Safeguarding Our Future
Ontario's largest Children's Treatment Centre, Erinoak, is in urgent need of government funding to help build a new centre to meet the escalating demand for services to children with disabilities.
Innovative new programs and services, population growth, shifting demographics, advances in medical treatment and relocation of families to be near treatment centres have greatly affected Erinoak's operations. In particular, Erinoak has experienced dramatic growth over the past 10 years with the number of children and families served by the organization increasing from 1,000 in 1996 to more than 8,000 today, an average growth rate of nearly 10% per year. As a result, Erinoak seriously lacks the necessary space to continue providing adequate levels of in-centre treatment to the children and youth it serves.
In an effort to cope with demand, Erinoak has been forced to lease additional space at commercial rates. The creation of a new, larger facility will mean that the $1.4 million dollars that is currently being spent on rent each year can be immediately redirected into treatment, where it is so desperately required.
To address its infrastructure challenges, Erinoak has developed a plan for an expanded facility, which is envisioned to be a state of the art therapeutic and wellness centre that will provide programs, services and integrated supports to children with disabilities and their families. To meet pressing demand in the community, Erinoak also plans to size the new facility to allow for provision of integrated services and supports to adults with physical disabilities. Without a new, larger building, Erinoak will not be able to meet current or future needs of the vulnerable population it serves.
The provincial government is Erinoak's primary source of funding, and so it is of the provincial government that we are requesting capital funding of $50 million for a new treatment facility.
The more voices supporting our request to the government, the more likely we are to be successful. Erinoak is seeking support from our community, our service partners, our staff, our families and friends, and the families of the children we serve to help us by raising a collective voice and advocating for a new treatment facility to serve the Regions of Peel and Halton, and Dufferin County.
We hope you will help by getting involved in Erinoak's advocacy effort. To assist, we have provided a lobby kit on this website; it includes a letter you can send to your M.P.P. and other elected officials to voice your support for the campaign, as well as other information explaining how you can make a difference.
Thank you so much for helping us build a better future for our children.