Dear Friends,


It’s been a momentous year for Ontario’s child development sector and for EKO. This year the government announced historic funding in children’s healthcare with ministries working together to support kids and families. We held our first—and largest—in-person conference in several years. The 2023 EKO Spring Symposium brought more than 300 people together for two days of learning, sharing and networking. We officially changed our name, welcomed another new member, and updated our bylaws and Articles of Corporation well in advance of deadlines set by Ontario’s Not-for-Profit Corporations Act, 2010.


EKO is supporting another six promising youth with the EKO Scholarship, and we recognized nine incredible individuals for the 2023 Tribute Awards. Nominators, endorsers and the award recipients themselves represent an outstanding array of nationally and internationally known child development professionals, disability advocates and accessibility champions.


We introduced new initiatives so no kids with disabilities and developmental differences are left behind. We have a lot to be proud of and many to thank, starting with our members. We also have more work ahead as together we keep raising the bar for Ontario families. This was another year of significant challenge as we emerged from the global COVID-19 pandemic.


Ontario was already facing one crisis before the pandemic: kids waiting longer than adults for healthcare, including in some regions waits for child development services well outside the clinically recommended window. COVID-19 added to these pressures. During the pandemic almost 300,000 babies were born in our province—at least 10 per cent of whom will need early intervention and urgent, often ongoing help from our healthcare system—in addition to those already waiting for services, counselling and medical care. Ontario families needed broad investment in children’s physical, developmental and mental health care delivered at home, in hospital, in the community and at school.


The Ontario government committed a multi-pronged investment in children’s healthcare—an innovative approach across ministries that looks at the whole system of care, not just certain elements of it. The government is doing things differently, and we can, too. The Children’s Health Coalition, of which EKO is a founding member, delivers every kind of care a child could need across the continuum, so the entire healthcare system can work better to support kids and their families no matter what challenges they are facing.


EKO members are receiving $45 million annually through this investment. In addition to $60-million increase for child development announced in the 2021 budget, we’ve brought $105 million more to our sector in the last two years.


Our dedication to kids with disabilities and their families living their best lives is at the heart of who we are. This is what drives EKO and our members to work smarter, to broaden our network and deepen relationships. As we look back on this past year, we are proud of the giant leaps forward. We plan to continue surpassing expectations.

Tom Walters

Chair

Jennifer Churchill

CEO