Peel Region receives 2025 Ontario Municipal Social Services Association Awards

BRAMPTON, Ont. – November 13, 2025. Peel Region’s Director of Housing Services Aileen Baird and the Peel Region Coordinated Encampment Response Team have been recognized by the Ontario Municipal Social Services Association (OMSSA) for significant contributions and service excellence across the province.

Aileen Baird has been awarded the Champion of Human Services Award, which recognizes individuals who have displayed extraordinary leadership and have made an exceptional contribution to human services.

Aileen has led work in service transformation, responding to encampments in Peel, designing a health model for homelessness, creating more community housing, implementing Peel’s asylum claimant response, and guiding the creation of an innovative end of mortgage strategy. Aileen’s work in Human Services has been recognized provincially and nationally for its meaningful impact.

Peel Region’s Coordinated Encampment Response Team has been awarded the Local Municipal Champion Award, which recognizes outstanding teams who have advanced excellence in service integration and service system management.

This team brought together Peel Region, the municipalities of Brampton, Mississauga, and Caledon, Peel Outreach, Peel Regional Police, Moyo Health & Community Services, Metrolinx, Toronto Regional Conservation Authority, Credit Valley Conservation, Ontario Provincial Police, Regeneration, The Compass Food Bank, and Hydro One to co-design the coordinated encampment response, ensuring that housing, health, policing, and outreach services are aligned and coordinated.

These awards highlight outstanding contributions to both OMSSA and their communities, recognizing Peel’s commitment to planning, managing, and delivering quality human services in Ontario. These awards will be recognized at OMSSA’s 2025 Policy Conference and 2026 Exchange Conference.