Regulation Reference
Ontario Regulation 299/10
Plain-Language Summary
What the Quality Assurance Measures regulation actually requires from your developmental services agency, explained without legal jargon.
Based on the Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services plain language guide.
The full regulation is the legal authority at ontario.ca/laws/regulation/100299
On This Page
1. Background and Purpose
Ontario Regulation 299/10 is part of the Services and Supports to Promote the Social Inclusion of Persons with Developmental Disabilities Act, 2008. This Act replaced the older Developmental Services Act, which had been in place for over 35 years.
The regulation sets out Quality Assurance Measures, the standards that agencies and Developmental Services Ontario (DSO) must follow. The goal is to ensure services are:
- Fair: Everyone gets treated the same way
- Flexible: Services and supports meet people's individual needs
- Sustainable: Services are here for the future
The regulation requires agencies to have written policies and procedures, accessible to all staff, covering each of the QA measure categories below. Policies must be followed by everyone, reviewed regularly, and updated as needed. The ministry checks compliance through inspections.
2. Who Has to Follow These Rules
Service agencies are organizations funded by the Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services to provide services and supports to people with developmental disabilities. This includes agencies providing residential services, community participation, activities of daily living, and respite.
Developmental Services Ontario (DSO)organizations, referred to as “Application Entities” in the Act, where people apply for services, get eligibility determinations, and access information about available supports.
When agencies contract with third parties to deliver services, those third parties must follow the same QA measures. The agency is responsible for including compliance clauses in contracts and monitoring third-party performance.
Exception
Individuals or families receiving direct funding do not have to follow these rules. Separate rules apply for direct funding arrangements.
4. Individual Support Plans
Every person receiving services must have an Individual Support Plan (ISP). The plan must be made with the person, not just for them. It must be reviewed and updated annually.
Required ISP content
- The person's goals (short-term and long-term) and expected outcomes
- Services and supports the person will receive from the agency
- Steps to ensure health and safety
- Whether the person needs help managing their money
- Community resources available (library programs, gym memberships, recreational leagues, etc.)
- Who is involved in developing the plan, with defined roles and responsibilities
- How services will be delivered and what resources are allocated
- Date of next review
The ISP must be based on the person's application, their SIS needs assessment, their stated goals, and any clinical assessments. Information sharing permissions must be discussed when the ISP is created and at each annual review.
5. Financial Management Assistance
When a person needs help managing their money (either requested or identified in their ISP), the agency must:
- Have written policies about how financial assistance is provided
- Keep separate financial records for each person, per fiscal year
- Have an independent third party review those records annually (not the same person who helps with finances)
- Report the results of the independent review to the board of directors
6. Health Promotion, Medical Services & Medication
Agencies must provide health information that helps people make informed choices. This covers nutrition, fitness, hygiene, and personal safety. Information must be provided in accessible language and formats.
Required policies
- Providing public health information
- Monitoring health concerns identified in the ISP
- Documenting medical services provided
- Medication administration (including self-administration)
- Medication errors and refusals
- Refusals of recommended medical services
- Emergency medical services
- Access, storage, and transfer of medication between locations
Training requirements
All staff and volunteers with direct contact must be trained on first aid and CPR. Staff must also be trained on the specific health needs of the persons they support, including controlled acts where applicable.
Residential additions
Residential agencies must also assist with medical/dental appointments and keep logs, maintain Medication Administration Records (MAR) per person, provide information on health topics (prescription meds, diet, hygiene, fitness, sexual health, safety), have a food/nutrition policy consistent with Canada's Food Guide, prevent scalding (water temp max 49C), and have needs-appropriate bathing supervision policies.
7. Abuse Prevention and Reporting
The regulation defines six types of abuse: physical, neglect, sexual, emotional, verbal, and financial. Agencies must have a zero tolerance policy for all forms of abuse.
