13 recommendations released for better disability services in Manitoba
Posted June 17, 2026 10:43 am.
Last Updated June 17, 2026 10:46 am.
Tuesday marked an important step towards improving services for people with disabilities in Manitoba.
A groundbreaking report from the integrated adult services pilot project was released, outlining 13 recommendations to build a better system.
Now, the province is on the clock to make the changes.
“I hope that they are implemented because it’s going to make change for a lot of people,” sad Tyson Sylvester, who filed a human rights complaint in 2016.
“Disability can happen to anyone at any moment, and we all deserve the same dignity, and to live a full life no matter what the disability is.”
Sylvester and the late Amelia Hampton, who filed a separate complaint that same year, both settled in 2021, with the province agreeing to the pilot project to identify gaps and barriers in the system.
Now, the 13 recommendations include establishing a new disability support system; replacing diagnosis- and IQ-based eligibility with a needs-based framework; and increasing disability income to reflect real costs of living with disability.
“The way it is now, we have to blow it up and start over because this isn’t working,” said Amelia’s mother Charlene Hampton. “They know it, they know it, they knew before this pilot project started. We felt the pilot was really just them kicking the ball down the line because again, they knew there were issues.”
Tuesday’s announcement was held in front of a packed crowed, many of whom were people with disabilities. It was a bittersweet moment for Amelia’s family.
“Just before the meeting started, Tyson was outside, and there was a butterfly that landed on him, and we feel that was her making her presence,” Hampton said. “So yeah, she’s here and we’re so proud of her, we miss her.”
The report states the government has six months to present a plan to implement the changes. If it fails to do so, Sylvester and the Hampton family can request a hearing on the matter.
“Proud to of course reached this, but then you sort of feel like, now it’s kind of a ‘the ball is in the government’s court,’ you know what I mean?” Sylvester said.
“We met with Nahanni Fontaine back in 2015 and she seemed very disgusted by the way Amelia and Tyson were being treated and other Manitobans with disabilities, and now it’s her chance to do something about it because they’re in power,” added Charlene Hampton.
In a statement, Fontaine, the minister responsible for accessibility, credited the work done by Tyson Sylvester and Amelia Hampton, which led to the pilot program.
“My mandate is been clear: ensure Manitobans with disabilities have a voice in the design of disability support programs,” Fontaine said. “Since taking office, our government has made it easier for Manitobans to access Community Living disABILITY Services and worked directly with members of the disability community to improve programs and policies. We met with the IAS Steering Committee throughout the pilot program and celebrated the completion of the report earlier this month.
“As my department continues to review these recommendations in detail, we will continue working together to ensure Manitobans with disabilities have the supports they need to live a good life.”
