Anglais

Ford government to overhaul autism services, give cash directly to families

Published

5 années ago

février 5, 2019

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The Ford government is planning to overhaul children’s autism services by taking money away from regional agencies and putting funding directly into the hands of families to choose the care they want, the Star has learned.

Major autism service providers have already been informed of the changes that will also address the massive wait-list of 23,000 children and target money and services to those under the age of 6, which research has shown to be the most crucial time for treatment.

Funding will not be cut, but redistributed, sources told the Star.

An announcement is expected in the coming days.

“I would applaud them — early intervention is really important,” said one service provider. “These kids get on a wait list, and they miss a key window.”

“Everyone in the sector would be happy to support something that improves the wait list,” the provider said. “But we are not sure how they are going to change the wait list.”

Senior government sources told the Star the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services is going to focus on the wait lists — for diagnosis, funding and treatment — as well as providing more equitable services and better oversight of therapy providers.

“The scope of the problem we inherited — this was a significant problem,” said one source, noting three of four children are currently not receiving the autism supports they need, calling the wait lists “unconscionable.”

“Those are valuable days, weeks, months, and the one piece of science we know in this area … is that having behavioural intervention below the age of 6 is when you make the biggest impact and have the most likelihood to make a difference,” said the government source.

Many parents like the idea of choosing where the funding is spent, rather than having to deal with service providers who can be in a conflict-of-interest when they control the funding. The current system is a mix of the two, with agencies controlling the wait lists and who gets the money.

But rumours the Ford government is planning to move back to funding based on age have struck fear in both clinicians and families, said Tracie Lindblad, clinical director at Monarch House, an Oakville clinic that offers services for children with developmental disabilities, including applied behaviour analysis (ABA) therapy for kids with autism.

Lindblad says Monarch House, which also has clinics in Waterloo and Ottawa, as well as British Columbia and Saskatchewan, has experience working with families in B.C. where the government imposes arbitrary funding caps based on a child’s age. And, she says, the approach is failing.

(In B.C., children under 6 diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder receive $22,000 a year for autism services while those between the ages of 6 and 18 get $5,000, regardless of their needs.)

“We know it’s not working there. Why would the Ford government want to bring it here?” she asked.

Lindblad said the previous Liberal government was “on the right track” when it increased funding and extended eligibility for ABA beyond age 5, and allowed parents to choose between agency-based therapy or privately purchased services.

Milton mom Maria Garito doesn’t like the current system — she does not believe service providers spend money efficiently — but nor does she think moving to a direct-funding model for parents is the answer.

Her 4-year-old son Max has been on a wait list for more than two years and right now her family can’t afford the behavioural therapy he needs, so she takes time off work to care for him and they pay out-of-pocket for speech therapy and other programs.

A direct-funding system means “some children get many hours of service, and many children get none,” said Garito, who believes it is open to abuse. She also doesn’t think there are enough services as is for families to spend any money they receive.

“The worst part of this model is that many of the private centres sign off on unnecessary services, because they (stand) to make profits knowing full well the government” will pay hundreds of thousands of dollars, she added, wondering if money would be better spent on more staffing and programs — and better oversight — of government-funded regional centres.

New Democrat MPP Monique Taylor, her party’s children services critic, said direct funding is not an option for everyone. “In Northern Ontario — the services just would not be available … they have nowhere to spend (the money). That’s a real issue in smaller communities in the north.”

And she said stressed families don’t have the time, knowledge “or the energy to be an employer,” which is what the direct-funding option would essentially entail. “For a lot of reasons, a lot of families just won’t be able to manage. It’s very concerning.”

Lindblad said the new Ontario Autism Program, introduced by the former Liberal government, while successful in some areas, failed to provide government regulation of autism professionals, no quality assurance oversight or peer review of outcomes.

But those are things that could have been fixed, Lindblad said.

“I am concerned we’re going to go from one mistake to another mistake and not achieve our goal of ensuring all individuals achieve their best outcome,” she said.

A PC government source said oversight of professionals will be part of the coming changes. “There’s no list that says where you should go for service” as there is in other jurisdictions like B.C.

In 2016, the Liberals had pledged $533 million over five years for autism.

