Community News Update - March 29, 2023

Dear Community,

As we saw in the provincial budget, Doug Ford has chosen to offer tenants NO real rent control. This means:

• NO protections from AGIs (above guideline rent increases)
• NO protections from bad faith evictions (including own-use evictions and demo-victions)
• NO protection from vacancy decontrol (landlords can hike up the rent astronomically between tenants)
• NO rent control for units occupied post-2018 (they can raise your rent without limit)

This, of course, is unsurprising, as the Conservatives have always aligned with the wealthy few rather than with the hardworking everyday Ontarian!

The tenants at 55 Brownlow have organized with other buildings across the city to to plan a rally in support of RENT CONTROL and to stand up to demovictions!

If you are facing an eviction of your own, or simply want to show up in solidarity against an anti-tenant anti-worker government, please come on down THIS SATURDAY and show your support!

All details about the rally can be found here!

This past weekend, a 16 year old boy, Gabriel Magalhaes, was senselessly murdered while awaiting his subway at Keele station. There are no words to express the devastation his family is surely experiencing. This is something no parent should have to live through.

You can read the CBC interview with Gabriel's mother, Andrea, here. I am profoundly inspired by her grace and compassion in the wake of this tragedy.

Andrea told the reporter, "We need more social services, we need more investment into physical and mental health. We need more support for housing. I feel like if things keep going the way they are going right now, so many people are going to be suffering the horrible pain that I'm going through right now."

Tomorrow, March 30, at 8PM, parents from Gabriel's school have organized a candlelit walk to honour his memory. Folks are encouraged to attend with a candle or other light source as well as flowers for Gabriel's memorial.

They will meet at the Bloor Street gates of High Park and walk to Keele Subway Station.

My thoughts are with Gabriel's family. May he rest in peace.

Are you interested in receiving a free hot meal of homemade soup? Or perhaps you're interested in volunteering and participating in some community care? See below for this initiative being hosted by For Youth Initiative!

Low income individuals may be interested in making use of The Stop's Free Tax Clinic, which is open from March 1 to April 28! See below for more information!

Until March 31, Unison's Oakwood-Vaughan location will be offering an integrated care clinic on Monday evenings from 5:30-8:30PM. Members of the community can drop in to receive COVID vaccines, blood pressure checks, mental health and harm reduction support, and be seen by a physician - no health card required!

Are you a lower-income renter? In 2022, the Government of Canada announced a One-time top up to the Canada Housing benefit - a one-time payment of $500 to help with the cost of rent.

Please see the below for more information about eligibility and how to apply, and be sure to share this widely with your community. Even reaching one more eligible renter will make all the difference!

This April, the BBPA Harry Jerome Awards returns! Don't forget to get your tickets and nominate your preferred candidate!

The spectacular Holy Blossom Temple Out of the Cold Community Dinner will be running EVERY THURSDAY at 5PM until March 30th at 1950 Bathurst St (entrance on Dewbourne Avenue)! Spread the word to folks in need!!!! Thank you to all the wonderful volunteers who make services like this possible!

See here for more info!

Doors open each Thursday at 5PM and close at 7PM.

In Solidarity, 

Jill Andrew
Toronto-St. Paul's