What Ontario Disability Support does

Community Connection, operating under the brand 211 Central East Ontario and also referenced as Ontario Disability Support, is a nonprofit community-based information and referral organization headquartered in Ontario, Canada. It is one of five (within a six-organization) AIRS-accredited 211 service providers in Ontario, operating the free, confidential, 24/7 multilingual 211 helpline (dial 2-1-1) and the 211Ontario.ca searchable online directory that connects the public with community, social, health, and government services across Central East Ontario counties including Bruce, Grey, Huron, Muskoka, Parry Sound, Perth, Simcoe, Dufferin, Haliburton, Northumberland, Kawartha Lakes, and Peterborough.

The organization's core technology is the OpenCIOC (Open Community Information and Referral Open Platform), an open-source software that powers both the public-facing directory and a volunteer opportunity portal. Its primary data asset is a curated, continuously maintained Ontario-wide inventory of 60,000+ community service listings, refreshed at least annually and monitored in real time by Resource Specialists scanning news and social media. The service layer relies on human Community Navigators rather than automation, with multilingual coverage in English, French, American Sign Language, and 20+ additional languages. Data curation is shared with regional partners Information Barrie and Perth Huron United Way.

Community Connection is a private nonprofit, not a commercial entity, with approximately 51 employees. Revenue mechanics are not disclosed in available sources but are inferred to rely on government grants, municipal funding, and charitable contributions typical of accredited 211 providers in Canada. The organization engages in cross-sector partnerships and joined-up funding to develop customized services for specific target populations, and its inventory is productized into custom online directories for partner human services organizations beyond the public 211Ontario.ca surface.

Name

Ontario Disability Support

Legal name

Community Connection

Website

https://centraleastontario.cioc.ca

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Community Connection, operating as 211 Central East Ontario, is a nonprofit AIRS-accredited 211 service provider delivering a free, 24/7 multilingual helpline and online directory of 60,000+ community, social, health, and government services to the public across Central East Ontario.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Information and Referral Services

NAICS

Social Assistance (624), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Local & Neighborhood Communities (BPAMABAG), Multilingual & Global Shared-Service Contact Centers (BPAAAAAL)

Keywords

• Community information referral
• Social services directory
• Helpline navigation services
• Nonprofit community support
• Human services database

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Community Connection / 211 Central East Ontario operates a free, 24/7, multilingual helpline and online directory that connects residents of Central East Ontario with community, social, health, and government services. The organization staffs Community Navigators who provide live-answer information and referral support, and Data Curators who maintain an Ontario-wide inventory of 60,000+ service records for use by the public and partner human-services organizations.

Product overview

Ontario Disability Support (as documented through the Community Connection / 211 Central East Ontario platform) is a community information and referral service, not a technology product company. The organization provides a directory of community, social, health, and government services across Central East Ontario, accessible via a 24/7 multilingual helpline (dial 2-1-1), an online searchable database, and a volunteer opportunity portal. The platform is built on the OpenCIOC (Open Community Information and Referral Open Platform) software, which enables the management and delivery of service listings across multiple regions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 211 Helpline Service Free, confidential, 24/7 multilingual helpline staffed by Community Navigators connecting Ontario residents to community, social, health and government services via dial 2-1-1 or 1-866-743-7818, with TTY access.
• Online Community Services Directory Searchable online directory of community, social, health and government programs across Central East Ontario, built on the OpenCIOC platform and accessible to the public and human services organizations.
• Volunteer Opportunity Portal Online portal for residents to find volunteer opportunities matched to their location, skills and schedule across regional sub-sites.
• Custom Online Directories Tailored online directory deployments for partner human-services organizations built on the same OpenCIOC inventory used to power the public 211Ontario.ca directory.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Information BarrieminorOthersData partner that works with Community Connection to maintain community resources for their region
• Perth Huron United WayminorOthersData partner that works with Community Connection to maintain community resources for their region
• 211 Ontario NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner211 service in Ontario is delivered by six independent information & referral organizations. Community Connection is one of five 211 service providers in Ontario. They are accredited by the Alliance of Information & Referral Systems (AIRS) and are the only professionally accredited nonprofit contact centres in Ontario.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• 211 Alberta: Alberta's 211 service offering the same helpline + directory model for community resources. Directly comparable product/service but operates exclusively in Alberta rather than Ontario, so not a direct competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Volunteer Canada: National volunteer-engagement organization running volunteer matching platforms and resources. Directly comparable to Community Connection's volunteer opportunity portal, though broader in scope (training, advocacy) and national in reach.
• Health Connect Ontario: Ontario government-funded health information and referral service. Overlaps with Community Connection on health-system navigation but focuses specifically on clinical health services rather than the broader social-services mandate of 211.
• Findhelp (formerly Aunt Bertha): US-based social care network operating a large searchable directory connecting people to free/reduced-cost community resources. Broader geography (US-wide) and more technology-forward, but functionally overlaps with Community Connection's directory and referral mission.

Emerging players

• Modo (Volunteer Matching): Modern volunteer-engagement platform offering volunteer matching, scheduling, and impact tracking for nonprofits. A more technology-forward alternative to Community Connection's volunteer portal with potential overlap in target customers (nonprofits seeking volunteers).
• Charity Village: Canadian online job board and resource hub for the nonprofit sector, including volunteer postings and nonprofit-sector news. Adjacent to Community Connection's volunteer portal and serves some overlapping nonprofit-sector customers.

Direct peers

• 211 Toronto: Another one of the five 211 service providers in Ontario, serving the City of Toronto. Operates the same AIRS-accredited helpline and directory model as Community Connection, with regional rather than overlapping focus.
• 211 Ontario (Network): Provincial umbrella network for the six Ontario 211 information & referral providers. Community Connection is one of these providers, sharing the same 2-1-1 dial code, AIRS accreditation, and OpenCIOC platform.
• BC 211: British Columbia's 211 service providing 24/7 multilingual information and referral to community, social, health and government resources. Operates the same 2-1-1 model with comparable helpline + directory offering, but in a different province.
• United Way 211 (US): National 211 service in the United States delivered through local United Way chapters. Directly comparable 24/7 helpline + online directory model for community/social/health/government services, with much larger geographic footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/211Ontario
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ontario-disability-support

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ontario Disability Support