# Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services

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 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 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 for 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 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)
* Bluewater Youth Centre (Goderich) (This Youth Centre has shut down in 2012)
* Brookside Youth Centre (Cobourg) (This Youth Centre has shut down in 2021)
* Camp Dufferin (hidden location)
* 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

* 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

| | Name | Term of office | Name | Term of office | Political party (Ministry) | Note |
| | Minister of Public Welfare | Minister of Public Welfare | Minister of Public Welfare | Minister of Public Welfare | Minister of Public Welfare | Conservative (Hearst) |
| | William Martin | William Martin | William Martin | William Martin | 15 December 1930 | 10 July 1934 |
| | David Croll | David Croll | 10 July 1934 | 14 April 1937 | Liberal (Hepburn) | |
| Mitch Hepburn | Mitch Hepburn | Mitch Hepburn | Mitch Hepburn | 14 April 1937 | 14 October 1937 | Concurrently Premier |
| Eric Cross | Eric Cross | Eric Cross | Eric Cross | 14 October 1937 | 1 January 1940 | |
| ??? | ??? | ??? | ??? | 1 January 1940 | 27 May 1941 | |
| Farquhar Oliver | Farquhar Oliver | Farquhar Oliver | Farquhar Oliver | 27 May 1941 | 12 October 1942 | |
| Harold Kirby | Harold Kirby | Harold Kirby | 21 October 1942 | 18 May 1943 | Liberal (Conant) | |
| Farquhar Oliver | Farquhar Oliver | Farquhar Oliver | 18 May 1943 | 17 August 1943 | Liberal (Nixon) | |
| | Percy Vivian | Percy Vivian | 17 August 1943 | 7 January 1946 | Conservative (Drew) | |
| Bill Goodfellow | Bill Goodfellow | Bill Goodfellow | Bill Goodfellow | 7 January 1946 | 19 October 1948 |
| 19 October 1948 | 4 May 1949 | Conservative (Kennedy) |
| 4 May 1949 | 4 May 1955 | Conservative (Frost) | |
| Louis-Pierre Cecile | Louis-Pierre Cecile | Louis-Pierre Cecile | Louis-Pierre Cecile | 17 August 1955 | 8 November 1961 | |
| 8 November 1961 | 24 November 1966 | Conservative (Robarts) | |
| John Yaremko | John Yaremko | John Yaremko | John Yaremko | 24 November 1966 | 22 March 1967 | |
| Minister of Social and Family Services ||||||
| John Yaremko | John Yaremko | John Yaremko | John Yaremko | 22 March 1967 | 1 March 1971 | |
| Thomas Leonard Wells | Thomas Leonard Wells | Thomas Leonard Wells | Thomas Leonard Wells | 1 March 1971 | 2 February 1972 | Conservative (Davis) |
| Rene Brunelle | Rene Brunelle | Rene Brunelle | Rene Brunelle | 1 March 1971 | 10 April 1972 | |
| Minister of Community and Social Services ||||||
| Rene Brunelle | Rene Brunelle | Rene Brunelle | Rene Brunelle | 10 April 1972 | 7 October 1975 | |
| James A. Taylor | James A. Taylor | James A. Taylor | James A. Taylor | 7 October 1975 | 3 February 1977 | |
| Keith Norton | Keith Norton | Keith Norton | Keith Norton | 3 February 1977 | 10 April 1981 | |
| Frank Drea | Frank Drea | Frank Drea | Frank Drea | 10 April 1981 | 29 September 1983 | |
| Bruce McCaffrey (interim) | Bruce McCaffrey (interim) | Bruce McCaffrey (interim) | Bruce McCaffrey (interim) | 29 September 1983 | 21 November 1983 | Concurrently Provincial Secretary for Social Development |
| Frank Drea | Frank Drea | Frank Drea | Frank Drea | 21 November 1983 | 8 February 1985 | |
| Robert Elgie | Robert Elgie | Robert Elgie | Robert Elgie | 8 February 1985 | 17 May 1985 | Conservative (Miller) |
