Hello Neighbour,
It has been a busy week at the Legislature. On Tuesday, the Minister of Finance released the government’s 2024 Budget. Behind the numbers and the balance sheets, budgets are a statement on what matters to the government, and who’s important.
This budget was an opportunity for Doug Ford’s Conservatives to deliver solutions on affordable housing and better health care – to deliver change. But what we got just goes to show how deeply out of touch and out of ideas Doug Ford’s Conservatives are.
If you’re looking for a family doctor, or a young person looking to find a place to live, or you’re struggling with the cost of living, this budget is not for you.
This week, my constituency team hosted a Youth and Affordability round table. Youth-focused organizations, university, and high school students from Davenport came together to discuss the challenges that young people face in this affordability and housing crisis. The expertise and lived experiences shared will help us understand the problems and come up with real solutions to help youth and young people create a better future for themselves.
Earlier this week, hundreds of workers at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) went on strike. I support these workers in their fight for better wages and increased protections for part-time workers.
As we head into the long weekend, I look forward to the many community events happening in Davenport. Wishing everyone celebrating a very happy Easter weekend… don't miss the beautiful Good Friday Procession that winds through the Dundas West/College West area. And to those recognizing Ramadan, I wish you a fulfilling last 10 days.
Have a great long weekend,
Marit Stiles
MPP for Davenport
Transgender Day of Visibility
March 31 is the Transgender Day of Visibility. Founded by Rachel Crandall-Crocker in 2009, It is a day to honour 2Spirit, trans, and non-binary lives and recognize their leadership and contributions. Trans and non-binary people experience significant discrimination, bullying, negative mental health, and violence. For community members who are also Black, Indigenous, people of colour, disabled, youth – the levels of discrimination are even more significant.
The Official Opposition has presented Private Members’ Bills and motions that aim to solidify the rights and protections for trans community members. We honour the Transgender Day of Visibility and will continue to advocate for the rights of trans people everywhere.
Good Friday Procession at St. Francis of Assisi
Following a tradition that goes back to 1962, St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Toronto will be holding the annual Good Friday Procession on the streets of Toronto in the neighbourhood of ‘Little Italy’, on Friday, March 29, 2024.
The procession will start at St. Francis of Assisi Church (Corner of Grace Street and Mansfield Avenue) at 3 pm.
Sikh Heritage Month
April is Sikh Heritage Month. We recognize the valuable contributions made by Sikh Canadians across Ontario and the country and celebrate the rich culture and traditions of the Sikh community.
Updates from the Legislature
Ford Government Offers No Relief to Ontarians with 2024 Budget
The provincial government tabled their 2024 budget this week and it could not be more out of touch with the struggles people are facing in Davenport and across the province. The Premier and his Conservative government delivered a budget full of re-announcements and uninspired half-measures. They want to stick to a status quo that has failed people.
The budget shows a $3 billion deficit in 2023, with a projected $9 billion deficit next year. New commitments are a $200 million Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund and $46 million for GTA community safety, including 4 police helicopters.
What your Official Opposition was looking for in this budget:
- Strategic Investments in public healthcare to keep hospital emergency rooms open and recruit and retain health care workers
- Addressing staffing shortages in public schools and reverse cuts to get kids the supports they need
- Keep our colleges and universities open with stable funding and increased operating grants
- Get the government back in the business of building homes with our Homes Ontario plan and end exclusionary zoning
- Lift people out of legislated poverty by doubling ODSP and OW rates
- Helping families get the childcare they need by funding the long-delayed $10-a-day childcare
The Premier and his government continue to listen to and prioritize the needs of private corporations and wealthy developers at the expense of everyday Ontarians who are trying to support themselves and their families. I will continue to fight for you and the homes, health care, and hope that people are looking for.
Ford Votes “No” to Increasing Access to Primary Care Doctors
I have heard from so many community members who don’t have access to a primary care doctor. Amid this chronic shortage, family physicians are spending an average of 20 hours a week doing paperwork: burgeoning insurance forms, sick notes, and requests for prescription.
Last week I tabled a motion that would provide support to primary care providers to free up their time to see patients instead of pushing paperwork. If every family doctor across Ontario had access to an integrated primary care team with sufficient nurses, administrative and interdisciplinary health staff to reduce the load of paperwork, the time freed up would be equivalent to adding 2,000 doctors to the system. An estimated additional 2 million Ontarians can have a family doctor.
But the Premier and his Minister of Health voted “no” to this solution. I will continue to fight until every single person in Ontario has a family doctor.
Read more here: https://www.ontariondp.ca/news/stiles-new-health-care-solution-will-get-2-million-people-primary-care-they-need
Conservative hypocrisy – Ford government spends more than half of 2023 budget on partisan ads
CBC News revealed that the Conservative government spent nearly $8 million on “It’s Happening Here”; a glitzy ad campaign that aired during the Superbowl, the Grammy’s and the NHL all-star game.
Why does this matter? In 2015, the Liberal government changed the law to allow taxpayer funded partisan ads ahead of the election. At the time, Conservative MPP, and now Deputy Premier, Sylvia Jones, tabled a bill to reverse those changes and restore the Auditor General’s authority to review and approve government advertising. Doug Ford even promised to make the change in his 2018 Conservative party platform.
According to the Auditor General’s annual 2023 report, the Conservatives spent $20.8 million or 72 per cent of its total ad budget for 2023.
