MPP Advocacy Kit: A Guide for Ontario Parents and Caregivers
Updated: 4 days ago
You don't have to be a policy expert to advocate for change. Whether you're concerned about education, disability supports, health care, accessibility, child and family services, or another issue affecting your family, your experience can help decision-makers understand what needs to change.
This customizable MPP Advocacy Kit is designed to help Ontario parents, caregivers and community members communicate their concerns to their elected representatives, request meetings, prepare talking points, and follow up on responses.
You do not need to use every section or share personal information to use this kit. Choose the resources that work for you and adapt the templates to suit your circumstances.
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1. Who should you contact?
Your Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) represents your community at Ontario's provincial legislature, Queen's Park.
Your local MPP can raise concerns, ask questions, advocate for changes, and contact the relevant Minister or Ministry. The appropriate contact depends on the issue and who has the authority to address it.
Your local MPP: A useful starting point for sharing your experience and asking for provincial action.
The responsible Minister: Appropriate when you want to raise a policy or service issue with the Minister responsible for that portfolio.
The relevant Ministry: May be able to provide information about policies, programs, procedures or planned changes.
Not sure if your MPP is the one to contact?
Check out this quick-reference table focused on who can act on which issues, especially emergency response, autism-informed services and community safety. Since this kit is intended for Ontario families, the table below uses Ontario’s government structure and distinguishes provincial policy responsibilities from local service delivery.
Level of government | Main responsibilities | Examples of issues parents can raise | Who to contact |
Federal | Criminal law, national public safety coordination, federal programs and funding, and matters that cross provincial or national borders. | National public-safety initiatives; federal funding for disability-related programs or research; national collaboration and guidance on emergency response. | Your Member of Parliament (MP) |
Provincial - Ontario | Education, health care, social services, provincial legislation, policing frameworks and province-wide emergency management. | Province-wide missing-person alert protocols; mandatory neuro-affirming and trauma-informed training standards; school safety policies; disability supports; provincial funding and accountability. | Your Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) |
Municipal — local government | Local services, including municipal police where applicable, fire services, paramedics, local emergency planning, and community programs. | Local first-responder training and procedures; coordination between local emergency services; community safety initiatives; local water-safety programs and prevention resources. | Your Mayor or local councillor |
A quick guide for parents
Want Ontario to establish a province-wide policy or standard? Contact your MPP.
Concerned about how local police, fire or paramedic services respond? Contact your municipality or the relevant local service. You can also raise broader policy concerns with your MPP.
Seeking national funding, coordination or federal policy changes? Contact your MP.
Not sure who is responsible? Contact more than one level of government and ask each representative what their government can do.
Responsibilities can overlap, and the precise division depends on the issue and local arrangements. Ontario identifies education and health and social services as provincial responsibilities, while municipalities deliver many local services. Emergency management is shared across levels of government. You can ask your MPP's office to help clarify which decision-maker is responsible.
For Balance’s advocacy priorities, the MPP is often the most relevant first contact when the request concerns Ontario-wide emergency alert protocols, provincial training requirements, education policy or disability services. Municipal representatives can help address local implementation, while federal representatives can raise matters that fall within federal jurisdiction or require national coordination.
Parents can identify their representatives through the official House of Commons member directory, the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, and their municipal government website.
2. Identify your issue and what you want to change
Before contacting your MPP, take a few minutes to identify your main concern and the action you want them to take.
Consider these questions:
What is happening, or what is not working?
Who is affected, and how?
What impact is this having on you, your family or your community?
What would improve the situation?
What specific action do you want your MPP or the provincial government to take?
You do not need to have a complete solution. You can ask for information, an explanation of current policy, a review of a decision, improved access to a service, changes to a program, or consideration of a policy recommendation.
A useful advocacy message has three parts:
The problem: Explain your concern clearly.
The impact: Describe why it matters.
The request: State what you want the representative or government to do.
Try to begin with one main request. You can include supporting questions, but a focused message makes it easier for the office to understand and respond.
3. Requesting a meeting with your MPP
You can contact your MPP by email, letter or telephone. You do not need to wait until you have a formal report or a fully developed proposal.
Email template
Subject: Meeting request about [issue]
Dear [MPP's name],
My name is [your name], and I live in [community or riding]. I am writing to request a meeting to discuss [briefly describe the issue].
This issue matters to me because [briefly explain how it affects you, your family or your community. You may include a short personal example if you wish].
I am asking you to [state your main request]. I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss this concern, share my perspective and learn what steps you may be able to take.
In particular, I would like to discuss:
[First question or requested action]
[Second question or requested action]
[Additional question, if needed]
Please let me know whether a meeting would be possible. I can be reached at [preferred contact information].
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Tips for contacting your MPP
Keep your initial email focused and reasonably brief.
Explain why the issue matters to you, but share only what you are comfortable disclosing.
