In a recent article from The Trillium, departing Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dubé reflected on his top concern after serving more than a decade in the role: a lack of resources for the some of the most vulnerable people in Ontario, including youth in the child welfare sector and people with complex needs.
Recent Ontario Ombudsman reports have repeatedly pointed to these gaps and the consequences of underfunding. The 2025 report Lost in Transition, for example, highlights how tens of thousands of adults with developmental disabilities are languishing in hospitals due to a lack of appropriate community placements. The departing Ombudsman has also highlighted the slow pace of change and reform in the sector, which means children and young adults spend formative parts of their lives waiting for services to catch up.
“I think that my biggest concern is the lack of adequate resources for these agencies that have such crucial and important services to provide, and the need is so acute for these services,” he shared in the interview. He added “… whether it’s youth in care or people with developmental challenges, the attention is coming too slowly, and the allocation of resources is coming too slowly, and it’s challenging because the needs are so great.”
These comments echo what workers know: that without proper resources, provincial funding and staffing, vulnerable kids and adults are falling through the cracks. Every day, workers see the impacts of underfunding: growing caseloads, long waitlists, worker burnout, and services that can’t meet demand.
Workers are fighting for the funding they and the people they support need. Right now, thousands of OPSEU/SEFPO members working in community and social services including developmental services, child welfare, child treatment, youth justice, and community agencies, are coming together in the Worth Fighting For campaign to win the long-term funding that workers and communities need.
Read the full interview: ‘Lack of resources’ for vulnerable people a top concern for departing ombudsman – The Trillium