| Ernie Eves | Ernie Eves | Ernie Eves | Ernie Eves | 17 May 1985 | 26 June 1985 | |
| | John Sweeney | John Sweeney | John Sweeney | 26 June 1985 | 2 August 1989 | Liberal (Peterson) |
| Charles Beer | Charles Beer | Charles Beer | Charles Beer | 2 August 1989 | 1 October 1990 | |
| | Zanana Akande | Zanana Akande | Zanana Akande | 1 October 1990 | 10 October 1991 | NDP (Rae) |
| Marion Boyd | Marion Boyd | Marion Boyd | Marion Boyd | 15 October 1991 | 3 February 1993 | |
| Tony Silipo | Tony Silipo | Tony Silipo | Tony Silipo | 3 February 1993 | 25 June 1995 | |
| | David Tsubouchi | David Tsubouchi | David Tsubouchi | 26 June 1995 | 16 August 1996 | PC (Harris) |
| Janet Ecker | Janet Ecker | Janet Ecker | Janet Ecker | 16 August 1996 | 17 June 1999 | |
| John Baird | John Baird | John Baird | John Baird | 17 June 1999 | 14 April 2002 | Designated "Minister Responsible for Children" after February 8, 2001 |
| Minister of Community, Family and Children's Services | Minister of Community, Family and Children's Services | Minister of Community, Family and Children's Services | Minister of Community, Family and Children's Services | Minister of Community, Family and Children's Services | Minister of Community, Family and Children's Services | PC (Eves) |
| Brenda Elliott | Brenda Elliott | Brenda Elliott | Brenda Elliott | 15 April 2002 | 22 October 2003 | |
| | Minister of Community and Social Services | Minister of Community and Social Services | Minister of Community and Social Services | Minister of Children and Youth Services | Minister of Children and Youth Services | Minister of Children and Youth Services | Liberal (McGuinty) |
| | Sandra Pupatello | 23 October 2003 | 5 April 2006 | Marie Bountrogianni | 23 October 2003 | 29 June 2005 | |
| Mary Anne Chambers | Sandra Pupatello | 23 October 2003 | 5 April 2006 | 29 June 2005 | 30 October 2007 | |
| Mary Anne Chambers | Madeleine Meilleur | 5 April 2006 | 20 October 2011 | 29 June 2005 | 30 October 2007 | |
| Deb Matthews | Madeleine Meilleur | 5 April 2006 | 20 October 2011 | 30 October 2007 | 7 October 2009 | |
| Laurel Broten | Madeleine Meilleur | 5 April 2006 | 20 October 2011 | 7 October 2009 | 20 October 2011 | |
| John Milloy | 20 October 2011 | 11 February 2013 | Eric Hoskins | 20 October 2011 | 13 November 2012 | |
| John Milloy | 20 October 2011 | 11 February 2013 | Laurel Broten | 13 November 2012 | 11 February 2013 | |
| Ted McMeekin | 11 February 2013 | 24 June 2014 | Teresa Piruzza | 11 February 2013 | 24 June 2014 | Liberal (Wynne) |
| Helena Jaczek | 24 June 2014 | 26 February 2018 | Tracey MacCharles | 24 June 2014 | 13 June 2016 | |
| Helena Jaczek | 24 June 2014 | 26 February 2018 | Michael Coteau | 13 June 2016 | 29 June 2018 | |
| Michael Coteau | 26 February 2018 | 29 June 2018 | Michael Coteau | 13 June 2016 | 29 June 2018 | |
| Minister of Children, Community and Social Services | Minister of Children, Community and Social Services | Minister of Children, Community and Social Services | Minister of Children, Community and Social Services | Minister of Children, Community and Social Services | Minister of Children, Community and Social Services | PC (Ford) |
| | Lisa MacLeod | Lisa MacLeod | Lisa MacLeod | 29 June 2018 | 29 June 2019 | |
| Todd Smith | Todd Smith | Todd Smith | Todd Smith | 29 June 2019 | 18 June 2021 | |
| Merrilee Fullerton | Merrilee Fullerton | Merrilee Fullerton | Merrilee Fullerton | 18 June 2021 | 24 March 2023 | |
| Michael Parsa | Michael Parsa | Michael Parsa | Michael Parsa | 24 March 2023 | present | |