Social services collective wants to breathe new life into fight for Peel’s fair share after years of underfunding

Publication: Penticton Herald

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Social services collective wants to breathe new life into fight for Peel’s fair share after years of underfunding

Publication: The Pointer

$70M pledge could bring over 400 new ‘affordable, community and supportive housing’ units in Mississauga and Brampton

Publication: Brampton Guardian

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Peel police create new unit to address hate-motivated crimes in ‘culturally responsive’ way

Publication: CBC

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Peel commits $70M for new non-profit housing builds in Mississauga, Brampton

Publication: Brampton Guardian

Food Banks Mississauga says it’s stretched thin, calls for donations during Thanksgiving drive

Publication: CBC

Gurpreet Malhotra, CEO of Indus Community Services, says after 35 years in the non-profit space, he’s never seen the need this high. His organization provides programming to support newcomers and seniors, along with culturally appropriate community and health services.
“The pressure continues to build,” he said. “Every hit on the community puts more and more people at a disadvantage and one where they have to have the use of a food bank to make ends meet.” Malhotra says clients who are unemployed are having a difficult time finding work and their resources are shrinking, which puts pressure on families but also the organizations that support them.

New life in Brampton: How Ukrainians found housing, work — and hope

Publication: Penticton Herald

Viktoria Sotnyk landed in Canada with her daughter on May 1, 2022, after fleeing the war in Ukraine. It was a move she never planned to make, and she arrived with little knowledge of her new country and a worry about her language skills. […] In Brampton, Sotnyk found a path forward at Indus Community Services. She took language classes and participated in a co-op program that opened new doors for her professionally. The support she received was pivotal, and she now works in social services. […] Though Indus did not create new programs tailored specifically to Ukrainians, they said these newcomers have and continue to benefit from the programs that already existed for more than 30 years now. Gurpreet S. Malhotra — CEO of Indus — said they currently have 23 classes of language instruction.  “This included the traditional classroom training and teaching, but this included a high level of compassion toward people who have been fleeing violence,” he said.

8 80 TowerPOPS brings new playful, green, and social spaces to tower communities in Cooksville, Mississauga and Rockcliffe-Smythe Toronto to promote better access to healthy urban space

Publication: The Globe and Mail

On July 12 and July 26, the organization is hosting the opening celebrations for the two inaugural 8 80 TowerPOPS site transformations in Cooksville, Mississauga and Rockcliffe-Smythe, Toronto. All are welcome to join in the fun.

8 80 TowerPOPS: Transforming Underused Spaces to Support Health Equity in Tower Neighbourhoods is a 3-year multi-disciplinary project led by 8 80 Cities. The project is funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Healthy Canadians and Communities Fund and United Way of Greater Toronto.

The project is made possible with the generous support of diverse project partners including, TAS, Toronto Community Housing, plazaPOPS, Muslims in Public Space, Building Up, ERA Architects, Earthscape Play, Heart Comonos, City of Mississauga, City of Toronto, Peel Public Health, the University of Guelph, Indus Community Services, and Access Alliance Multicultural Health Services, Centre for Urban Growth and Renewal, and the Tower Renewal Partnership.

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Indus Community Services Celebrates 40 Years of Empowering Communities

Publication: South Asian Daily

Founded in 1985, Indus Community Services has grown into a vital pillar of support, delivering a  wide range of programs in health and wellness, settlement, and family services. Over the past  40 years, the organization has touched thousands of lives, helping individuals and families thrive  in their new home. “We are incredibly proud to celebrate 40 years of service,” said Gurpreet Malhotra, CEO of  Indus Community Services. “This celebration is not just about looking back it’s about looking  forward to the future as we continue our mission of supporting communities and changing  lives.” The evening featured cultural performances, stories from clients and staff, and acknowledgements of the many individuals and partners who have shaped the organization’s legacy.

United Way announces over $2M in funding for community services across Greater Toronto

Publication: Toronto Star

• Indus Community Services (Brampton) –This mixed-use housing project with 75+ affordable units geared to seniors and 6,000 sq. ft. of community space will support culturally and linguistically appropriate social services for low-income seniors and families in the Pleasantview community. Funding will go towards pre-development and design costs, as well as furniture for the community space.

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United Way funding 13 community service spaces

Publication: Remi Network

Thirteen facilities across the Greater Toronto Area will receive more than $2 million in capital grants from United Way after the agency launched a community real estate initiative earlier this year. This initial round of funding—part of the organization’s 10-year, $23-million commitment to help create and expand sustainable community spaces—will support various needs, from kickstarting new builds to retrofitting existing facilities and providing final-stage funding for major, transformative projects.

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Way Greater Toronto announces $2M+ in grants to expand and strengthen community service spaces

Publication: Cision

Just months after launching its Community Real Estate (CRE) Initiative, United Way Greater Toronto is investing $2.125 million in capital grants to support 13 community projects across the GTA. This initial round of funding—part of the organization’s 10-year, $23-million commitment to help create and expand sustainable community spaces—will support various needs, from kickstarting new builds to retrofitting existing facilities and providing final-stage funding for major, transformative projects.

• Indus Community Services (Brampton) –This mixed-use housing project with 75+ affordable units geared to seniors and 6,000 sq. ft. of community space will support culturally and linguistically appropriate social services for low-income seniors and families in the Pleasantview community. Funding will go towards pre-development and design costs, as well as furniture for the community space.

