Workers from Brant Family and Child services were joined by union members who came from across the province in solidarity with a board of directors that quit rather than make more cuts to the service.
Minister for Community, children, and social services Todd Smith says he disagrees that the Brant Family and Child services are underfunded. His office has said Brant was funding programs outside its mandate, and that there was no evidence the opioid crisis was affecting their work.
Brant Family and Child services have offices in different communities, Steven Murray and his colleagues say the opioid crisis is having an obvious impact.
Staff at the rally have said that Andy Koster had been let go and escorted from the building this morning in a tearful moment.
Koster was an executive director with 47 years of child services experience but he supported the board’s resignation. A ministry spokesperson reached out to CHCH to clarify that Koster was not fired, but more accurately, he was put on leave.
The supervisor put in place of the board is experienced; she comes from the Haldimand Norfolk children’s aid.