Factsheet – Bill 175 – Connecting People to Home and Community Care Act, 2020 Regulations and Consultations – Fact Sheet 2
The government is putting most of the important parts of Bill 175 (Connecting People to Home and Community Care Act) into Regulations. This is a problem because Regulations can be passed or changed by the Cabinet. They do not have to be debated by all of our Members of Provincial Parliament. This means that the government alone can pass new Regulations or change existing Regulations without public involvement or consultation.
Two Draft Regulations
To date, two draft Regulations have been published.
The first draft Regulation keeps many sections of the Home Care and Community Services Act (HCCSA) the same. Some examples include: current methods of delivering care, eligibility requirements for service providers, charges for services, service providers’ handling of consumer complaints, and the main types of decisions that can be appealed to the Health Services Appeal and Review Board (HSARB).
This Regulation also wants to change some aspects of home and community services. It suggests changes like adding: new services, new locations where services can be delivered, more kinds of complaints, a list of ‘care coordination functions’ that service providers are to follow. It also plans to update the consumer Bill of Rights. This Regulation wants to remove: certain eligibility criteria for pharmacy and physiotherapy services, limits on service hours, among other things.
The second draft Regulation is going to make changes to other laws and their regulations to make the words and references used match with those used in Bill 175.
To review the draft Regulations, go here:
https://www.ontariocanada.com/registry/view.do?postingId=31727&
How to Provide your Feedback
The government is asking for feedback on the two draft Regulations. The government has requested feedback on issues including: the redefinition of the term “community services”, the definition of “home care services” and “community care services”; eligibility for certain services; and the contents of a new Bill of Rights. You can provide feedback on these topics and any other areas you feel are important.
The deadline for comments on the Regulation is currently April 14, 2020. However, that date may change because the legislature is not sitting right now. We will provide more details as they become available.
To participate in the consultation and provide input, you can go here: https://www.ontariocanada.com/registry/mail.do?action=displayComment
In addition, you can contact ARCH if you have any questions about Bill 175:
ARCH Disability Law Centre
55 University Avenue, 15th Floor
Toronto, ON M5J 2H7
Tel. : 416-482-8255 or 1-866-482-2724
TTY: 416-482-1254 or 1-866-482-2728
Email: archgen@lao.on.ca
For more information
Persons with disabilities who live in Ontario can call ARCH for free, confidential summary legal information and advice. To find out about the kind of legal advice ARCH provides and how to book an appointment, go to: www.archdisabilitylaw.ca/services
For more information about attendant services, go to: www.archdisabilitylaw.ca/resource/guide-attendant-services-in-ontario
* The information provided in these materials is not intended to be legal advice. Consult a lawyer or legal worker if you need legal advice on a specific matter. This information is current as of March 2020.