Publication: City of Brampton

‘I never thought I’d have to fight like this’: Peel’s international students say immigration system is broken as election looms

Publication: Brampton Guardian

Peel Region to strengthen youth violence prevention efforts with $270K federal grant

Publication: CBC

Peel Region to strengthen youth violence prevention efforts with $270K federal grant

Publication: Brampton Guardian

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Peel social services are calling for help, but local PC MPPs show no sign they’re listening

Publication: The Pointer

While the PC apathy toward the Metamorphosis campaign is cause for concern as the Party begins its third majority government, Gurpreet Malhotra, CEO of Indus Community Services, told the Pointer the Network’s primary concern “has been and remains about the people who rely on the services and how their needs will be addressed.” […] “[The shortfall’s] impacts affect someone near you or in your family all the time, and that’s what we want to remain focused on and make sure elected officials be focused on because, after all, it’s perfectly reasonable to expect that Peel receives the resources that it generates in order to provide basic social and health services,” Malhotra told the Pointer. [Read More]

PCs ignore Metamorphosis Network’s request to fund $868M gap in Peel’s social services

Publication: Penticton Herald

After refusing to respond to media questions or attend community debates PC candidates are now ignoring an issue critical to social services across Peel. The Metamorphosis Network — a collective of more than 100 Peel non-profit organizations and community groups — warns that “community services in Peel Region have reached a breaking point.” It launched its ‘Cut in Half’ campaign, requesting all candidates commit to dramatically reducing an almost $870 million annual provincial funding shortfall for social services in Peel. Residents have been dangerously underserved for decades. As of Monday, according to the campaign’s website, all of the Liberal and NDP candidates have signed the pledge, save for Liberal candidates Michael Dehn in Dufferin—Caledon and Ranjit Singh Bagga in Brampton North. While all Green Party candidates in Peel have made the commitment, the Network is still waiting for a response from the Party’s leader Mike Schreiner. No candidates from the PC Party have responded to the pledge or acknowledged the funding issue. [Read More]

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PCs ignore Metamorphosis Network’s request to fund $868M gap in Peel social services

Publication: The Pointer

The Metamorphosis Network – a collective of more than 100 Peel non-profit organizations and community groups – warns that “community services in Peel Region have reached a breaking point.” It launched its ‘Cut in Half’ campaign, requesting all candidates commit to dramatically reducing an almost $870 million annual provincial funding shortfall for social services in Peel. […] “Peel is the most diverse, and fastest growing region in the province,” Gurpreet Malhotra, CEO of Indus Community Services, said in the release. “Racialized communities deserve as much funding support as everywhere else in the province, especially since they paid for these services through their Provincial tax dollar.” [Read More]

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In the last week of an election, candidates care more than you know: The Metamorphosis Network wants fair funding for Peel

Publication: The Pointer

The Metamorphosis Network, which brought together non-profit service providers across the region, has made it easy to take action. By visiting www.CutInHalf.ca there are ways to reach all the candidates in your area and share your thoughts about issues that matter to you. There must be something you want your soon-to-be MPP to prioritize. [Read More]

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‘Owning a home not an option’: How PCs made housing unaffordable while stripping environmental protection

Publication: The Pointer

The Metamorphosis Network, a coalition of more than 100 non-profits, is sounding the alarm about a growing crisis in funding for essential services across Mississauga, Brampton, and Caledon. In February, the group launched the ‘Cut in Half’ campaign, with a clear message: while Peel population is growing, provincial funding for community services is not. Peel receives $868 million less in funding in compared to similar communities like Toronto, with every resident effectively losing out on $578 in essential services annually. “This must stop now. Residents of Peel deserve the same services people get everywhere else in the province. It is not fair that people in our communities get less and wait longer for services. We want Provincial candidates to pledge their support and commit to making a real plan to solve the problem,” Indus Community Services’ chief executive officer Gurpreet Malhotra said in a statement. [Read More]

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No Conservatives or Green candidates have signed pledge to boost community funding in Mississauga and Brampton

Publication: InSauga

So far only a handful of Liberal and NDP candidates have signed a pledge to correct an “enormous funding shortfall” in Mississauga and Brampton if their parties are elected in the provincial election. The call to action comes from the Metamorphosis Network, a group of non-profits which has been urging Ontario to plug a $868 million funding gap in community services. A report last year found the shortfall costs each resident $578 per year in Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon, and both Metamorphosis and the Region of Peel are calling on candidates in the upcoming provincial election “to ensure that all community services are properly funded in perpetuity.” “I recognize that the Province of Ontario underfunds community services in Peel Region,” the pledge reads, adding that signees “support increasing investment in Peel now as a first step to solving this problem,” and “promise to create a table with the province, municipalities, and nonprofits from Peel Region.” [Read More]

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Network of Peel non-profits launch campaign to close funding gap

Publication: Penticton Herald

A network of over 100 Peel non-profits are hoping to use the Provincial election to address support service funding issues in the region. On February 12, the Metamorphosis Network launched its “Cut in Half” campaign which urges MPP candidates across Peel to pledge to solve “a crisis in funding for support services across Mississauga, Brampton, and Caledon.” The Metamorphosis Network’s goal with the campaign is to raise awareness about deteriorating services. […] Gurpreet Malhotra, of the non-profit Indus Community Services, said Peel residents deserve the same services people get elsewhere in Ontario. “It is not fair that people in our communities get less and wait longer for services. We want Provincial candidates to pledge their support and commit to making a real plan to solve the problem,” said Malhotra. [Read More]

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Part 2-THE HELPERS: lack of funding in Peel puts survivors of human trafficking at greater risk

