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About Us
The Ontario Care Collective (OCC) was formed in 2025 when ORCA and OARTY merged. The two, formerly independent out of home care associations worked in partnership for several years before amalgamating to form the Ontario Care Collective. The Ontario Care Collective was created in the interest of having a unified, strong, effective, presence for our members and the individuals we serve.
History of OARTY
OARTY was started by a group of private in-care service providers in 1971 who envisioned a service sector that was focused on best practices, easy to navigate, and constantly improving. The association was incorporated in 1990 and is a registered charity. Over the years OARTY has successfully formed a network of high-quality private service providers, created advocacy within the sector, and provided training, networking, and education opportunities for their members and other stakeholders.
History of ORCA
ORCA, originally known as FCOAO, was founded in 2003. Throughout the years, ORCA’s board and administration has been membership-led (without staff) creating a strong, relevant voice with OARTY, MCCSS, the Ombudsman, child welfare agencies, children’s mental health organizations, and developmental services. ORCA has successfully challenged misinformed regulatory requirements and tax rulings while simultaneously supporting its members using a cooperative approach to training and sector trends.
Moving forward
At the Ontario Care Collective, we believe that every individual receiving services deserves access to the most current, high-quality providers. The Ontario Care Collective constantly strives to improve systems so that best practices and positive outcomes may be expected, always.
Ontario Care Collective members provide out of home care and other services intended to support daily living through foster care, staff model care, group care, adult-living, educational programs, camps, recreational programs, and therapeutic programs. We collectively support individuals in need of temporary, short term or long-term services with a variety of presenting needs.
The collective membership is proud to represent a group who is known to offer quality treatment, education, and care services. Each operator has demonstrated their commitment to continuous quality improvement by joining the Ontario Care Collective and adhering to our membership standards.
Working for higher standards and a better system
The Ontario Care Collective is working with government and community partners for higher
standards of care. Ontario Care Collective members voluntarily agree to adhere to membership
standards and are committed to continuous quality improvement.
Conducting valuable research
Ontario Care Collective is working on expanding research efforts that will support meaningful
capacity building. The Ontario Care Collective has been working with MCCSS on a model called
‘Expanding Quality and Capacity in Out-of-home care’, commonly referred
to as the EQCO project. Ongoing engagement with the Ministry will
determine the ECQO project’s full scope of data collection, research,
training, and tools. Additionally, the Ontario Care Collective is committed to building and
maintaining research relationships with educational institutions.
Knowledge sharing for improved outcomes
The Ontario Care Collective will continue hosting the highly anticipated annual conference
that has previously been a joint project between the two founding
associations. The Ontario Care Collective hosts regular education events, trainings and an
updated website intend to provide a wealth of current information to
members and the public. The Ontario Care Collective ensures that members are made aware of
industry trends and changes through regular emails, newsletters,
roundtable discussions, and town hall meetings.