History of InformOntario (IO)

The history of InformOntario (IO) is also the story about the development and growth of Information and Referral services in Ontario.

IO logoAnd it’s the story of individuals and agencies who dreamed big - and worked hard - to make it all happen to benefit their communities and its residents in a tangible way.

The origins of other major I&R stakeholders in Ontario and Canada also came from the work and vision of Ontario Information and Referral providers - all InformOntario members.

The Information and Referral industry has changed from its humble beginnings in church basements and grass-root organizations...

  • From a few volunteers helping clients to trained and certified information specialists providing mediated access in many languages
  • From a single phone line answered a few hours a day to call centres working 24/7
  • From small mom-and-pop services to multi-service agencies with community-wide networks and partnerships
  • From pamphlets and service directories to specialized databases and online resource applications
  • From information typed on index cards to certified data editors updating and managing 1,000s of programs and services in sophisticated software applications

There's a lot of history behind this organization.....and it will get sorted and prepared for posting soon!