STRATFORD, Ont. - Child protection officials in a southwestern Ontario community say they're not getting enough money from the province and will have to close up shop.
The Huron Perth Children's Aid Society says it will stop providing child protection services effective Dec. 15.
Child protection agencies in the province are funded by the Ministry of Child and Youth Services.
But the Huron-Perth officials say the funding formula is flawed and has left the agency with a projected deficit of $1.3 million, along with a large debt in spite of program and staffing cuts.
Executive Director Tom Knight says the Huron-Perth society is the lowest funded agency in the region.
The agency has been in negotiations with the ministry for several years and, earlier this year, joined 11 other agencies in taking the government to court to have the funding reviewed.
The process is still ongoing but the agency says it has run out of funding.
"We have been left with no choice," said Vince Judge, who is president of the board of directors. "There's simply not enough funding to fulfil our statutory obligations without putting children at risk."
Huron Perth Children's Aid Society serves about 448 families each month and conducts more than 1,600 abuse investigations a year. It counts about 200 children in its care.
