Simi Singh

I have worked at Reena, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting people with disabilities, for 17 years. I came here in my twenties, and I’m in my 40s now. It’s been quite an amazing journey.

Many people with disabilities need housing and support, but there is not enough of it. There is currently a 15 to 20 year waiting list to access supportive housing in Ontario. I hear from family members who are now starting to look at housing for their teenagers, and it is heartbreaking to hear them say, “We don’t know what we’re going to do. We need housing, we’re at our wit’s end.”

There are many silos in the sector that need to be broken down to truly support individuals with disabilities. A lot of people live with multiple disabilities, and I’ve seen firsthand the impact it can have when providers from different fields work together and have that relationship.

My hope is that our governments, politicians and agencies will start working together to make improvements across the sector. There’s no doubt in my mind, once we break down siloes, we can create beautiful and inclusive things.

I was part of the 2024 Canadian Leadership Institute for Developmental Services cohort and really enjoyed my experience of getting to meet different care providers and exchange ideas. The group I was in had people from the Yukon, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec so it was interesting to learn about the differences between our communities. I enjoyed learning from peers how they handle challenging situations.

The speakers were amazing. Grant Bruno spoke about his experience as a dad and as a clinician, dealing with the stereotypes due to his Indigenous background and having a child with autism. As an Indo-Canadian, I can also relate to stereotyping and stigma. I have had the pleasure of talking to some families within my community, whose children have gotten an early diagnosis and being able to say, “Hey, it’s okay. We can figure this out together.”