Publication: The Pointer

Service providers have long pointed to the chronic underfunding in Peel. A report by the Metamorphosis Network last year found the Region was underfunded $868 million annually for social and community services. […] Prior to the Metamorphosis report, the underfunding issue in Peel was well known, and Rupnarain says if the Region is serious about helping survivors of human trafficking, it’s time to take the next step. […] Without systemic change to fix the chronic underfunding, service providers will have to do more with less. [Read More]

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Part 1-THE CRIME: Human trafficking is increasing across Ontario – police and service providers can’t keep up

Publication: The Pointer

Gurpreet Malhotra, CEO of Indus Community Services, told The Pointer in October last year how young girls from foreign counties who came to Canada as students or migrant workers are being sexually exploited by their landlords who act like caring uncles or aunts, before employing exploitative techniques to lure them into sex work. “The young person is paying $16,000 a year for college tuition, and that is a huge draw, so a huge amount of pressure on a young person who has not been to the big city or to Canada before,” Malhotra said, adding the exploitation can continue and involve numerous forms of trauma. [Read More]

Increased support for Metamorphosis Network advertising campaign

Publication: City of Mississauga

Council approved a Notice of Motion allowing additional funding and advertising spaces to support the Metamorphosis Network’s campaign to raise awareness about provincial underfunding of municipal and social services in Peel Region. Key points of the notion include; increase advertising spaces from 101 to 233 for a 4-week campaign period, allocate up to $100,000 in additional funding from the Fiscal Stability Reserve and address the disparity in provincial funding for Peel Region residents compared to other Ontario municipalities. [Read More]

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CMHA Peel Dufferin to Lead New HART Hub in Brampton

Publication: CMHA Peel Dufferin

On Tuesday January 28, 2025, Indus Community Services was in attendance for CMHA Peel Dufferin’s announcement that they have been approved as the lead agency for the new Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub in Brampton. Indus was among 18 community partners thanked for their support and contribution to writing the funding proposal to the provincial government. Indus looks forward to the continued work that we will be doing together with our fellow community partners. [Read More]

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Peel CAS partners with Ontario and City of Brampton on new Youth Hub

Publication: Peel CAS

Indus Community Services is pleased to be a partner alongside Peel Children’s Aid Society and numerous community partners in the development of programs and counselling for youth ages 12-25 at the new Century Gardens Youth Wellness Hub, come 2026! [Read More]

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Peel paramedics demand fair pay and mental health support amid compensation gap

Publication: The Pointer

The strained paramedic workforce is only the latest sign of chronic underfunding by the Province that extends across Peel’s social services, paramedic services, and public health. A report from the Metamorphosis Network published last year shows Peel is underfunded approximately $868,000 annually for schools, public health (including paramedics) and other core services mandated by the Government of Ontario. While $850,000 has been allocated by the Region over the next two years to the Metamorphosis Network to advocate for fair-share funding from Queen’s Park, this effort will not resolve the immediate gaps in essential services. [Read More]

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One-third of Ontario newcomers say they felt safer in home countries, survey finds

Publication: CBC

Gurpreet Malhotra, CEO of Indus Community Services, which works with South Asian newcomers, said he’s heard from international students living in homes with 20 other people. Another concern is “unscrupulous employers” taking advantage of newcomers’ precarious situation, forcing them to work without pay or even withholding their passports, Malhotra said.  “That’s the kind of anxieties that we’ve been seeing, the kind of fear that has been generated in that particular newcomer community.” When put in those difficult situations, newcomers often feel like if they speak up, they could lose their housing or employment, which is hard to come by as it is, he said. [Read More]

See free screening of ‘I Am No Queen’ film on international student sex work in Brampton

Publication: The Pointer

The film, called I Am No Queen, was directed by Brampton filmmaker Shadab Khan and is being screened by the city as part of 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. […] The free event is being put on by Brampton On Stage “to increase awareness and encourage change amongst community leaders,” and will feature a panel discussion before the screening moderated by Coun. Rowena Santos with Loveen Gill of OMNI News, Gurpreet Malhotra, CEO Indus Community Services, and producers Deep and Minu Basi. […] Brampton City Council is also urging both the federal and provincial governments to step up and take action to better protect international students from human traffickers, saying removing sex work as a condition for deportation is a crucial step towards cracking down on traffickers and getting student victims the help they need.” [Read More]

 

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Cultural barriers, financial strain & systematic gaps: how international students cope with unplanned pregnancies

Publication: The Pointer

Gurpreet Malhotra, CEO of Peel’s Indus Community Services, told The Pointer that financial support from the United Way with collaborations with the Children’s Aid Society and the Sonar Foundation, aids young parents, including international students, by offering mentorship, baby supplies and assistance during challenging phases of their journey. He said many parents encounter difficulties, including societal stigma and insufficient knowledge about their student health insurance around medical services during pregnancy. “In some cases…the insurance companies have said: that if they become pregnant while here, they would be covered. But the students don’t know that, so they don’t access prenatal care, and they don’t access things like prenatal vitamins and other things that others would normally be able to success.” [Read More]

 

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Family and intimate partner violence

Publication: Peel Region

It’s a widespread and growing public health concern and instances of violence are also more severe. Violence and abuse can lead to poor physical and mental health, serious injuries and even homicide. On June 22, 2023 Peel Region Council declared intimate partner violence epidemic in Peel. […] 2024 marks the fifth year of the Family and Intimate Partner Violence campaign and the November 25 launch date coincides with the start of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence and the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. We want family and intimate partner violence survivors to know there is support. Help us spread the word and break the silence. [Read More]

 

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Peel giving $850k to Metamorphosis Network for advocacy to bridge gap in provincial funding