The hard-working people of this province deserve a government that puts every dollar into making their life easier. People deserve timely and efficient access to quality health care when they need it. They deserve affordable housing in neighbourhoods they want to live in. But after six years under Doug Ford’s Conservatives, life has only become harder and more expensive. Instead of addressing that, they are blowing millions of tax dollars on frivolous partisan ads to tell you just how good you have it.
Your Official Opposition will continue to hold this government accountable so that every dollar spent works for you.
Read more here: https://www.ontariondp.ca/news/stiles-conservative-hypocrisy-it-s-happening-here
NDP reveals Ford's Phase 2 for Ontario Place: Filling in the lake
I am calling on the Ford government to come clean about their plan for Ontario Place as Global News reports on documents obtained through Freedom of Information (FOI) that reveals evidence of “Phase II” plans to fill in the lake at east island.
This is more evidence that Premier Ford has been keeping the public in the dark about their plans for Ontario Place from the beginning. If it wasn’t bad enough that they are using hundreds of millions of public dollars to subsidize a private luxury spa and parking lot, now they’re looking to pave over part of the lake.
Your Official Opposition will continue to use every tool available to keep Ontario Place public.
Reda more here: https://twitter.com/maritstiles
Ford tells Ontarians they don’t deserve homes they can afford
The Premier continues to deny the recommendations made by the provincial government’s own Housing Affordability Task Force to build fourplexes in communities. Legalizing four-storey multiplexes will unlock immense housing potential right across our province. This is why the Official Opposition has been calling for it for years, and why it was one of the top recommendations from the Premier’s own Housing Affordability Task Force
The Premier told Ontarians that if you cannot afford a single detached home, you are not welcome in your neighbourhood. For many people here in Davenport, this is a gut-punch for those currently struggling to afford a home.
I will keep fighting for real solutions that let people afford homes that meet their needs and their budgets, in their own communities.
Read more here: https://toronto.citynews.ca/2024/03/22/doug-ford-not-budging-on-allowing-fourplexes-in-ontario-despite-criticism
Get your 2024 Tenant Guide now!
My Tenant Guide is now available for digital download. This Guide is meant to provide helpful information to learn about your rights as a tenant.
Download the digital copy here: https://www.maritstilesmpp.ca/tenant_guide. To get a physical copy, contact my office at [email protected].
It's Time to Speak Up and Speak Out Against Education Cuts
Liberal and Conservative governments have been underfunding public education in Ontario for years, and the Ford government is no different. The TDSB is facing a $20.8 million dollar deficit for the 2024-2025 school year which means cuts to after school programs, staff, and more.
Parents in Davenport are saying enough is enough. The Toronto Schools Caregiver Coalition (TSCC) is a parent-led group organizing to stop the endless cycle of education cuts that TDSB students have endured annually since 1996, by calling for changes to the way provincial funding is allocated to school boards. Many students, parents, teachers, education workers, and trustees agree that the provincial grant is not enough.
The TSCC is asking trustees to pass a 'No Cuts' draft budget on April 4th. During the TDSB budgeting meetings on April 2nd and 4th, neighbours, parents, students, and education workers are gathering together to take action.
To learn more, visit https://www.fundourschools.ca/ and RSVP by signing up here.
Metrolinx Updates
The City of Toronto has completed the construction and installation of traffic lights at Bloor and Perth Avenue. Metrolinx had raised temporary barriers to prevent jaywalking during construction. These barriers have since been removed. The traffic lights are installed with the aim of increasing safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers crossing the intersection.
Construction Updates
Around the Community
Theatre Centre Celebrating 10 years in a permanent home!
Since 1979, The Theatre Centre has been creating and supporting innovative live performances. Like many arts organizations, The Theatre Centre has evolved and moved from place to place over its 45-year history. When former Artistic Director Franco Boni, former Councillor Adam Giambrone, and community group Active 18 saw the fast-changing landscape on West Queen West, it was clear they would have to get creative to make sure The Theatre Centre could maintain its presence in the community.
The former Carnagie Library at Queen and Lisgar, a dedicated heritage site, would become The Theatre Centre’s new permanent home. Through hard work by the community, The Theatre Centre was able to secure a long-term lease and have called 1115 Queen St. West home for the past 10 years.
Celebrating their 10-year anniversary The Theatre Centre has launched 10 programs that investigate what this building can be. In addition to Residency and Comedy is Art, there will be a block party, TV-binge, barbecue, town hall, and more.
Congratulations to Artistic & General Director Aislinn Rose, Associate Director Liza Paul and Managing Director Audrey Kwan for this incredible program and for maintaining such a dynamic, accessible and vital space in Davenport.
Youth and Affordability Roundtable
This week, my constituency team hosted a Youth and Affordability round table. Youth-focused organizations, university, and high school students from Davenport came together to discuss the challenges that young people face in this affordability and housing crisis. The expertise and lived experiences shared will help us understand the problems and come up with real solutions to help youth and young people create a better future for themselves.
Repair Cafe every Sunday at 68 Abell Street
Bring your broken items to Creative Reuse Toronto’s storefront location. We will be fixing small appliances, home electronics, clothing, jewelry, and small furniture. Visit https://repaircafetoronto.ca/drop-off-pick-up-locations/ for more info.
