Inside the Circle – January 27, 2026

Please review the upcoming deadlines below.

Key Upcoming RRSP Deadlines 

• March 2, 2026: Deadline to contribute to an RRSP to deduct against 2025 income. Since March 1, 2026 falls on a Sunday, the deadline moves to the next business day.

Tax and Contribution Limits

• 2026 Contribution Limit: The maximum RRSP contribution limit for the 2026 tax year is $33,810.
• 2025 Contribution Limit: The maximum RRSP contribution limit for the 2025 tax year is $32,490.
• April 30, 2026: Deadline to file 2025 personal income tax returns.

Related Plan Deadlines (2026)

• Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA): The 2026 dollar limit is $7,000.
• Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP): Final contribution deadline for the 2026 calendar year is December 31, 2026.

Other Important Dates

• March 31, 2026: Deadline for financial institutions to mail RRSP contribution receipts for the first 60 days of 2026.

Southbound Off-ramp of the DVP Closed to Richmond Street

• When: Until Spring 2026
• TTC/Traffic Changes: The southbound off-ramp of the DVP to Richmond Street remains closed until spring 2026.

Please take a few minutes to complete the Global Workforce Survey. This is your chance to share your thoughts about your workplace anonymously. Your feedback helps us learn what’s going well and what we can make even better for you.

Note that the survey is anonymous (your name will not be shared). Thank you in advance for your participation!

Please complete the survey as soon as possible.

This past January 21st was Lincoln Alexander Day—a day to honour an important figure and advocate in Canadian law, whose commitment profoundly transformed our country.

Born in Toronto on January 21, 1922, Lincoln Alexander originally worked as a lawyer before going on to becoming the first Black Canadian to sit in the House of Commons, the first Black Canadian to be appointed as Lieutenant-Governor, and the first Black chair of the Workers Compensation Board. Throughout his impressive career, he also served as the Minister of Labour, accepted a role as a chancellor for the University of Guelph, was appointed Chairman of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, and was the recipient of many achievements and honours.

Although Lincoln Alexander passed away in 2012, we honour him every year to remember his lasting impact. He supported antiracism and education, and his life continues to inspire people of all ages. He showed us that we all have the power to create change and to keep going, even when we face challenges.

Lincoln Alexander encouraged us to recognize and respect our differences, to learn from one another, and to grow together as individuals and as a community. He reminds us to always stand up against prejudice and discrimination.

Please watch the video above to learn more about Lincoln Alexander’s legacy.

At Circle of Care, we are committed to supporting your health, safety, and well-being. We are striving to achieve a healthy workplace where our employees can feel that they are valued, are engaged in their work, and can thrive in their roles. We also recognize that having a physically and psychologically safe workplace can have an effect on your health.

As part of our ongoing commitment to your well-being, we have identified psychological hazards using our Hazard Management Tool. In response to these hazards, we have established a comprehensive Psychological Illness Prevention Program. This program is designed to proactively address potential psychological hazards, ensuring you have the support and resources needed to maintain your mental health.

Learn more about our program using the button below. We also encourage you to explore the wellness resources available on the PSW Portal.

This is a friendly reminder to use good judgment when deciding if a task is safe to do for a client.

Before you begin, please take a moment to think about the client’s condition, the task you will do, and the environment. Ask yourself if you have the right equipment or enough support to do the task safely.

If a task does not feel safe, or if you are not sure what to do (for example, giving a bath, helping a client walk, or moving a client), please stop and contact your CSS for help.

Your safety and your client’s safety are always the most important.

Through Perkopolis, you can save 30% on Skechers shoes year-round. If you need to buy healthcare-appropriate footwear according to our policy, then this a great discount to take advantage of.

Simply use the promo code SKXDPERKOP30 when shopping online at www.skechers.ca or mention the retail code G8S when shopping in-store.

First time with Perkopolis? Follow these steps to register:

1. Go to perkopolis.com and tap “register” at the top of your screen.
2. Enter your preferred personal email.
3. Then look for an email from them with a link to complete registration. For your member ID code, use CC + your employee ID number (for example, CC12345).

For more resources, visit the Bell Let’s Talk website using the button below.

We are pleased to welcome the following PSWs to Circle of Care:

• Honey Bunch Ragay
• Rakio Shire
• Lydia Kaigai
• Sejal Sejal
• Maria Wendelyn Ancao
• Oluwakemi Aihonsu
• Joan Aigbe
• Vera Achieng
• MiIlicent Owusu

Has someone gone above and beyond at work? Give them a High Five!

The High Five program lets you publicly recognize staff members for their outstanding work. High Fives will be posted in your weekly Inside the Circle newsletter.

To give a high five, just click on the button below or use the link in the rotating banner on the Portal home page.

Please note: We do not accept anonymous submissions for this program. High Fives must be submitted by an individual person, whether they are a staff member or member of the community.

Recently I saw an information about a buddy system. Does that means that if we get into situations like too much snow, or working a late night or something, and we don’t feel safe in the client’s home, that it’s okay to get dropped off or picked up by a family member?

Your safety is important to us. In situations where you need a ride, please note that drop-off or pick-up must occur down the street and not directly in front of the client’s home to maintain confidentiality. If you have safety concerns, please contact your supervisor for guidance.

If a PSW is considered full-time and available to work 11 days in a 2 week pay period with an availability of 12 hours per day, how many hours total can the PSW work in the 2 week period?

While a full-time PSW may be available for more hours, the total number of hours worked is capped at 44 hours per week. This helps ensure a balanced workload and supports staff well-being.

Why do you not call PSWs before adding new clients? You need to discuss the new clients with us before we visit them.

Service Coordinators are expected to call PSWs when a visit is being added less than one hour before the scheduled time, or if a new client is added after the PSW is already at their last scheduled visit. In all other situations, when a client is added within your availability, Service Coordinators are not required to call, as it is expected that PSWs regularly check and refresh their schedule. Please note that your schedule will not update automatically unless the phone is refreshed. PSWs are expected to refresh their phone before and after each visit to ensure the most up-to-date schedule is displayed. If you’re continuing to experience issues with your phone not updating even after refreshing, please reach out to IT support for assistance. And if you ever feel overwhelmed or have concerns about last-minute schedule changes, don’t hesitate to reach out directly to your Service Coordinator – we’re here to support you. We appreciate your flexibility and continued dedication to client care.

Just wondering why part-time employees are not entitled to sick leave pay.

Unfortunately, part-time employees are not eligible for sick time as per your Collective Agreement. If it’s a longer sick leave, you may be eligible to apply for E.I. benefits. Or, you may also request to use your float day or annual vacation towards your sick leave, if your coordinator or supervisor approves this.

Is there a limit to sick days that can be accumulated?

Yes, there is a limit. Employees can bank a maximum of 200 hours as per the Collective Agreement.

I am confused about what my sick balance is in my profile. It’s showing that I have 51 hours.

For individual questions regarding your sick balance, please reach out to the Payroll team, who can confirm your sick hours for you. You can either email payroll@circleofcare.com or call Joan Gordon at extension 479.

Have a question? Submit your questions or feedback anonymously below!

Please note that it may take us longer to provide some answers. If your question hasn’t been answered yet, we will get back to you as soon as we can.