Publication: The Pointer

Regional councillors have approved an $850,000 funding envelope for the Peel Metamorphosis over two years, in a bid to help the local organization pressure Queen’s Park for fair-share funding. […] Gurpreet Malhotra, CEO of Indus Community Services and member of the Metamorphosis Network Leadership Team, told The Pointer those funds, once received, will go to research and building evidence to support the Network’s position that the Region of Peel is being shortchanged, and has been for decades. “You don’t really want to put any misinformation out in the community and don’t want to hurl, if you will, an unfounded claim against a government official that’s just trying to their job, but you do want to be able to say, ‘look, these are the facts as we know the, could you help? Is there a problem with our facts?'” he said. [Read More]

 

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Peel to continue funding Metamorphosis Network

Publication: Caledon Citizen

Regional Councillors approved a two-year funding plan for the Metamorphosis Network; in 2025 the non-profit will receive $450,000 from the Region and in 2026 it will receive $400,000.  The money is coming from Peel’s tax rate stabilization reserve and will be administered through Peel’s Community Investment Program under the oversight of the Region’s Commissioner of Human Services.  Geraldine Aguiar, CEO of Caledon Community Services (CCS), delegated to Regional Council on November 7 in support of the Metamorphosis Network’s funding request. She said ongoing underfunding remains a consistent barrier for residents needing to access essential community support services in Peel. Aguiar said the Metamorphosis Network has become the go-to for consultation on non-profit issues and has been key in bringing the fact that Peel’s non-profits are underfunded to light. [Read More]

 

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Peel to continue funding Metamorphosis Network

Publication: Penticton Herald

On November 7, Region of Peel Councillors unanimously voted to continue funding the Metamorphosis Network. The network represents over 100 Peel non-profits in the health and community services sectors and was originally created to advocate for Peel’s non-profits ahead of the Region’s dissolution, which never came to be. The Metamorphosis Network’s new mandate is to advocate to ensure that social services in Peel are fully-funded, effective, and meet the needs of the community. [Read More]

 

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City of Brampton Takes Bold Action Against Exploitation and Trafficking of International Students

Publication: Bramptonist

Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown, alongside Regional Councillor Rowena Santos, announced new initiatives to combat the exploitation and trafficking of international students. The motion, led by Santos, aims to strengthen protections, advocate for systemic change at provincial and federal levels, and introduce community solutions to safeguard international students in Brampton. […] “International students are a key part of our community, but many are exploited. This motion is about giving them the protections they need,” said Mayor Brown. Santos added, “By improving the RRL program and creating culturally sensitive supports, we’re ensuring these students can thrive.” Gurpreet Malhotra, CEO of Indus Community Services, praised the City’s commitment to culturally appropriate services, emphasizing that exploitation is a human rights issue needing a community-driven response. [Read More]

 

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International female students at risk of abuse, sex trafficking by unscrupulous landlords in Ontario, officials say

Publication: InSauga

Gurpreet Malhotra, CEO of Indus Community Services, has seen this exploitation of students adapt over his years of serving Brampton, Mississauga, and Caledon’s South Asian community. Like any form of unchecked exploitation, its evolution has not been for the better. “It is feeding on [these young women] and is creating an environment that is destabilizing for others. Because on the one hand, is a landlord exchanging sex for rent, and on the other, additional forms of prostitution are now starting to appear,” Malhotra told INsauga.com, Malhotra then illuminated two fundamental realities about the current situation in Brampton. Primarily, many of the landlords who operate these exploitative households come from within the South Asian community, as they are likely known to the victim as friends of friends or even ‘cousins.’ “The sad part of this is that it’s so many people from the same community, other South Asians or people from India who own 10 homes, or two homes in another person’s name and then another three homes in another person’s name,” says Malhotra. The second is that the forcing of sex in exchange for lodging seldom stops at the front door, as the landlords who brute force a personal sexual relationship with a tenant will then allegedly force them into wholesale non-consensual sex work at their discretion. [Read More]

International students are being sexually exploited, trafficked, says Brampton mayor

Publication: Global News

The announcement marks the first time the issue has been formally acknowledged by any level of government despite student advocacy groups and local social services providers sounding the alarm for the last few years. […] Gurpreet Malhotra said students are also coerced into the sex trade by landlords or romantic partners who take advantage of newcomer students. Malhotra is the CEO of Indus Community Services, a not-for-profit that provides social services to the South Asian community in Peel Region. “Community members have noticed ads being placed in public places promising reduced rent in exchange for sexual favours,” Malhotra said. [Read More]

 

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Brampton officials call on feds, Ontario to help curb trafficking of international students 

Publication: CBC 

Brampton officials are calling on their federal and provincial counterparts to change student visa requirements and provide more support for international students, who they say are more vulnerable to exploitation and human trafficking. […] Some victims are coerced into sex work because of landlords withholding their passport, said Gurpreet Malhotra, CEO of Indus Community Services, which provides social services in Peel, while others fall victim to sextortion or grooming from what first seems like a normal relationship. [Read More] 

 

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Brampton calls for government support to help combat exploitation of international students 

Publication: CityNews 

Brampton officials along with Peel Regional Police and social service groups gathered on Wednesday to lay out next steps to combat the exploitation of international students within the city. […] Brown said the city is home to the highest number of international students in Canada. Officials are speaking out following disturbing ads that have been posted online, with some demanding sexual favours in exchange for housing. […] “We can see an easy fix for this for example federal regulations changed or a pilot program, with an exemption in the city by settlement agencies, that would see existing settlement workers be able to now support international students,” said Gurpreet Malhotra, CEO, Indus Community Services. [Read More] 

