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A statement from CLBC at the conclusion of the inquest into the death of Florence Girard

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Logo for Community Living British Columbia featuring three stylized human figures in blue and green forming a linked chain. Text below reads Community Living British Columbia.

Posted on Jan 24,2025

Community Living BC (CLBC) acknowledges that what happened to Florence Girard is absolutely devastating and should never have happened. We thank the Coroners Service and those who participated in the recent BC Coroners Service inquest for thoroughly exploring how CLBC and other systems can do better. CLBC welcomes the recommendations and is committed to taking concrete actions to address them and to strengthen the delivery of home sharing services. Our senior management and staff listened daily, hearing the concerns from Florence’s family and from those who wanted to prevent a similar tragedy from happening in the future.    

“CLBC was created so people with developmental disabilities can be supported in community and provided with what they need to live meaningful, inclusive and connected lives,” says Ross Chilton, CEO of CLBC. “Many people who work here, myself included, have family who receive CLBC funded supports. We’re deeply committed to the people we support and the work we do. Unfortunately, in 2018, the system and CLBC failed Florence. We failed her family who trusted that Florence would receive the emotional and physical supports she required. The checks in place at that time didn’t work. While acknowledging that truth is painful, it’s important to do so we can prevent such a tragedy in the future. On behalf of CLBC I offer an unreserved apology to Florence’s family, friends and loved ones.”

CLBC acknowledges that the inquest proceedings may have brought up painful feelings or concerns, particularly among the 29,000 people served by CLBC, and their loved ones, as well as others in the community living sector. We understand they may have questions about what changes CLBC has made, to help prevent anything like this from happening again.

About 4,300 people are supported by CLBC in home share living situations, which is the type of housing in which Florence lived. Home sharing is a CLBC-funded service where an adult with a developmental disability shares a home with a person or family who is contracted to provide supports. It’s work that requires someone kind and compassionate. Home sharing providers are contracted by an agency which directly oversees their work. CLBC monitors the work of the agencies. Since 2018 CLBC has:

  • Significantly improved training, standards and polices for home sharing and tools to allow for more comprehensive monitoring.
  • Agencies that contract home sharing providers must now visit those homes at least once every three months.
  • New monitoring to ensure supported individuals have a personal plan that addresses health care planning and that a doctor’s visit takes place at least once per year.
  • Added $1.5 million to put in place better monitoring and tracking oversight systems within CLBC and hired 12 new staff.
  • Strengthen tools to improve monitoring and outcomes, as well as tracking service providers response to any deficiencies.
  • Improved critical incident tracking, training, and follow up.
  • Increased payments paid to service providers for home sharing coordination to $34 million. This CLBC investment funds approximately 200 full time positions or 7,000 home share coordinator hours. 

These improvements came after the 2021 CLBC home sharing program audit conducted by the provincial Auditor General’s office, which also made five important recommendations to enhance services and ensure sustainability. CLBC has now met these recommendations.

“We believe these improvements strengthened the formal safeguards in place to prevent a similar tragedy,” says Mr. Chilton. “But we know we need to do more. That’s why we continue to rely upon the advice and input we receive from our advisory committees and our Board, which by legislation must include family members, persons eligible for CLBC, and people with an Indigenous background.”

“Many of the people supported by CLBC are vulnerable. But they are also courageous, wise, funny, generous and loving. We will be reviewing the jury’s recommendations in detail, with an eye to what will help the people we support to live a good life, included as an important part of our communities.”

This is on CLBC Website click here

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