Community News Update - November 8, 2024

Dear Community,

Everyone in this province deserves to an affordable place to call home. The housing crisis is the number one issue on everyone's minds. On Monday, we brought a plan to Queen's Park to solve it with the largest home-building program in the province's history: Homes Ontario.

But Ford and his politicians voted against the motion.

Our motion would've expanded permanent affordable public, non-profit, and co-op homes. We would build homes for people who don't have a home, for middle income and working class families who have been priced out of the housing market, and those who continue to struggle with skyrocketing rent.

When presented with the opportunity to turn this housing crisis around and bring Ontarians the housing solutions they deserve, Ford voted NO. Do the PCs not see how dire this crisis has become?

Ontarians deserve a government that uses their tax dollars responsibly. Our communities aren't getting what they paid for. The Premier would rather spend money and time on a $100 billion fantasy tunnel, a luxury European spa in downtown Toronto, and a parking lot that nobody asked for. But when it comes to building actual affordable homes and addressing our basic needs, he's got nothing. When will enough finally be enough!?

I was proud to stand at Queen's Park to speak in support of our Homes Ontario plan. Click here to watch my full speech. While the government showed us how they really feel about the housing crisis, we won't stop fighting. With rumours of an early election spiraling, we're ready to bring our plan to the people and let them decide. Click here to add your name!

In today's newsletter:

Recognizing that it's impossible to capture a full week of news in a single newsletter, please see the highlights below:

Remembrance Week
Coffee and Convos with MPP Jill Andrew
Jill at Queen's Park
Jill in Community
Upcoming events and more!

Remembrance Week

This week is Remembrance Week in Ontario, where we remember and honour the memory and sacrifice of those who served this country during war. We reflect solemnly on the pain and suffering caused by war and commit to building a more peaceful future. Monday, November 11th I will be joining our community at Moun Pleasant Cemetery for their annual Remembrance Day Ceremony at Mount Pleasant Cemetery.

Yesterday at Queen's Park I was proud to rise and honour the No. 2 Construction Battalion, the largest Black military unit in Canadian history. Let us honour their service in spite of the racism they endured here in Canada and abroad. Click here to watch my full statement and the house granting unanimous consent to honour these brave men with a moment of silence in the chambers. I want to thank Kathy Grant for dedicating her life to documenting and honouring the service of Black veterans. You can learn more about their legacies here.

Following our Queen's Park sitting, I joined the community at St. Andrew's Church for the unveiling of a commemorative Heritage Canada plaque honouring the No. 2 Construction Battalion. I was incredibly honoured to be a part of this historical moment.

Today, Friday, November 8th, is Indigenous Veterans Day. Today, we remember and honour the contributions and sacrifice of all Indigenous veterans who served and continue to serve to this day.

Indigenous peoples from various nations have a long history of military service in Canada.I want to share some information from MPP Sol Mamakwa's statement in the House recognizing this day of important significance. Over 7,000 First Nations people served in the First and Second World Wars and in the Korean War, and likely around 12,000 Indigenous people served during the 20th century's major conflicts. Many lost their lives and those who returned home were not granted the same recognition as non-Indigenous veterans. Click here to watch MPP Mamakwa's full statement. I encourage you all to learn more about their contributions, and learn the full history of Canada's treatment of Indigenous veterans.

Coffee & Convos with MPP Andrew

Join MPP Andrew for Coffee and Conversation at your local cafe! She'll be hosting two drop-in sessions for community members to chat about provincial issues, get assistance with casework, and learn more about Jill's work at Queen's Park.

DATE 1: Wednesday, November 13 at Le Bleu Coffee (728 St Clair Ave W) - 11 AM to 1 PM. Click here to RSVP.
DATE 2: Friday, November 15 at Lil E Coffee Cafe (107-2 St Clair Ave W) - 12:30 to 2 PM. Click here to RSVP.