 

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Students forced into sex work need protection from deportation in Brampton, advocates and council says 

Publication: InSauga 

Traffickers can be blatant in recruiting, with Posters and ads promoting sex work seen around Brampton in front of a local Gurdwara and post-secondary schools, and students who do find themselves trapped in sex work can be deported if they report the matter to the police. […] Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown, Coun. Rowena Santos and Gurpreet Malhotra, CEO of Indus Community Services, will share more details of the city’s fight against human trafficking at a press conference on Wednesday. The motion will see the city’s requests sent to both the province and the federal government. [Read More] 

 

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Changing immigration policies leave international students in Brampton ‘uncertain and anxious’ 

Publication: Brampton Guardian 

Last month, the Liberal government announced it will slash the number of international student permits it issues by 10 per cent. In 2025, 437,000 study permits will be issued compared to the 485,000 issued in 2024. Gurpreet Malhotra — CEO of Indus Services, a community organization that provides services to international students in Peel — said he is pleased by the cuts, as they will likely lead to greater supports for international students. He said unchecked immigration has led to exploitation by colleges. “A lot of the time, the students have been brought here and have not been provided the supports they need to do well here,” he said. “They’ve been seen as a cash cow, and not as a human resource that needs to be well-supported.” [Read More] 

 

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Results from the 2024 Ontario Health System Quality and Innovation Awards Ceremony 

Publication: Dalla Lana – School of Public Health 

Category 7: Excellence in Health Communications Award 

Presented by: Avis Favaro, Santis Health and noted Health Journalist 

Winner: Dementia Strategic Fund, Apna Mind, Apna Body: A South Asian Guide to Dementia Care (Received by Navneet Dhillon, from Indus Community Services) [Read More]

 

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One of the World’s Most Immigrant-Friendly Countries Is Changing Course 

Publication: The New York Times 

The limbo facing many temporary residents whose permits have expired, or soon will, is pushing some into harmful or illegal paths, said Gurpreet Malhotra, the CEO at Indus Community Services, a government-funded group helping migrants. Some, he said, end up staying illegally and working as cleaners, in warehouses or restaurant kitchens, for a fraction of the minimum wage. A desperate need for money also makes them vulnerable to being recruited by criminal groups, he said. [Read More] 

 

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Union Sounds Alarm on Ford’s Secret Plans for Privatizing Peel’s Municipal Services 

Publication: BusinessWire 

At a news conference on Thursday, representatives from CUPE Ontario [and community organization Metamorphosis Network] will outline their objections to the sell-off of Peel’s municipal services and their plans for fighting it. Speakers at the news conference include representatives of Metamorphosis Network, which represents over 100 non-profit organizations serving health and human services needs in Peel; CUPE 966, with more than 3500 public sector workers in Peel; and CUPE Ontario, which represents 290,000 CUPE workers in the province. [Read More] 

 

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BTI Celebrates 25 Years of Innovative Thinking 

Publication: Strategy 

With these notes in mind, BTI developed a six-month campaign to promote Indus’s culturally relevant and accessible mental wellness programs, known as Boost Wellness. The campaign included targeted social media outreach, radio ads and interviews to connect with the local ethnic audience. Gurpreet Malhotra, CEO of Indus Community Services, says BTI’s effective use of short form videos and social media that encouraged engagement and self-referral in the campaign led to effectively reaching the targeted groups. [Read More] 

125 MiWay Buses Should Deliver $500M Funding Shortfall Message: Mississauga Councillor 

Publication: INsauga 

A Mississauga councillor and social advocacy group want to use 125 MiWay transit buses to deliver the message that residents of Canada’s seventh-largest city are being underfunded by some $500 million a year. The in-kind contribution, noted Butt in his motion, would be made to the Peel Metamorphosis Network, which would use the ad space to “better inform and educate Mississauga residents about concerns relating to the underfunding of municipal and social services.” [Read More] 

 

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Brampton Councillor Pushes Back After Rent for Sex Ad Circulates Online 

Publication: On the Record 

Santos said Brampton is working with Indus Community Services to help people facing difficulty with renting, and that the city has signed the International Student Charter — a plan brought forward by the City of Brampton and the president of Sheridan College, to make international student life better in Brampton through “shared principles, recommended actions and mechanisms for Accountability.” [Read More] 

 

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Brampton’s rental licence pilot led to 4,700 home inspections

Publication: CBC  

Brampton officials say the city is making headway on cracking down on illegal rentals. As CBC’s Britnei Bilhete reports, they say rental conditions they’ve seen range from unsafe living standards, to sexual exploitation. [Read More] 

Parrish says Peel’s request for fair share funding from Queen’s Park ‘landed with a thud’: local residents are subsidizing other parts of Ontario 

Publication: The Pointer 

After being chronically underserved for decades, the Region of Peel’s request for a fair share of funding for its social services is once again being pushed to the side by the provincial government. […] The crippling gap in Peel’s social service funding was brought to light earlier this year when a report prepared by Peel’s Metamorphosis Network showed the impacts of inequities local residents suffer. […] The Network’s analysis ultimately found Peel’s social services are being carelessly underfunded and, in turn, the region’s 1.5 million residents are being underserved. [Read More]

 

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Mississauga seeks a ‘new deal’ for a fair share of Ontario funds 

