Community Living Ontario

Community Living Ontario (formerly Ontario Association for Community Living) is a non-profit organization in Ontario, Canada for people with intellectual disabilities.

Community Living Ontario
Formation1953
TypeCharitable Organization
PurposeAdvocacy on behalf of people with intellectual disabilities to be fully included in all aspects of community life.
Region served
Ontario, Canada
Membership
105 Affiliates
Chief Executive Officer
Chris Beesley
Parent organization
Canadian Association for Community Living
Websitecommunitylivingontario.ca
Formerly called
Ontario Association for Community Living

Community Living Ontario is a confederation of more than 105 local associations (known as affiliates)[1] and part of the Canadian Association for Community Living.

History

Community Living Ontario was founded on April 27, 1953 as the Ontario Association for Retarded Children. In 1987, the name of the organization was changed to the Ontario Association for Community Living. In 2008, Community Living Ontario added eight new affiliates. In 2009, Community Living Ontario and its local affiliate members saw the closure of three remaining mass institutions for people with intellectual disabilities in Ontario.[2] The Community Living movement is celebrated in Ontario every May with Community Living Month, highlighted by Community Living Day in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.[3]

Advocacy

The organization has been noted by a book as "one of the most influential advocacy groups in Canada" for people with intellectual disabilities.[4]

It promotes inclusive education so that people with intellectual disabilities can "go with their neighbourhood friends, to their neighbourhood schools where they further their growth and development together.".[5] It also advocates for the inclusion of individuals with intellectual disabilities in all aspects of community life.[6] This includes advocating for de-institutionalization, with a major milestone realized in 2009 when Minister of Community and Social Services Madeleine Meilleur proclaimed the closure of Rideau, Huronia and the Southwest Regional Centres. On April 1, 2009 Community Living held its 10th Annual Day at the Legislature, where close to 300 people—including people who have an intellectual disability, their families and friends, volunteers, and staff of Community Living associations, and other community advocates—joined together at Queen's Park to celebrate the closures and the dawning of a new era in Ontario.[7]

In advocating for de-institutionalization one of Community Living Ontario's current concerns is the trend toward placements in nursing homes. According to Professor Patricia Spindel, a senior adviser to the organization, people with intellectual disabilities are being increasingly funneled into nursing homes instead of other more appropriate housing options.[8]

Community Living Ontario was also an important contributor to Bill 77, the "Services and Supports to Promote the Social Inclusion of Persons with Developmental Disabilities Act" of 2008. Seven of the fifteen recommendations made by the organization to the Government of Ontario were adopted. "We're very encouraged to see the concept of social inclusion named in this legislation," said Dianne Garrels-Munro, past president of Community Living Ontario.[9]

Notes
  1. List of Community Living Ontario affiliates Archived 2013-08-23 at the Wayback Machine
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-08-23. Retrieved 2013-08-05.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. Community Living Day 2013 Recognized In Legislature of Ontario
  4. Chupik, Jessa. "Fires Burning: Advocacy, Camping and Children with Learning Disabilities in Ontario 1950–1990", in Exploring Experiences of Advocacy by People with Learning Disabilities: Testimonies of Resistance, Duncan Mitchell, et al., eds. (2006). p. 121. ISBN 1-84310-359-1.
  5. "Inclusive Education". Archived from the original on 2013-08-23. Retrieved 2013-08-05.
  6. Ferguson, Derek. "A coalition representing the disabled has attacked Ontario's education ministry over a school board's refusal to allow a 15-year- old girl with cerebral palsy to attend regular classes", Toronto Star, 1989-09-15, p. A7.
  7. The End Of An Era - Closure On Ontario Institutions
  8. Crawford, Trish (2007-02-16), "Nowhere else to go", Toronto Star website, Toronto: Torstar, retrieved 2008-11-04
  9. Nancy Boutin (October 2, 2008). "Marty Graf welcomes new legislation". Tillsonburg News - Ontario, CA. Retrieved 2008-11-04.
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