54.
 54. (1) In this section, “Permanency Funding Policy Guidelines” means the guidelines entitled “2023 Ontario Permanency Funding Policy Guidelines”, effective July 1, 2023 and made available on a website of the Government of Ontario. O. Reg. 156/18, s. 54 (1); O. Reg. 685/21, s. 1 (1, 2); O. Reg. 35/23, s. 2 (1); O. Reg. 181/23, s. 1. (2) An agreement under section 124 of the Act shall not be made for a term exceeding 12 months. O. Reg. 156/18, s. 54 (2). (3) A society or prescribed entity shall make reasonable efforts to renew the care and support agreement between the person and the society or prescribed entity before expiry. O. Reg. 156/18, s. 54 (3). (4) A society or prescribed entity may cease providing care and support under section 124 of the Act that is financial support if the society or prescribed entity has made reasonable efforts to contact the person and has been unable to contact the person to whom care and support is to be provided for three months. O. Reg. 156/18, s. 54 (4). (5) A society or prescribed entity shall not provide care and support under section 124 of the Act if the person to whom care and support is to be provided is 23 or older. O. Reg. 156/18, s. 54 (5); O. Reg. 35/23, s. 2 (2). (6) A society or prescribed entity shall provide care and support under section 124 of the Act that is financial support, except if any of the following circumstances apply: 1. The person to whom care and support is to be provided is receiving basic financial assistance under the Ontario Works Act, 1997. 2. The person to whom care and support is to be provided is receiving income support under the Ontario Disability Support Program Act, 1997. 3. The person to whom care and support is to be provided is living with a caregiver who is receiving financial support from a society as described in the Permanency Funding Policy Guidelines as “Targeted Subsidies for Adoption and Legal Custody”, to care for the person receiving care and support. 4. The person to whom care and support is to be provided is living with a caregiver who is receiving financial support from a society as described in the Permanency Funding Policy Guidelines as “Stay Home For School”, to care for the person receiving care and support. 5. During the 12-month period preceding the day on which the agreement under section 124 of the Act is entered into or renewed, the person to whom care and support is to be provided had a gross income equal to or greater than the amount that the person would have earned during that period by working 40 hours a week while making the minimum wage, as defined in subsection (6.1), in effect during that period, unless the person can demonstrate that their financial circumstances have changed such that their income will be less than that amount during the term of the agreement. O. Reg. 156/18, s. 54 (6); O. Reg. 685/21, s. 1 (3); O. Reg. 35/23, s. 2 (3). (6.1) In paragraph 5 of subsection (6), “minimum wage” means the amount payable under section 23.1 of the Employment Standards Act, 2000
for the class of employees set out in subparagraph 1 iv of subsection 23.1 (1) of that Act. O. Reg. 35/23, s. 2 (4). (7) Where a society or prescribed entity is providing care and support under section 124 of the Act that is financial support, the monthly financial support shall not be less than the monthly amount set out in Appendix C of the document entitled “Policy Directive: CW 003-23 Preparing Youth for Successful Transition from the Care of Children’s Aid Societies” and effective April 1, 2023, available on a website of the Government of Ontario. O. Reg. 156/18, s. 54 (7); O. Reg. 35/23, s. 2 (5). (8) Where a society or prescribed entity is providing care and support under section 124 of the Act that is financial support, the society or prescribed entity may pay amounts of the financial support to third parties on behalf of the person receiving care and support if the person agrees and the decision is in the person’s best interests. O. Reg. 156/18, s. 54 (8). (9) Nothing in subsection (6) shall be read as preventing a society or prescribed entity from providing care and support under section 124 of the Act to such a person if the care and support is not financial support. O. Reg. 156/18, s. 54 (9). (10) Despite subsection (2), the agreement may be extended for a further period or periods if the total term of the agreement, as extended, does not exceed 60 months. O. Reg. 156/18, s. 54 (10); O. Reg. 35/23, s. 2 (6). (11) If a society or prescribed entity is providing care and support under section 124 of the Act to a person on March 31, 2023 and if the person is 23 or older on that day or will turn 23 before October 6, 2023, the society or prescribed entity shall, despite subsection (5), continue to provide such care and support to the person in accordance with this section until October 6, 2023. O. Reg. 35/23, s. 2 (7). (12) An agreement under section 124 of the Act may, despite subsection (10), be extended beyond 60 months for the purpose of permitting a society or prescribed entity to provide care and support to a person who is 23 or older as permitted by subsection (11). O. Reg. 35/23, s. 2 (7).