Publication: InSauga

Peel residents receive $578 less per capita from the province than people living in other regions, and $145 less per capita for vital social services, according to the Metamorphosis Network, a group of close to 100 social services agencies in Peel Region.In total, Peel Region is short more than $868 million for important programs and services that residents rely upon, the city said. “This funding gap must be closed using property tax dollars,” the city said. “Mississauga joined Peel Region and the Metamorphosis Network to make the case to the provincial government for fairness for Peel Region and Mississauga taxpayers.” [Read More]

 

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Mississauga advocates for top priorities at 2024 AMO conference

Publication: City of Mississauga 

The Mississauga delegation stressed with all provincial ministers, as well as with opposition party leaders, the need for fairness for the 1.5 million people that live in Peel Region. According to the Metamorphosis Network, a group of close to 100 social services agencies in Peel Region, residents in Peel receive $578 less per capita from the province than people living in other regions, and $145 less per capita for vital social services. In total, Peel Region is short more than $868 million for important programs and services that residents rely upon. This funding gap must be closed using property tax dollars. Mississauga joined Peel Region and the Metamorphosis Network to make the case to the provincial government for fairness for Peel Region and Mississauga taxpayers. [Read More] 

 

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Peel social service collective demands change after being shortchanged millions; Mississauga mayor sits down with Premier to demand fair share for region 

Publication: The Pointer 

Prepared by Peel’s Metamorphosis Network and presented to regional councillors in May, the report revealed a troubling reality: Peel’s current level of social service delivery is insufficient to meet the needs of its residents and without change, many of the social issues in Peel will only continue to worsen. It underlined just how underfunded social services in Peel are compared to other Ontario municipalities. […] “We continue to see a huge lack of affordable housing, increases in problems around homelessness and barriers for the settlement,” Gurpreet Malholtra, CEO of Indus Community Services and member of the Metamorphosis Network Leadership Team, told The Pointer. [Read More]

Helping people living with dementia ‘flourish’ through dance

Publication: UHN Foundation

Typically, dance programs in dementia care settings are provided as a therapeutic intervention for older adults. However, SDOA’s goal is to provide a creative outlet for participants and opportunities for social interaction with other people living with dementia, staff and loved ones. […] The three-year grant to Drs. Kontos and Bar will support SDOA efforts to partner with organizations in Black, Chinese and South Asian communities to integrate their cultural practices into its programming. […] SDOA has already partnered with Alexis Lodge, Alzheimer Society of Canada, Baycrest, NBS, Indus Community Services, Social Planning Council of Ottawa, and Yee Hong for this initiative. [Read More] 

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Over 100 Peel Region non-profits call for improved funding

Publication: City News

The Ford government is once again under fire over its provincial funding structure. Melissa Duggan speaks with a member of the senior leadership for the Metamorphosis Network, an organization that provides health and human services in Peel. [Watch Here] 

 

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Parrish sits down with Housing Minister, signals forward-looking relationship between Mississauga’s new mayor & PCs

Publication: The Pointer

A report presented to regional councillors in May showed an $868 million annual shortfall in community service funding in Peel as Queen’s Park continues to underfund the high-growth region. The Metamorphosis Network reported an annual gap of $578 for every person in Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon, compared to the rest of the province. […] Parrish pointed out the 100 non-profit organizations that fall under the Metamorphosis Network are experiencing a shortfall of $258 per capita when compared to grant allocations for other cities with more than 500,000 residents. Parrish said the meeting focused on several asks, including funding for social programs, giving out a complete transfer of the Region’s planning functions to its lower-tier municipalities, incentives to encourage rental units and stronger provincial support for the Region’s requests to the federal government to fund capital and operational costs for an Asylum Seekers Centre. [Read More] 

‘Do what is right’: Mississauga council calls on Ford government to better fund social and community services

Publication: CBC

The resolution follows a May 22 report released by Metamorphosis Network, which represents more than 100 not-for-profits in Peel, that found the provincial government is shortchanging residents, on average, more than $850 million per year for community and social services like housing and childcare compared to other regions. The Metamorphosis report, which was authored by Blueprint consultants, looked at provincial funding for housing, education, child and senior care between 2015 and 2022 and found that Peel residents were getting $578 less per resident than other regions with populations exceeding 500,000, including Toronto, Ottawa, York, Durham, Halton, Hamilton and Waterloo. [Read More] 

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Could Mississauga be next in line for a ‘new deal?’

Publication: CBC

The Metamorphosis Network, a group of over 100 non-profit community agencies in Peel Region, think Mississauga’s next mayor must broker a new deal with Ontario. The agreement should help address funding in social services, they say. […] The Metamorphosis Network published a study last month, which compared social service funding levels among some of Ontario’s largest municipalities. That research found Peel ranked last of seven other cities with populations over 500,000 when comparing funding for social services, non-profit services and community health programs. [Read More] 

Encampment Policy Update: Addressing the Chronic Underfunding in Peel

Publication: Rowena Santos

During the Regional Council meeting May 23, the focus was on the critical issues of homelessness and mental health services within our community. Peel is chronically underfunded in these essential areas, and today’s discussions reinforced the urgent need for increased provincial support. […] Key delegates, including Angela Carter of the Black Health and Social Services Hub, Arvind Krishendeholl from Indus Community Services, and Sean Meagher of the Metamorphosis Network, provided data on the severe funding gaps impacting our region. Their insights emphasized the necessity for a more equitable distribution of provincial resources to adequately support our growing and diverse population. [Read More]

 

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2023-24 Victim Services Awards of Distinction Recipients

