Human Resources committee  I will echo what everyone said. This is an important first step in the grieving process of losing a child. It's something that is very different and very individual and very personal. Whatever we can do to surround and support those families with the support they need as they're going through that grieving process is really important and very much valued.

Human Resources committee  I certainly see anything that gives families more support when they're going through what is arguably the most difficult time in a family's life as being a very positive and important thing for families, absolutely.

Human Resources committee  As I said, when we saw the growth of the houses increasing, we wanted to understand more specifically the context that the families of sick children were living in and how that was driving the support for families that we wanted to contribute to. For us, it was an enlightening piece of work that really helped us understand the new normal for these families.

Human Resources committee  It is how Ronald McDonald House decides. The hospital refers the families to the houses. We are doubling our capacity to be able to serve more families. Currently, in terms of the structure, we rely on the expertise of the hospital and the doctors to refer to us the families that are in the greatest need and have the greatest physical distance to travel.

Human Resources committee  No. The houses, on an annual operating basis, do not receive government funding. However, government has been a very active partner, both federally and provincially, in the building of our new houses and in investing in the infrastructure of the houses over these past five years.

Human Resources committee  To put the 55 days in context, that's a reference to the average number of days a family stays at the house—

Human Resources committee  —which is different from the average number of days they spend caring for their child and healing their child, so just keep that in mind. As I said, more than 50% of our families come to the houses two and three times. Again, because of the amazing medical advances, the healing time means taking more treatments over longer periods of time, so it is an extended period in which families are fighting for the lives of their children and healing their children.

Human Resources committee  Thank you. Absolutely we see this as positive. For the families of sick children, as I spoke to earlier, their world turns upside down in a nanosecond. It goes from normal to a new normal overnight. Having to worry about the financial realities that come rushing in to them, which are not planned, not anticipated, not seen coming, is quite devastating to the family.

Human Resources committee  Sure.

Human Resources committee  Good morning. Thank you very for the opportunity to be here today and to participate in this important discussion. We are passionate advocates of families with sick children, and so appreciate the commitment and the quality of the work and discussion that's happening on behalf of families.