Jobs will be cut under changes the Ford government has made to Ontario’s child advocate office, staff learned Thursday as the province faced more criticism of its overhaul of autism services.Staff at the office of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth — which will be shut down this spring, with investigations transferred to the ombudsman — were told at a meeting that more than 40 of them in Toronto will likely be laid off, sources say.Officially, however, “the exact number is yet to be determined,” the Ontario Ombudsman’s office said in a statement. One employee who spoke to the Star said staff were told the best-case scenario is 24 of 67 investigative-related positions will transfer over, but all advocacy jobs will be axed.“Two-thirds of staff is a lot,” said the Toronto employee, who did not wish to be identified.However, the employee said there are issues of seniority among the investigative and advocacy staff “and we’re not clear how that process is going to shake out.”The child advocate also has an office in Thunder Bay that will be shut down.Ombudsman Paul Dubé is taking over investigations done by the children’s advocate, by May 1 at the latest, under provincial legislation brought in by the Ford government last year. Advocacy will be the responsibility of the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services — and Minister Lisa MacLeod has said she will also personally assume such duties — and it will create roundtables to give youth a voice.Meanwhile, MacLeod came under more fire Thursday for changes to the province’s autism services, but said the government will go ahead with its plan that is meant to clear the 23,000-child wait-list for services, and ensure more children receive support for services.As of April 1, families will qualify for up to $20,000 a year for each child under 6 — up to a lifetime maximum of $140,000. Children older than ...
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