healthy, safe and socially connected in their communities across the province. In 2019-20 the focus of this program was to support the needs of seniors living in underserviced rural, remote, multicultural and Francophone communities. Specifically, it included:
  • Initiatives that focus on elder abuse.
  • Programs and services that help prevent social isolation.
  • Projects to increase accessibility and senior’s safety.
  • Activities to help keep seniors active and socially engaged.
• Provided $14.1 million to invest in more than 300 Seniors Active Living Centres programs across Ontario to reduce the risk of becoming socially isolated for those seniors who face financial and other obstacles in accessing programs and services. This funding will help older Ontarians to participate in activities that will help them remain active, socially connected, safe and healthy while aging at home.
• $2.0 million to support small, rural and urban non-profit retirement homes to help fund the cost of installing automatic sprinklers to ensure the safety of residents and compliance with the Ontario Fire Code.
• Invested in 10 projects that address gaps in areas of employment, design and transit and foster cultural change to prevent barriers that impact the daily lives of people with disabilities through the ministry’s EnAbling Change program. Examples of projects include:
  • $100,000 in an inclusive hiring project with the Retail Council of Canada, through the EnAbling Change program, as part of supporting and promoting accessible recruitment and retention in retail business across Ontario as well as to educate retailers on the economic advantage of hiring people with disabilities. The Retail Council of Canada created a series of webinars to promote inclusive hiring and developed a guidebook to help retailers of all sizes make their stores more accessible.
  • $61,000 in a project with Variety Village to develop training resources and deliver training to support health, recreation, sport and elder care professionals to help seniors with disabilities stay active as they age and their abilities change.
  • $75,000 in a project with the Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work to deliver a Disabilities Mentoring Day providing one-on-one shared learning experience between persons with disabilities and employers with 31 mentoring matches.
  • $50,000 in a project with One World Schoolhouse to implement Readable Fest, a specialized reading program for students in grades 3 to 5 to address the critical task of building more accessible school communities. Readable Fest had 15 schools in Simcoe County District School Board participate in the program, reaching approximately 1200 students from 50 classrooms.
  • $50,000 to the Ontario Public Transit Association to develop an outreach campaign to educate their stakeholders and the public about several accessibility requirements for public transit users. Topics may include: accessible seating and mobility aid spaces on conventional transit buses; accommodating service animals on public transit vehicles; and priority boarding etiquette.
• Provided $191,100 to Destination Ontario, an agency of the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries to enhance the accessibility information currently available on Ontario’s official tourism website, OntarioTravel.net. The enhanced accessibility features (20 features and an accessible search filter) have been live on the OntarioTravel.net website since their soft launch on January 31, 2020 and will help travelers with accessibility considerations make more informed decisions about which tourist sites best meet their accessibility needs.
• Made available the “Accessibility in Ontario: Information for Business” digital resource on the provincial government’s website. This comprehensive webpage provides resources in one place to help employers create accessible and inclusive workplaces to ensure people with disabilities fully participate in their communities and economy.
• Provided $600,000 to the Alzheimer Society of Ontario to deliver Finding your Way program. It is a multicultural wandering prevention program that provides practical tools and advice for individuals, caregivers and the community to recognize and reduce the risk of someone with dementia going missing, while supporting a quick and safe return.
• Provided $900,000 to Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario to Continue to build capacity to improve response coordination at the community level; promote the rights of seniors and educate the public on how to recognize elder abuse and how to support at-risk seniors and where to get help; and train and support front-line service providers so they know how to prevent, detect, respond and support at-risk seniors.
• Provided $123,750 to the Assaulted Women’s Helpline in partnership with the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services in order to support the delivery of the Seniors Safety Line. This 24/7 toll-free phone line provides first-level emotional support, as well as information and referral services to seniors, concerned citizens, and service providers looking to assist in cases of elder abuse.
• Provided $106,000 to Queen’s University to promote awareness and outreach to communities and groups across Ontario related to implementation of AFC principles and use of AFC tools; maintain and support an AFC knowledge exchange for Ontario communities through established services and resources, including through provincial website, Knowledge Broker, regular webinars and newsletters, support for regional networks; and collect and analyze data related to the evaluation of  AFCs in Ontario.
• Provided $230,000 to the Older Adults Centres’ Association of Ontario to continue to: deliver and coordinate 45 Seniors Information Fairs, deliver up to 33 targeted educational presentations on seniors’ topics in partnership with 12 key seniors organizations, encourage the delivery of health clinics at fairs, host an annual conference, complete a provincial SALC Profile survey and deliver six regional workshops.
  • During the COVID‑19 crisis, some funding was re-directed to support OACAO’s delivery of training sessions on how seniors’ centres could implement innovative technology to allow socially isolated seniors to connect with their community remotely.
• Provided $150,000 to La Fédération des aînés et des retraités francophones de l’Ontario in 2019-20 to support the delivery of various educational programs to Francophone seniors focusing on legal issues, elder abuse prevention, and addressing mental health and addiction. This work ensures that Francophone seniors in Ontario can feel supported in some of the areas where they are most vulnerable.
• Contributed $250,000 to develop and delivera seniors’mental health and addictions educational program to increase awareness among seniors regarding risk factors and prevention strategies, signs and symptoms of mental health and addiction issues, and how to access supports. This program will be delivered across the province in community settings such as the Seniors Active Living Centres.
• Invested $1.3 million over two years through a new partnership with the Rick Hansen Foundation for a certification program to provide accessibility ratings to 250 facilities in select communities across Ontario and help determine ways to remove identified barriers in the built environment.
• Completed the final year of the Fire Sprinkler Retrofit program. The cost-shared program provided funding to 116 small, rural and urban non-profit licensed retirement homes to complete the installation of automatic sprinklers. By year-end, 112 of 116 retirement homes in the program had sprinkler systems installed and operational.
• Contributed funding as part of a multi-ministry partnership, to the Abilities Centre for the LEAD-ON program which will support organizations in their efforts to embed accessibility and inclusion in their organization.
• Created a free resource to help groups and communities make their Remembrance Day and memorial ceremonies more accessible. This resource provides information and a checklist to help plan events and consider accessibility to allow participation of all Ontarians.

Table 3: Ministry Interim Actual Expenditures 2019-20