Minister Lisa MacLeod announced $100 million in emergency funding after the PCs took office, to keep the system going, which government sources describe as “verging on the brink of bankruptcy.”

“The most responsible way to use publicly funded dollars is to consider each child’s need,” said Nancy Marchese, a psychologist and ABA therapist in Richmond Hill, adding that a “rate card” for services would protect families and ensure public funds are spent responsibly.

The parent-led Ontario Autism Coalition stormed the Legislature in 2016 under the previous Liberal government over age-based funding caps, and coalition president Laura Kirby-McIntosh, said her group will fight any provincial move to the B.C. model.

PC MPP Amy Fee, in an opinion piece for the Star, said “early diagnosis will be one of our key areas of focus.”

“We need to respect families. We need to work to clear these wait-lists and put the decision-making back in the hands of parents. We need to get the youngest children into autism services as soon as possible.

Fee — who has two children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder — is the parliamentary assistant to MacLeod and has spoken to parents across the province about services.

“We’re going to put families in control, and bring equity to a broken system,” she wrote.

Kristin Rushowy is a Toronto-based reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow her on Twitter: @krushowy

Laurie Monsebraaten is a Toronto-based reporter covering social justice. Follow her on Twitter: @lmonseb

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Anglais

Nostalgia and much more with Starburst XXXtreme

Published

3 années ago

août 10, 2021

admin

Get a taste of adventure with Starburst XXXtreme based on the legendary NetEnt Game. The nostalgic themes are sure to capture fans of the classic version as they get treated to higher intensity, better visuals, and features. The most significant element of the game is its volatility. Patience will not be an essential virtue considering the insane gameplay, and there is a lot of win potential involved. It retains the original makeup of the previous game while adding a healthy dose of adrenaline.

Starburst Visuals and Symbols

The game is definitely more conspicuous than before. The setting happens over a 5-reel, 3-row game grid with nine fixed win lines, which function if a succession from the left to the right reel is present. Only those players that that attain the highest win per bet line are paid. From a visual standpoint, the Starburst XXXtreme slots illustrates lightning effects behind the reels, which is not surprising as it is inherited from the original version. Available themes include Classic, Jewels, and Space. The game is also available in both desktop and mobile versions, which is advantageous for players considering the global pandemic. According to Techguide, American gamers are increasingly having more engaging gaming experiences to socialize to fill the gap of in-person interaction. Starburst XXXtreme allows them to fill the social void at a time when there is so much time to be had indoors.

Starburst XXXTreme Features

Players get to alternate on three features which are Starburst Wilds, XXXtreme Spins, and Random Wilds. The first appears on reels 2,3, or 4. When these land, they expand to cover all positions while also calculating the wins. They are also locked for a respin. If a new one hits, it also becomes locked while awarding another respin. Starburst XXXtreme offers a choice between two scenarios for a higher stake. In one scenario with a ten times stake, the Starburst Wild is set on random on reels 2,3, or 4, and a multiplier starts the respin. The second scenario, which has a 95 times stake, starts with two guaranteed starburst wilds on reels 2,3, or 4. it also plays out using respin game sequence and features. The game also increases the potential with the Random Wilds feature to add Starburst Wilds to a vacant reel at the end of a spin. Every Starburst Wild gives a random multiplier with potential wins of x2, x3, x5, x10, x25, x50, x100, or even x150.

The new feature is sure to be a big hit with the gaming market as online gambling has shown significant growth during the lockdown. AdAge indicates the current casino customer base is an estimated one in five Americans, so Starburst XXXtreme’s additional features will achieve considerable popularity.

What We Think About The Game

The gambling market has continued to diversify post-pandemic, so it is one of the most opportune times to release an online casino-based game. Thankfully Starburst XXXtreme features eye-catching visuals, including the jewels and space themes. These attract audience participation and make the gameplay inviting. The game also has a nostalgic edge. The previous NetEnt iteration featured similar visuals and gameplay, so the audience has some familiarity with it. The producers have revamped this version by tweaking the features to improve the volatility and engagement.

That is characterized by the potential win cap of 200,000 times the bet. Starburst XXXtreme does not just give betting alternatives for players that want to go big. The increase of multipliers also provides a great experience. If the respins in the previous version were great, knowing that multipliers can go hundreds of times overtakes the game to a new level.