JILL AT QUEEN'S PARK

Registered Nurses Association of Ontario

On Monday I had the opportunity to speak with Registered Practical Nurses Association of Ontario at Queen’s Park. Due to healthcare cuts, Ontario has the lowest RPN to population ratio in Canada, leaving them burnt out and patients without adequate care! RPN’s are integral to our healthcare system and must be respected, protected and paid fairly so they can continue to support their patients, families and our communities! Our public healthcare system cannot thrive without our RPN’s given more opportunities for paid internships and full time roles.

Thank you WeRPN for advocating for our 60k registered practical nurses and the wonderful RPN’s from Toronto-St.Paul's I met at Queen's Park!

Ontario Association of Architects

Earlier this week I met with the Ontario Association of Architects to discuss proposed changes to the regulations around converting existing buildings to condominiums. This could be an important part of increasing Ontario's housing supply. I'm looking forward to discussing this further with my colleagues at Queen's Park!

Jill in Question Period

This government continues to fail at the very basics of completing our Eglinton Crosstown LRT. Delays persist, CEO wages have ballooned, and still, we do NOT have an opening date!

Frankly, the Premier seems more interested in removing transit options than opening them up to riders. We have endured FOURTEEN years of unanswered questions and broken promises with this government, and they have proven themselves incapable of providing functional transit for Ontarians. Our communities deserve the relief of knowing when things will get moving, and they deserve a transit system that allows them to travel safely and with ease, whether by train, bus, bike, car or on foot.

Click here to watch my full question to the Premier.

Petition for Affordable Housing

The government is failing Ontarians on housing.

Yesterday, I presented a petition in the legislature calling on the Ford government to build real affordable housing. Housing isn't a luxury — it's a right. I was proud to bring the voices of our St. Paul's community straight to the legislature. Click here to watch my full statement.

Petition to Stop Health Care Privatization

Yesterday I presented a petition to stop the government's healthcare privatization plan. Over 2 million Ontarians do not have access to a doctor and have no choice but to wait in overcrowded ER's for care. Ontarians need real solutions not privatization! Click here to watch my full statement.

Petition to Permanently Increase Post-Secondary Funding

Our post-secondary institutions should not be dependent on international students to stay afloat. This is why I presented an petition to permanently increase funding to post-secondary institutions instead of balancing the books off the backs of international students. Click here to watch my full statement.

FilmOntario

Today I met with FilmOntario to discuss Ontario's robust film industry. Our film and television industry generates over $7 billion in spending across the province, and must continue to be included in grants and funding opportunities! Arts and culture continues to be an economic driver in Ontario and the government must commit to including film and television in workforce development investments, sustain investment requirements and champion for our film industry!

JILL IN COMMUNITY

Us Election Night Watch Party

I want to sincerely thank those of you who decided to share your personal time with me and others from our community for my US Election Night Watch Party. It really meant a lot to me to have so many community members and friends come out.

We are feeling emotions about Tuesday's events. May we take our feelings and work towards manifesting the best conditions we can, not only for ourselves, but most importantly for our communities near and far, especially those most disenfranchised. We hold on to democracy no matter how slippery it currently feels, and we hang on to hope. Every rainy day the sun does and will come out again.

Pumpkin Parades at Wychwood Barns Park and June Rowlands Park

Halloweekend in St. Paul's was a blast! It was great seeing so many folks at this year's pumpkin parades held at Wychwood Barns Park and June Rowlands Park. There was so much artistry on display. Just look at some of these carvings.

I want to thank Simon Strauss, Lesley Stoyan and everybody at The AppleTree Group for putting these two events together. See you all next year for another spooky celebration.

46th Anniversary of Dominica's Independence

Over the weekend, we celebrated the Commonwealth of Dominica's 46th Anniversary of Independence! I was honoured to join friends, dignitaries and community members for a flag raising, followed by a reception at City Hall. This was the first time the flag of Dominica was raised at City Hall since 2018! The theme for this year's celebration is "Péyi Nou, Kado Nou"—Our Country, Our Gift.

