Striking workers in community and social services, along with allies and labour leaders rallied in four different cities yesterday as questions swirl over transparency in funding.
A new report from OPSEU/SEFPO argues the Ford government has been funnelling billions of taxpayer dollars into private, for-profit intermediaries all while underfunding frontline services.
The report comes as roughly 4,000 workers in community, health and social services are in week two of a provincewide strike for funding for frontline services and stolen wages.
“Right now across this province, our community and social services are struggling, workers who deliver these services are barely able to make ends meet, and thousands of Ontarians are waiting longer and longer for the care they need,” said Tannis McGinn, Chair of the OPSEU/SEFPO’s Child Treatment Divisional Executive and leader of the Worth Fighting For Working Group. “To hear that private companies are getting a billion dollars while we are struggling – something isn’t right.”
While the Ford government’s claim it is delivering “record funding” for the social services sector, funding actually dropped by 2.4 per cent in the latest provincial budget, once you take into account inflation and population growth.
While core funding to social services has dropped, money handed to for-profit intermediaries has ballooned. Three private, for-profit intermediaries (Accerta, Serco and WCG) administered over $1 billion of our tax dollars in 2024-25 alone.
Payments sent to Accerta, a for-profit claims administrator involved in Ontario Works, Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) and the Ontario Autism Program, among others, has more than tripled since Premier Ford’s been in office.
“We don’t know how much money stays with these companies, but we do know that not nearly enough “trickles down” to the front lines,” said OPSEU/SEFPO President JP Hornick. “From the Skills Development (SDF) slush fund to these alarming “black boxes” of funding moving to for-profit companies instead of frontline services, it’s no wonder our public services are crumbling under Ford’s watch.”
Last fall it became clear the Ford government misspent hundreds of millions via its Skills Development Fund to support low- performing projects connected to Ford’s friends and party donors. The Auditor General called the allocation of SDF funds “not accountable, transparent or fair.”
As funding for community and social services has plummeted over Ford’s time in office, waitlists for developmental services, autism support services for children, assisted living, shelter supports, and mental health services have exploded.
Current figures on waitlists have been compiled by community advocates through Freedom of Information requests because the government doesn’t currently track or publish data on waitlists.
“Hiding the problem doesn’t make it go away,” added Hornick. “Right now, our members walking the picket lines are shining a light on the devastating impacts that this underfunding has on all of us, including not only those impacted by this strike, but also the thousands still waiting for care.”
In addition to sustained, adequate funding to frontline community, health and social services, the report also calls for public reporting on waitlists for key services and full public disclosure of financial arrangements with private companies administering services.
For more information contact:
OPSEU/SEFPO Communications. [email protected]