Players should get excited about this offering. All of the features can be triggered within a single spin. Whether one plays the standard game or takes the XXXtreme spin route, it is possible to activate all of the features. Of course, the potential 200,000 times potential is a huge carrot. However, the bet size is probably going to be restricted and vary depending on the casino. It is also worth pointing out that a malfunction during the gameplay will void all of the payouts and progress. Overall, the game itself has been designed to provide a capped win of 200,000 times the original bet.

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Anglais

‘We’re back’: Montreal festival promoters happy to return but looking to next year

Published

3 années ago

juillet 23, 2021

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In downtown Montreal, it’s festival season.

In the city’s entertainment district, a musical act was conducting a sound check on stage Friday evening — the second day of the French-language version of the renowned Just For Laughs comedy festival. Tickets for many of the festival’s free outdoor shows — limited by COVID-19 regulations — were sold out.

Two blocks away, more than 100 people were watching an acoustic performance by the Isaac Neto Trio — part of the last weekend of the Festival International Nuits d’Afrique, a celebration of music from the African continent and the African diaspora.

With COVID-19 restrictions continuing to limit capacity, festival organizers say they’re glad to be back but looking forward to next year when they hope border restrictions and capacity limits won’t affect their plans.

Charles Décarie, Just For Laughs’ CEO and president, said this is a “transition year.”

“Even though we have major constraints from the public health group in Montreal, we’ve managed to design a festival that can navigate through those constraints,” Décarie said.

The French-language Juste pour rire festival began on July 15 and is followed by the English-language festival until July 31.

When planning began in February and March, Décarie said, organizers came up with a variety of scenarios for different crowd sizes, ranging from no spectators to 50 per cent of usual capacity.

“You’ve got to build scenarios,” he said. “You do have to plan a little bit more than usual because you have to have alternatives.”

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Anglais

MELS new major movie studio to be built in Montreal

Published

3 années ago

juillet 23, 2021

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MONTREAL — MELS Studios will build a new film studio in Montreal, filling some of the gap in supply to meet the demand of Hollywood productions.

MELS president Martin Carrier said on Friday that MELS 4 studio construction will begin « as soon as possible », either in the fall or winter of next year. The studio could host productions as early as spring 2023.

The total investment for the project is $76 million, with the Quebec government contributing a $25 million loan. The project will create 110 jobs, according to the company.

The TVA Group subsidiary’s project will enable it to stand out « even more » internationally, according to Quebecor president and CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau. In the past, MELS Studios has hosted several major productions, including chapters of the X-Men franchise. The next Transformers movie is shooting this summer in Montreal.

Péladeau insisted that local cultural productions would also benefit from the new facility, adding that the studio ensures foreign revenues and to showcase talent and maintain an industry of Quebec producers.

STUDIO SHORTAGE

The film industry is cramped in Montreal.

According to a report published last May by the Bureau du cinéma et de la télévision du Québec (BCTQ), there is a shortage of nearly 400,000 square feet of studio space.

With the addition of MELS 4, which will be 160,000 square feet, the company is filling part of the gap.

Carrier admitted that he has had to turn down contracts because of the lack of space, representing missed opportunities of « tens of millions of dollars, not only for MELS, but also for the Quebec economy. »

« Montreal’s expertise is in high demand, » said Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante, who was present at the announcement.

She said she received great testimonials from « Netflix, Disney, HBO and company » during an economic mission to Los Angeles in 2019.

« What stands out is that they love Montreal because of its expertise, knowledge and beauty. We need more space, like MELS 4, » she said.

There is still not enough capacity in Quebec, acknowledged Minister of Finance, the Economy and Innovation Eric Girard.

« It is certain that the government is concerned about fairness and balance, so if other requests come in, we will study them with the same seriousness as we have studied this one, » he said.

Grandé Studios is the second-largest player in the industry. Last May, the company said it had expansion plans that should begin in 2022. Investissement Québec and Bell are minority shareholders in the company.

For its part, MELS will have 400,000 square feet of production space once MELS 4 is completed. The company employs 450 people in Quebec and offers a range of services including studio and equipment rentals, image and sound postproduction, visual effects and a virtual production platform.