This guide is intended to provide information and resources relevant to child welfare practice in Ontario's Northern, rural, and remote communities. It provides links to practice guides and scholarly research, basic demographic and population information for communities, and a high-level overview of some of the distinct challenges related to Northern, rural, and remote service delivery.
The terms "Northern," "rural," and "remote" are not consistently used in Ontario or elsewhere in Canada. However, for reference, the definitions used by the Rural and Northern Health Care Panel in their report on Ontario's rural and Northern health care framework/plan are provided below:
Northern communities in Ontario are those within the 10 territorial districts of the region of Northern Ontario (Algoma, Cochrane, Kenora, Manitoulin, Nipissing, Parry Sound, Rainy River, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, and Timiskaming).
Rural communities in Ontario are those with a population of less than 30,000 that are greater than 30 minutes away in travel time from a community with a population of more than 30,000.
Remote communities in Ontario are those without year-round road access or which rely on a third party (e.g. train, airplane, ferry) for transportation to a larger population centre.
This guide is intended as a supplementary resource for staff at Children's Aid Societies and Indigenous Well-being Agencies. It is not intended as an authority on social work or legal practice, nor is it meant to be representative of all perspectives in child welfare. Staff are encouraged to think critically when reviewing publications and other materials, and to always confirm practice and policy at their agency.