TORONTO - Premier Dalton McGuinty won't commit to new funding for the province's struggling Children's Aid Societies, even as they lay off staff and warn of closures.
McGuinty says there has been a "dramatic increase" in overall funding for the agency, up 300 per cent over the last 10 years.
He says his own government has increased funds by 30 per cent while the case load has only gone up by one per cent on average.
McGuinty admits that average may not hold across the province, saying it's possible some of the agencies in the north may have higher demand than in southern Ontario.
That would mean the province may have to re-organize funding to adjust to those discrepancies, he says, but isn't promising any more money.
Children's aid societies in Ontario are facing a $67-million shortfall -- and one office in northern Ontario (Payukotayno James and Hudson Bay Family Services) says it will close the week of Dec. 16 unless it receives operating funds.
Last week, the York Region Children's Aid Society cut 18 positions and a further 16 jobs might be eliminated by Kenora-Patricia Child and Family Services.
