News Release Ontario Releases Progress Report on Community Hubs August 12, 2016 Province Focused on Supporting Local Hubs, Improving Services for Ontarians Ontario is releasing a new report highlighting progress made over the past year on establishing and strengthening community hubs across the province. The report — prepared by the province’s Community Hubs Framework Advisory Group — describes advances Ontario is making to support and enable the establishment and ongoing success of local community hubs in order to better serve Ontarians and their communities. Highlights include: Increasing the number of potential partners that can buy or lease surplus school property for community use before it gets circulated on the open market Investing nearly $90 million to create spaces in schools for community use and expand child care and child and family support services Simplifying the funding application process and expanding eligibility to support integration of multiple health and social services under one roof Continuing work to develop a resource network to help service providers connect with each other and tap into the wealth of knowledge in the sector Launching a common registration portal this fall to reduce administrative burdens for transfer payment recipients. Supporting strong communities is part of the government’s economic plan to build Ontario up and deliver on its number-one priority to grow the economy and create jobs. The four-part plan includes helping more people get and create the jobs of the fu ture by expanding access to high-quality college and university education. The plan is making the largest infrastructure investment in hospitals, schools, roads, bridges and transit in Ontario’s history and is investing in a low-carbon economy driven by innovative, high-growth, export-oriented businesses. The plan is also helping working Ontarians achieve a more secure retirement. QUICK FACTS Community hubs provide the public with one central point of access for a range of services, such as health, social or education services, along with cultural and recreational spaces to nourish community life. In 2015, the government committed to implementing all 27 recommendations from Community Hubs in Ontario: A Strategic Framework and Action Plan, a report prepared by the Community Hubs Framework Advisory Group. The recommendations support coordinated planning, client-focused service delivery and maximizing the use of public properties for community benefits. Karen Pitre will continue to serve as the Premier’s Special Advisor on Community Hubs through 2016-17 to guide the implementation of community hubs initiatives. During its 2015 engagement process, the Community Hubs Framework Advisory Group identified close to 60 community hubs that are already established or in the planning stages in rural, suburban and urban neighbourhoods across Ontario. Communities are invited to share their local stories and examples at ontario.ca/communityhubs. Ontario hosted a series of forums about how the government and its local partners can better support the integrated and long-term planning of community-based services. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES One-year Progress Update Community Hubs in Ontario: A Strategic Framework and Action Plan QUOTES “On behalf of the Government of Ontario, I am delighted to extend my sincere congratulations and gratitude to the local champions and partners who work tirelessly to innovate and serve their communities. The progress report highlights just a fraction of the excellent community building they have done over the years. I want to thank the Advisory Group and all of our partners for giving their time and expertise. I look forward to continuing our work together as we build strong communities in every corner of Ontario.” — Kathleen Wynne, Premier of Ontario “I am very encouraged by the significant progress made to date, and excited to further develop community hubs initiatives in my new role as the Minister of Infrastructure. I am confident that we will use this unique opportunity make better use of public properties, encourage the creation of multi-use spaces, and help communities establish financially sustainable hub models.” — Bob Chiarelli, Minister of Infrastructure “Community hubs are about bringing services together to better serve people and their communities. I am honoured to continue to serve as the Premier’s Special Advisor on Community Hubs to lead and advise on the implementation of the framework and action plan. I look forward to continuing to work with partners on these initiatives to improve the lives of Ontarians in their communities.” — Karen Pitre, Special Advisor to the Premier on Community Hubs CONTACTS Katrina Kim Minister’s Office 416-325-2479 Andreas Kyprianou Communications Branch 416-325-2479 Ministry of Infrastructure http://www.ontario.ca/infrastructure