St. John’s, NL (May 2, 2025) – Tony Wakeham, Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party and MHA for Stephenville – Port au Port, is calling on the Liberal government to implement annual core funding for the Coalition of Persons with Disabilities NL (COD-NL).

“The recent Liberal budget failed to deliver much-needed core funding to COD-NL,” said Wakeham. “This Liberal failure is now jeopardizing the future of the organization who advocates tirelessly on behalf of persons with disabilities to remove the barriers they face and improve their lives.”

Wakeham has met with representatives from COD-NL and has previously pointed towards the failure of the Liberal government to establish an Advocate for Persons with Disabilities.

“It is bad enough that the Liberals continue to refuse an Advocate for Persons with Disabilities. Now,  COD-NL is at risk of shutting down due to a lack of reliable funding from the government,” said Wakeham. “I have been told the organization may have to cease operations after 44 years of advocating for persons with disabilities. This would be a big loss for the disability community and a major step backwards for our province.” 

Wakeham said community organizations, such as COD-NL, have long been the backbone of social progress. From accessibility advocacy and research to direct supports and public education, their work touches people’s lives daily. Yet they often operate with minimal financial resources and remain heavily reliant on project grants.

“Community organizations, such as COD-NL, play a critical role in enhancing our social and economic well-being; however, they are forced to operate on uncertain short-term and program-specific funding because the Liberals are failing to do the right thing. This uncertainty makes it difficult for organizations to attract and retain qualified staff, plan effectively for the future, and focus on delivering crucial services in our province,” added Wakeham.

Wakeham said a Progressive Conservative government under his leadership would provide multi-year core operational grants to community-based organizations, including COD-NL, enabling them to effectively carry out their critical work for the benefit of all of us.

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