Publication: Government of Ontario

For more than 35 years, Indus Community Services’ Family Services team has helped support victims of family violence and intimate partner violence. It provides culturally responsive services that address child abuse, gender-based and family violence through programs such as the ACES (advocacy, counseling, empowerment and safety) program, Multicultural Access to Social Supports Initiative, Family Court Support and Child and Youth Parenting programs and other services. Indus Community Services – Family Services supports more than 800 victims of abuse and domestic and family violence annually. [Read More] 

 

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Demanding participation and transparent policymaking in urban Ontario

Publication: Caledon Enterprise

The Metamorphosis Network is an independent network of community support services, non-profit organizations and community groups that, for decades, have formed the backbone of community services throughout Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon. Metamorphosis’ purpose is to achieve enhanced client services through collaboration, knowledge transfer and service improvements. […] Did you know that in Peel, this is not always assured? Per capita funding in Peel reportedly lags behind other regions across the province. For provincial funding, individuals living in Peel can be afforded at times 30, 40 even 50 per cent lower per capita than other areas. It’s just so much less. Over the next few months, the Metamorphosis Network will be raising these issues repeatedly because Peel can’t afford to be at this disadvantage any longer. [Read More] 

 

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You can become a ‘committed citizen’ and help Metamorphosis make change for Peel Region’s vulnerable, says Geraldine Aguiar

Publication: Policy Options

Government transparency and public participation are essential components of effective policymaking. The provincial government set up a process that created little room for listening to the region’s residents or organizations such as the Metamorphosis Network, a collaborative of more than 100 non-profits across the municipalities of Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon. Metamorphosis serves as a central voice for the community services sector and those it serves, raising awareness about the importance of regional services such as housing and health supports, particularly for a community that has been grossly underfunded by the province for years. [Read More]

Passing the Torch: Rohan D’Souza’s Reflection at Human Trafficking Symposium in Canada

Publication: Pingara

The symposium stood out as a beacon of hope and collaboration, drawing together a diverse group of participants, including law enforcement, non-profits, and individuals with lived experiences. Among the highlights was the unveiling of the “Mobilizing Knowledge about Labour Trafficking to Strengthen Effective Response” toolkit. This resource, available in six languages, is a testament to Indus’ commitment to providing comprehensive support to service providers and individuals navigating the aftermath of labor exploitation. [..] The symposium underscored the importance of collaboration over competition, with Indus partnering with numerous community members and organizations, such as encourage, the Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking, and Peel Police. These partnerships are crucial in the global fight against human trafficking, emphasizing the need for united efforts across borders and sectors. [Read More] 

 

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Ballot Vox: #94 – Fighting for a new deal for Peel (AUDIO)

Publication: CBC  

Topics of discussion:

• More funding required for non-profit organizations
• Rising issues in Peel
• Peel funding compared to Toronto
• Healthcare, senior services, childcare, settlement for newcomers

‘It will be a good thing for us’: International students living in Canada react to Ottawa’s visa cap

Publication: The Globe and Mail

International students living in Canada are feeling both hopeful and frustrated over the cap on study permits the federal government announced last week. Faced with life in cramped accommodation and struggling to find enough work to pay their fees, some students see the planned cut in visa numbers as welcome relief. But some also wonder why the government didn’t act sooner, and worry the new rules may signal a shift in Canada’s previously welcoming attitude toward international students. […] Gurpreet Malhotra, chief executive officer of Indus Community Services and an advocate for international students, described the situation he’s seen unfold in Mississauga and Brampton over the past few years, citing the example of 20 students sharing a suburban three-bedroom home, sleeping on mattresses on the floor. He expressed frustration at those who have taken “cheap shots” at the students, blaming them for a long list of problems. [Read More] 

 

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Algoma University’s Brampton enrolment skyrocketed 900% in three years thanks to international students from India who say exploitation made them into a ‘cash cow’

Publication: The Pointer 

The new year in downtown Brampton was marked by a series of student protests at the city’s satellite campus of Algoma University. As the exploitation of international students at post-secondary institutions across Canada continues to make national headlines, the hard-to-fathom enrolment trajectory at Algoma’s local campus illustrates the fundamental problem – in just three years the number of students at the campus has grown by approximately 900 percent. Almost all of them are from India. […] Gurpreet Malhotra, Chief Executive Officer of Indus Community Services in Brampton, who has tirelessly advocated for the international students his agency has to help take care of every day, told The Pointer that “bad actors” in the post-secondary institution realm are “not only these diploma mills, private companies, and not only these uncomfortable partnerships between private career colleges and publicly-assisted ones, but even publicly-assisted institutions,” who he said prioritize profit over academic integrity. [Read More]

October 2023

• ‘Trust Needed’: Indian community leaders react to South Asian Peel police initiative

July 2023

• ‘Don’t want South Asians to be isolated anymore’: How this organization is trying to help the racialized group in Caledon

May 2023

• New project trains Peel settlement workers to identify signs of domestic violence in new immigrant families

April 2023

• Tips for youth to navigate mental health challenges

March 2023

• Ontario colleges introduce new rules to protect foreign students from recruiters’ false, misleading claims
• Government of Canada invests $1 million to support mental health through Indus Community Services

February 2023

• Newcomer women in Brampton gain culinary training, employment skills as part of new program
• Newcomer women in Mississauga gain culinary training, employment skills as part of new program

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November 2022

• ‘The need is higher than ever’

October 2022

• Advancing Health Equity in the South Asian Community

July 2022

• Upcoming summit at Sheridan College in Brampton on improving the international student experience – Toronto Star
• Advocates welcome Peel District School Board’s new anti-racism policy as ‘first step’ and call for clear accountability – Toronto Star