Be specific about what you are asking the MPP to do.
If you have a relevant report, letter or short summary, offer to send it.
If you do not receive a response, consider following up with the constituency office.
4. Preparing for your meeting
You may have only 15–30 minutes, so you do not need to cover every aspect of an issue.
Prepare a few talking points to help you stay focused.
What to prepare
Your main concern: What is the most important thing you want the MPP to understand?
Your personal perspective: How has the issue affected you, your family or your community? You can use an anonymized example if you prefer.
Your supporting information: Are there relevant policies, reports, statistics, research findings or recommendations that help explain the issue?
Your request: What action would you like the MPP to take?
Your questions: What do you want to learn from the meeting?
A simple opening statement
“Thank you for meeting with me. I wanted to discuss [issue] because [brief explanation of why it matters]. My main concern is [summarize the problem]. I am asking for [specific action], and I would appreciate the opportunity to explain my concerns and hear what steps you may be able to take.”
Questions you can ask
Choose the questions most relevant to your issue:
What is the government's current approach to this issue?
What policies, programs or procedures are currently in place?
What action can you take as my MPP?
Can you raise this concern with the responsible Minister or Ministry?
Is the government considering any changes in this area?
What information or evidence would help the government assess the concern?
Can your office provide a written response or update?
What next step can I expect, and when would it be reasonable to follow up?
If the MPP does not know the answer to a question, you can ask whether their office is able to obtain clarification.
Sharing your experience
Personal experiences can help explain the real-world effects of policies and services. You do not need to disclose a diagnosis, identify a child, name a school or service provider, or share private records to make your concerns meaningful.
Share only what is necessary for your advocacy goal and what you feel comfortable discussing.
5. During the meeting
Begin with your main concern and request.
Use one or two examples to explain the impact.
Distinguish your own experience from information reported in research or other sources.
Ask your prepared questions and make notes about the answers.
Clarify what action the MPP is willing to take.
Ask whether there is an expected timeline for follow-up.
If you are attending with other parents or caregivers, agree beforehand on who will introduce the issue and who will speak to each point.
If you need accessibility or communication accommodations to participate, you can ask the office about these in advance.
If the MPP cannot meet with you, ask whether a constituency staff member can discuss the issue or whether the office can respond to your questions in writing.
6. Following up after the meeting
A short follow-up email helps maintain communication and creates a written record of what was discussed.
Follow-up email template
Subject: Thank you for meeting about [issue]
Hello [MPP's name or staff member's name],
Thank you for meeting with me on [date] to discuss [issue]. I appreciate the opportunity to share my concerns about [brief summary].
As discussed, my main request is [repeat your request]. I appreciated hearing about [relevant information or next step].
My understanding is that your office will [action or follow-up discussed]. Please let me know if I have misunderstood or if there is an expected timeline for an update.
Thank you again for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards,
[Your name]
Keep track of your advocacy
It can be helpful to maintain a simple record of:
The MPP or office you contacted
The date you sent your message or attended the meeting
Your main concern and requested action
Any commitments made
Documents or information you promised to provide
The date you expect to follow up
Any responses or next steps
A record can help you follow up consistently and avoid having to reconstruct earlier conversations.
7. Making your advocacy stronger
Be clear and specific. Explain the problem and what you would like to see change.
Check your sources. Verify statistics, dates, policy names and claims before sharing them. Make sure the source supports the point you are making.
Separate experience from evidence. Your personal experience is valuable, but it is different from a research finding or a province-wide statistic. Be clear about which you are describing.
Protect privacy. Consider whether the details you share could identify your child, family, school, service provider or another person. You can often explain the issue without disclosing identifying information.
Be constructive. You can be direct about serious concerns while remaining respectful. Focus on the change you are asking for rather than assuming what an individual representative knows or intends.
Follow up. If you have not received a response, a polite follow-up is reasonable. If the issue falls outside your MPP's authority, ask which office or level of government may be better placed to address it.
Final reminder
You do not need to be an expert, speak on behalf of every family, or have all the answers to advocate for change. You can speak from your own experience, ask questions, identify barriers and request action.
Use this kit in whatever way is helpful. Adapt the templates, remove sections that do not apply, and focus on the issue and outcome that matter most to you.
This kit is a general advocacy resource, not legal advice. It is intended to help Ontario parents, caregivers and community members prepare for communication with elected representatives.
Disclaimer: Please note that the content posted here is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or other professional advice on any subject matter whatsoever. Furthermore, all content mentioned is not guaranteed to be accurate, complete, reliable, current or error-free. In using this website, you accept that Balance Support and Self Care Studios will not be held liable for any discrepancies or errors, claims, liabilities, losses, costs, damages or expenses (including attorney's fees) arising from the use of the information contained thereon. The resources, products, and providers listed do not signify endorsement. It is your responsibility to verify any information obtained from this website to your own satisfaction
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