Human Services Planning Board of York Region

The Human Services Planning Board of York Region (HSPB) is a multi-sector collaborative of senior executives representing human services agencies, government and community partners. HSPB provides Regional Council and staff with strategic advice on human services, community engagement, advocacy initiatives and other matters as directed by Council.

Through this work, HSPB helps build capacity and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of human services in York Region.

HSPB Terms of Reference

HSPB members appointed by Regional Council

Members are appointed by Council and serve for a term of up to four years to coincide with the term of the Regional Council. The members of the 2023-2026 HSPB are:

Regional Government

Wayne Emmerson, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Regional Municipality of York (ex-officio)
Regional Councillor Godwin Chan, City of Richmond Hill (HSPB co-chair)
Mayor John Taylor, Town of Newmarket
Regional Councillor Naomi Davison, Town of Georgina
Regional Councillor Joe Li, City of Markham

Education

Ijade Maxwell Rodrigues, Chief of Government and Community Relations & Protocol, York University
Tod Dungey, Associate Director of Education – Schools, Programs and Equitable Outcomes, York Region District School Board
Jennifer Sarna, Superintendent of Education, School Leadership, Safe and Caring Schools, York Catholic District School Board

Healthcare

Rebecca Shields, CEO, Canadian Mental Health Association, York Region & South Simcoe (HSPB co-chair)
Gayle Seddon, Clinical Director, Community Programs, Southlake Regional Health Centre
Cheryl Osborne, Senior Director, EYRND Ontario Health Team, Mental Health and Oncology Services, Eastern York Region North Durham Ontario Health Team 

Policing Services

Chief Jim MacSween, York Regional Police
Norma McCullough, York Regional Police Services Board

Non-Profit Community Organizations

Nation Cheong, Senior Vice President, Community Impact and Mobilization, United Way Greater Toronto
Michael Braithwaite, CEO of Blue Door

Children, Youth and Family Services

Clovis Grant, CEO, 360°kids
Ginelle Skerritt, Chief Executive Officer, York Region Children’s Aid Society

Seniors, Healthy Aging

Christina Bisanz, CEO, CHATS-Community & Home Assistance to Seniors

Employment, Business

Al Wilson, Executive Director, Workforce Planning Board of York Region
Chris Emanuel, President and CEO, Central York Chamber of Commerce
Louise Duncan, Transformation Director, WCG Canada

Community and Social Support-Based-Services

Lesley Davidson, Chief Operating Officer, YMCA of Greater Toronto
Shannon Speirs, Executive Director, John Howard Society of York Region
Andrew Fagan, CEO, Community Living Central York
Elaine Walsh, Vice Chair, Hill House Hospice

2019-2022 Accomplishments

During the 2019-2022 term of the Board, HSPB:

  • Provided strategic advice to help strengthen the Region’s capacity to address human service issues, such as informing on housing affordability and homelessness issues, employment sector transformation, supporting frontline agency staff dealing with burnout and pandemic fatigue, and recognizing the health and social value of investing more in home and community care
  • Supported policy and program development by consulting on the Regional Official Plan, a program review of the Community Investment Fund, refreshing the Plan for Seniors, and providing feedback regarding the Long-Term Care COVID-19 Commission’s recommendations at the Seniors Cluster Table
  • Served as the advisory to Regional Council on preparing a Community Safety and Well-Being Plan for York Region, a long-term tool to enhance safety and well-being through proactive, targeted, and community-driven actions. The Plan’s place-based approach puts communities that can benefit most at the heart of planning and builds their capacity to identify and respond locally to priority risks in their communities. Regional Council adopted the Plan in May 2022, and HSPB continues to advise on the implementation of the Plan.
  • Responded to new challenges, such as providing invaluable insights on COVID-19 impacts and advice on services needed to support seniors, families and children affected by the pandemic, as well as disseminating up-to-date information and building awareness and confidence in initiatives undertaken by York Region Public Health and its partners
Community Benefits Approaches (CBA)

Community benefits are additional, intentional physical, social, economic and environmental benefits for the local community resulting from dollars already being spent on infrastructure and development projects or on goods and services. These approaches help achieve greater value for taxpayer dollars, support more equitable economic development, enhance York Region’s competitiveness and promote collaboration, alignment and partnerships across the Region. Community benefits typically include jobs, training and apprenticeships for disadvantaged groups and opportunities for small businesses and social enterprises. 

In October 2021 the Region’s Procurement Bylaw was updated to support social and community benefits in procurements. 

Between 2016 and 2018, HSPB commissioned a research study, resulting in resources to guide CBA implementation:  

  1. Community Benefits in York Region Research Report - Provides background information and consultant’s research on CBAs, including key approaches, legal/policy frameworks, and recommendations for the CBA Framework document
  2. Community Benefits in York Region Working Framework - Intended to serve as a basis for discussion with stakeholders. The framework is a high level ‘road map’ of the CBA process, and it sets the stage for the Toolkit
  3. Community Benefits in York Region Toolkit - Provides templates and step-by-step guidance for implementation of CBAs within the established Framework
Past initiatives