Bill 175, Connecting People to Home and Community Care Act 2020, became law on July 8, 2020. This law was quickly pushed through the legislative process during the COVID-19 pandemic, and without much input from the communities of persons with disabilities who will be directly affected by it. Importantly, the new law does not contain much detail about issues like eligibility criteria, delivery of attendant services or what services will be provided. The details of this law, including possible changes to the Bill of Rights, have been left to the Regulations.
ARCH has now been told that the government is seeking feedback on the proposed Regulations under the new law. The deadline for submissions is July 24, 2020. This means there is very little time for persons with disabilities to make their concerns known.
The proposed Regulations can be found at: www.ontariocanada.com/registry/view.do?postingId=31727&language=en
ARCH has prepared a summary of the regulations, which can be found here: www.archdisabilitylaw.ca/resource/factsheet-proposed-regulations-under-the-connecting-people-to-home-and-community-care-act-2020
ARCH is concerned with the short period of time given for this important consultation. We are also worried that there has been no public announcement by the government about the extended opportunity to provide input on the Regulations. ARCH will be asking for an extension of time to provide submissions on the Regulations, because 8 days is not enough time to consult with the community, and because persons with disabilities need to have meaningful participation in issues that will affect them.
Persons with disabilities who live in Ontario can call ARCH for free, confidential legal information and summary advice. To find out about the kind of legal advice ARCH provides and how to book an appointment, please use the following link: www.archdisabilitylaw.ca/services