I was grateful for the opportunity to deliver remarks at the ceremony and present a celebratory scroll to Frances Delsol, the Trade & Investment Commissioner of Dominica in Canada. Thank you for your efforts in making Saturday's ceremony possible.

Toronto Metropolitan University Viola Desmond Awards

On this day in 1946, Viola Desmond took a stand against racial segregation in Nova Scotia by daring to take a seat in a New Glasgow cinema. This was a watershed moment for civil rights in Canada. Her resistance would allow for countless Black folks, especially Black women, to be seen and heard today. Although we are still often fighting for the respect we deserve, we stand today stronger because of Viola’s legacy.

I was pleased to join community earlier this week at the Toronto Metropolitan University's Viola Desmond Awards Ceremony. Each year, the program celebrates Black excellence by recognizing incredible Black women and Black gender-diverse people whose labour, creativity, passion and skills are positively impacting the entire TMU community. Congratulations to the 2024 award and bursary recipients! In 2022, it was my deepest honour to have TMU’s Viola Desmond Alumni Award named in my honour. You can read the name's of this year's recipients here.

Hillcrest Village BIA Mural Unveiling

Yesterday I attended the unveiling of this fabulous mural by Julia Prazja and Ian Bright at St. Clair & Atlas. Thank you to the artists and to Hillcrest Village BIA for hosting this unveiling!

Holy Blossom Temple Out of the Cold

Thank you to Janet, Mitchell and the whole Out of the Cold team at Holy Blossom Temple. The work that they are doing is incredible, but it is also work that they shouldn't have to be doing. It's shocking that our conservative government continues to leave so many in our community in need of the basics.

Toronto Fashion Incubator

Earlier this week I met with Toronto Fashion Incubator's Executive Director and CEO Susan Langdon to discuss the importance of supporting and investing in Ontario's fashion entrepreneurs. Over 80% of TFI's members are women business owners yet the conservative government continues to underfund and ignore such an integral part of our culture and economy!

Thank you Toronto Fashion Incubator for being a trailblazer in Toronto's fashion industry!

COMMUNITY BULLETIN 📌

For Youth Initiative Cold Weather Event

Date: Friday November 15th, 2024
Time: 12:00 - 4:00 PM
Location: 504 Oakwood Avenue, Toronto ON

The Cold Weather Event is all about helping youth and families in the York South-Weston and Oakwood Vaughan area by giving away free cozy clothes and non-perishable food. The event will feature a fun thrift shopping experience where attendees can pick up fresh gear, food to take home, and even get help from personal shoppers. It will be held at our Oakwood location: 504 Oakwood Ave. Our goal is to ensure everyone has what they need to stay warm and cared for this winter.

Join a Gospel Choir

There's a new community gospel choir starting up in our neighbourhood! The choir is meeting at St Clair Avenue Baptist Church on Thursday nights from 7 to 9 PM.

For more information, email [email protected].

Inkspire: Oakwood Drop-in Services

Join the For Youth Initiative (FYI) at 504 Oakwood Avenue for the launch of Inkspire.

Who Can Apply? This is a creative writing, journaling and visual arts club for students ages 14-18.

Learn more about FYI's programs here.

Learn to Prevent an Overdose!

Each year across Ontario, thousands of lives are lost to overdoses. We need every level of government to prioritize implementing harm reduction strategies to combat these senseless deaths, and you can help.

As many of you know, Naloxone is a medication that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose, and these kits are FREE with training at participating pharmacies across the city. Together, we can prevent unnecessary deaths and work toward a more compassionate society that is safe for everyone.

Find a pharmacy with Naloxone kits near you, and make sure you can recognize the signs of an overdose.

In Solidarity,

Dr. Jill Andrew, PhD
MPP, Toronto-St. Paul's