Types of abuse defined in the regulation
Required actions
- Report to police immediately if a criminal offence is suspected
- No internal investigation before police complete theirs
- Policies must outline how to deal with staff/volunteers involved in abuse
- Check with the person about notifying family/persons acting on behalf
- Train all staff, volunteers, and board members on abuse policies every year
- Educate persons receiving services about abuse awareness
- Review abuse prevention policies annually with written documentation of the review
8. Confidentiality and Privacy
Agencies must have policies about protecting personal information, covering:
- Compliance with Ontario's privacy legislation and funding agreement obligations
- Rules about collecting, using, or sharing personal information, including consent requirements
- Training for all staff, volunteers, and board members on privacy policies
- Reviewing privacy policies with persons receiving services in accessible language
9. Safety and Premises
Every agency-owned or operated location must have safety documentation and plans:
- Approved fire safety plan (per Ontario Fire Code, O.Reg. 213/07)
- Emergency preparedness plan for inside emergencies (power failure, fire, flood, storm, pandemic, medical emergency)
- Emergency preparedness plan for outside emergencies (medical, runaway/lost person)
- All staff trained on emergency and fire safety plans
- Continuity of operations plan (for service disruptions, e.g., when staff cannot come to work)
- Equipment maintained per manufacturer recommendations, with maintenance logs
Agencies must also have policies about the personal safety and security of persons receiving services, and maintain adequate support staff per ISP levels.
10. Human Resource Practices
Background screening is mandatory for all staff, volunteers, and board members who have direct contact with persons receiving services:
- Personal reference checks for all new staff
- Police records check including vulnerable sector screening for all new staff
- Same checks for volunteers and board members with direct contact
- Written protocols with local police about the appropriate scope of checks
- Checks completed as soon as possible before or after assuming responsibilities
Critical requirement
Until reference checks, police checks, and orientation are all complete, staff must be supervised only. They cannot work alone with persons receiving services. This is one of the most commonly flagged issues in inspections.
Agencies must also have policies for orientation and initial training (covering both agency policies and the individual needs of persons to be supported) and for regular ongoing training.
11. Service Records
A record must be kept for each person receiving services. This record must include:
- Application for Developmental Services and Supports
- SIS needs assessment
- Individual Support Plan
Records must be retained for a minimum of seven years after the person stops receiving services. The agency must have policies about record retention and secure storage.
12. Behaviour Intervention
This section applies to agencies providing supported group living, intensive support, community participation, activities of daily living, and caregiver respite services.
General principles
Staff need to know how to help a person who may harm themselves or others. Staff may use positive strategies (talking, calming, problem-solving). Intrusive strategies are only permitted in situations of serious risk of injury, and must use the least amount of force possible.
Behaviour Support Plans
- Every person with challenging behaviour needs a BSP
- The BSP outlines both positive and intrusive strategies
- Must be based on a behavioural assessment and consider risks/benefits
- Must set out the least intrusive, most effective strategies
- If intrusive strategies are included, the BSP must be approved by a psychologist, physician, psychiatrist, or BCBA
- Must be reviewed at least twice per 12 months
- Staff must be trained on a person's BSP before beginning work with them
Intrusive interventions and crisis
Intrusive interventions are only permitted when there is an immediate risk of harm or property damage. All incidents must be recorded in the person's file. In a crisis, physical restraint is the only permitted intrusive intervention, and only after positive interventions have failed. The agency must evaluate the use and effectiveness of intrusive interventions based on incident records.
13. Residential Services
Additional requirements apply to agencies operating supported group living residences (3+ adults) and intensive support residences (1-2 adults with full-time support).
Wellbeing
- Help people get to medical and dental appointments, keep logs
- Maintain medication administration records per person
- Provide health and nutrition information
- Have policies for personal property inventory and pets/service animals
- Have needs-appropriate bathing/showering supervision policies
Comfort and safety
- Keep all appliances in good working order
- Store dangerous materials safely
- Provide comfortable bedrooms with enough space for personal items and private activities
- Keep clean and safe recreation and common areas
- Maintain comfortable temperatures (minimum 20C Oct-May, cooling room below 35C humidex for extreme heat)
- Water temperature max 49C (scalding prevention)
- All exits clear at all times
From reading the regulation to meeting it
Meridian maps every QA measure from Reg 299/10 to your agency's actual records and flags gaps automatically.
See how Meridian works
3. Social Inclusion, Individual Choice & Rights
This is the foundational principle of the regulation. Agencies must actively support people to be part of their community through volunteering, working, and participating in sports, recreation, and social activities.
What your agency needs
What your agency must do