Media Release: TBDSSAB advocates for local service system at ROMA 2026 Conference
January 21, 2026 – Representatives from The District of Thunder Bay Social Services Administration Board (TBDSSAB) attended the Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA)’s 2026 Annual Conference on January 18-20 in Toronto.
The annual conference offers municipal officials and service system managers the chance to foster partnerships and relationships across sectors and advocate for change. In addition to the conference program, municipal officials and staff take part in hundreds of municipal delegation meetings with provincial ministries.
TBDSSAB requested delegation meetings with Ministers to discuss five advocacy position papers at the 2026 ROMA Conference. Delegation meetings were accepted by the Ministry of Children, Community, and Social Services, Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
TBDSSAB’s advocacy topics include:
- Social Assistance Benefits Eligibility for Clients Entering Residential Treatment Facilities
- Increased Allocation of Licensed Child Care Spaces in the District of Thunder Bay
- COCHI-OPHI Investments for the Future of Housing in the District of Thunder Bay
- Supporting the Maintenance of the Urban Native Housing Units (with DNSSAB)
- Keeping Our Community Housing Safe: Special Constables Pilot
TBDSSAB’s advocacy position papers can be viewed on our website: https://www.tbdssab.ca/board/reports/#advocacy
To supplement advocacy done by DSSABs for their respective service areas, the Northern Ontario Service Deliverers Association (NOSDA) also advocates for issues that impact member organizations across Northern Ontario. NOSDA was formed to strengthen collaboration among Northern service managers, providing a unified political voice on policies and program delivery from a Northern perspective. NOSDA prepared briefing notes to address eleven issues, including nine related to TBDSSAB’s programs. The NOSDA advocacy topics supported by TBDSSAB include:
- Ontario Works Employment Targets in Northern Ontario
- Invest in Staff Training in Ontario
- Improving Ontario Works Earnings Exemptions to Support Workforce Participation in Northern Ontario
- Request for Exemption from Landlord and Tenant Board Process for Community Housing Providers in Northern Ontario
- Ministry of Colleges and Universities’ Research Excellence and Security
- Investing in the Social Infrastructure of Northern Ontario
- A Plan for Northern Ontario
- Invest in Housing Repair Program
- NOSDA – CMHA Ontario Report: What is the optimal financial contribution required to end homelessness in Northern Ontario?
NOSDA’s advocacy position papers can be viewed on their website: www.nosda.net
Quotes:
“Delegation meetings with Ministers are a great opportunity to speak face to face about the issues that impact our district. Our Board works closely with TBDSSAB Administration to bring forward timely, data-informed advocacy papers and recommend solutions that meet both provincial priorities and our local service system needs.”
– Jim Vezina, Chair, TBDSSAB