June 2022

• For Indian Students, work visas and residency are the prize – MacroBusiness

May 2022

• Brampton donates nearly $600,000 to support local non-profit organizations – InSauga

April 2022

• Volunteering brings you happiness: Mississauga resident on his mission to give back – Mississauga News
• Amazon Canada Donates $250,000 to Peel Region Organizations – Amazon Canada
• Mississauga residents in need to benefit from $250,000 Amazon donation – InSauga
• Oversight needed to prevent exploitation of international students – CBC

March 2022

• Proposal for South Asian long-term care home stalls after Brampton staff pulled offer ahead of deadline – The Pointer

February 2022

• Pop-up walk-in COVID-19 vaccine clinic at Sheridan College Brampton campus adds more dates
• Sheridan College opens new community pop-up vaccine clinic in Brampton

January 2022

• Councillor Bowman’s $1.0M Barn Boondoggle Back in the Spotlight

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December 2021

• Students from India paid thousands to Quebec colleges they couldn’t attend. Now they can’t get that money back
• Apartment inspections a good first step and vacancy control should be next, says Peel housing advocacy group
• Red FM – Violence Against Women – Myths vs Reality – Punjabi

November 2021

• Experts worry about lasting effect of seniors’ health declines during pandemic
• Community members say information about Peel Police anti-racism committee scarce

September 2021

• United Way Greater Toronto Show Your Love Day campaign aimed at supporting Peel agencies – Mississauga.com
• Apna Health – Invited & Forgotten: International Students in Crisis – Newswire
• Community Leaders Warn of the Exploitation of International Students in Brampton – Bramptonist

August 2021

• GO bus will be bringing COVID-19 vaccines to Brampton residents Saturday – Insauga
• Metro Morning with Ismaila Alfa: A healthcare advocate shares his perspective on the upcoming election – CBC Listen
• Sheridan College Brampton campus shuts down vaccine clinic after more than 35,000 doses – Insauga

June 2021

• “We Had to Save Ourselves” – The Local
• Inside the scramble to find culturally competent care for elderly immigrants – Broadview
• The latest on the coronavirus outbreak for June 14 – CBC News
• Significant increases in 1st dose uptake in L6Y postal code after 17-day clinic – Sheridan Newsroom
• How tracking ethnicity and occupation data is helping fight COVID-19 – CBC News

May 2021

• Government of Canada invests $3.2 million to help prevent human trafficking and support survivors and victims – CNW Group
• Avoid mixed messaging with any mix-and-match vaccine plan: CEO – KTW
• 15 Asian-Canadian TikTok Creators You Should Follow – Complex
• Get the Facts on the Vax – CTV News
• Celebrating Asian Canadian TikTokers for Asian Heritage Month – View the Vibe
• Avoid mixed messaging with any mix-and-match vaccine plan: CEO – Toronto Star

April 2021

• Doctor urges more vaccines for Brampton to quell sky-high COVID-19 cases – CBC News

March 2021

• Ontario Adding and Upgrading Long-term Care Spaces across the Province – Ontario Newsroom
• The Ford government says Brampton is getting a new hospital – CBC News
• Newcomers vulnerable to domestic violence, while high-demand cultural services nearing ‘breaking point’ – CBC News

February 2021

• Apna Health collaborative, created in response to disproportionate COVID-19 cases in Peel’s South Asian communities – CNW Group

January 2021

• Hard-hit Brampton to open first COVID-19 isolation sites, raising questions about why it took so long – CBC News

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December 2020

• CBC Listen: White Coat Black Art with Dr. Brian Goldman -What’s really behind rising numbers in one of Canada’s COVID hotspots?

November 2020

• CBC News: The National – COVID-19 transmission in the South Asian community
• Knowledge is power in Peel’s fight against inequity

October 2020

• Volunteer MBC reveals 14 award recipients at 2020 Virtual V-Oscars – Mississauga.com

September 2020

• Brampton has emerged as one on Ontario’s COVID-19 hotspots, but experts urge caution on where to lay blame – CBC News
• Radio piece on COVID 19 – CBC (Interview with Gurpreet Malhotra, CEO, Indus Community Service is at Minute 7:30)
• Adoptions and abortions on the rise among international students: Can-India News 

July 2020

• How do you fix a problem nobody wants to talk about? – The Pointer

May 2020

• Peel’s Community Safety and Well-being Plan – OMNI TV-Focus Punjabi
• Indus Community Services launches the MAASI Program to assist first-time newcomer mothers

April 2020

• Press Release: Indus Community Services announces the launch of the International Student Task Force
• Help for new immigrants during COVID-19 Pandemic – OMNI TV
• Indus sets up the International Students Task Force – Can-India News
• Indus Announces the creation of the International Task Force – South Asian Weekly

March 2020

• United Way partners with Peel Region NGOs on anti-poverty initiatives – Can-India News
• Newcomers vulnerable to domestic violence, while high-demand cultural services nearing ‘breaking point’ – CBC.CA
• Two Mississauga neighbourhoods slated to receive extra support to combat poverty – Insauga.com
• Indus Community Services opens a new location in Brampton to better serve the community

February 2020

• As Poverty Deepens in the 905, United Way is Strengthening Peel Region’s Social Infrastructure with a $2 million investment in the region.
• Multi-Sector Recruitment Fair – SNAPD Mississauga North
• Indus Community Services successfully earns another three year CARF Accreditation
• Three leading Service Providers join together to launch “The CHANGE Staff Workplace Program”- Press Release

January 2020

• SAATH – Developing a developing a collaborative service model to support South Asian  children youth and families.