Dear Neighbour,
This past week has been quite eventful here in Toronto Centre with many community events coming up this week, and I am looking forward to sharing them with you.
Metro Workers on Strike Against Unfair Wages |
Join me this coming Friday, August 4 at 12:30 PM at the 89 Gould St. Metro location as I stand with the Unifor Local 414 Union and the 3000+ Metro Ontario workers that are on strike across the GTA!
Metro workers have been struggling with the pay they have received and are finding living in Toronto while working for Metro has simply been unaffordable, causing many to resort to finding second and third jobs and sourcing food at food banks. Meanwhile, Metro had a 10.4% increase in profits in April, with its second quarter sales reaching $4.55 Billion.
Food banks have had to deal with the overwhelming surge in demands across the country. The Daily Bread Food Bank reported that in March they had given out the most food per month in the food bank’s entire 40 year history. Toronto alone has seen up to a 59% increase in their visit rate. Many of the people who serve us at Metro are unable to purchase the food they sell us. This is simply unacceptable.
NDP leader Jagmeet Singh and other NDP MPs and MPPs have joined picket lines, and I will be as well throughout this week. Here are a list of stores where you can support the Metro picket lines being held. While stores are closed due to the strike, pharmacies remain unaffected.
Ontario Pride Organizations Under Attack |
Earlier this week, North Bay Pride announced that they are cancelling their regular Pride Parade because of ongoing death threats and safety concerns. I released a media statement to help amplify their demands for change, and have had several follow-up conversations with Pride organizations from all across Ontario about how we can advocate together for the protections that 2SLGBTQI+ Ontarians need in the face of rising hate — stay tuned for more updates!
As you already know, Two-Spirit, Queer, and Trans communities across Ontario are seeing hate increase as dangerous rhetoric from the United States spills into Canada. In March, I tabled the Keeping 2SLGBTQI+ Communities Safe Act to give the government real tools to prevent and combat hate speech and hate crimes. While Ford’s Ministers have said they take growing anti-2SLGBTQI+ hate seriously during Question Period, they have failed to take action after Question Period, and we are now seeing the consequences of Doug Ford’s inaction. I am thinking about all the Two-Spirit, Queer, and Trans youth in North Bay who will now be unable to go to their first Pride in their home city because Ford refuses to stand up to anti-2SLGBTQI+ extremists.
Meeting with BIA's Discussing Community Safety |
This week I met with the Downtown Yonge BIA and Church Wellesley Village BIA to discuss what can be done to enhance community safety over the short, medium, and long term to promote economic recovery.
To summarize the action items being discussed by local community members:
Short-Term:
- Conversations with the 519 about delegated overnight trespass authority on the 519 steps
- The 519 is enhancing security on their steps during the day and overnight as part of a one-month pilot project
- Councillor Moise is urging everyone to complete a local safety survey as part of the Downtown East Action Plan
- I am advocating for urgent and effective bail reform including bail compliance from the province to prevent violent and repeat offenders from being released back in the community, thus invoking a cycle of catch-and-release
Medium-Term:
- Ford was expected to deliver bail reform following the Justice Policy Committee report I helped to write in April of this year, but he failed to take real provincial action to stop the cycle of violence from repeat offenders
- The Downtown Yonge BIA is developing a safety framework to help BIAs, and local stakeholders evaluate safety concerns and plan a response — stay tuned for more later this year
- The 519 will review their security pilot project to determine if it had a positive impact on local safety and explore financially sustainable options for the long-term
Long-Term:
- Toronto needs provincial and federal funding for supportive housing, addiction treatment beds, affordable housing, and eviction prevention
- The City of Toronto and Councillor Moise are working to make capital improvements to Barbara Hall Park
- The 519 is exploring changing the front of their building to address safety concerns surrounding the front steps
- I will continue to push Ford to fund homelessness services and mental health to break the heartbreaking and seemingly unending cycles that too many of our neighbours are trapped in.
Billions In The Pockets Of Millionaires At The Expense Of Canadian Food Banks |
As many Ontarians have been struggling with food prices trying to make ends meet, Loblaws Companies Limited, the parent company of Loblaws and Shoppers Drug Market, had their revenue increase up to 13.7 Billion dollars for the second quarter alone.
Workers should be able to afford to buy food at the same businesses they work for, company profits should never be made at the cost of their wages. As well, food banks do not hold the solution to fix what the government has been failing on. Over 60% of the food bank users receive a form of social assistance, and the Toronto Star reported that along with the ongoing housing crisis, Torontonians would need a $40 minimum wage to be able to afford to live in the city. Here in Ontario, the Ford government needs to increase ODSP and OW as well as increase minimum wage to ensure that all Canadians can put food on the table as a basic human right.
Emancipation Month |
I want to commemorate and celebrate August 1 as Emancipation Day and the beginning of Emancipation Month!
Though Emancipation Month is supposed to celebrate the end of slavery, we cannot move forward without recognizing the continuation of its racist anti-Black and anti-Indigenous legacy that still exists in the form of violence, discrimination and oppression within our society today. It is essential that this month and beyond we amplify the advocacy work done by Black communities across this country battling these various structures of oppression, and we must continually commit to ending systemic racism and working towards justice for all.
Scarborough—Guildwood & Kanata—Carleton By-Election Updates |
This past week we had two incredible by-elections that took place in Scarborough—Guildwood and Kanata—Carleton. These campaigns were very quickly mobilized and held incredible momentum for the past three and a half weeks. Thadsha Navaneethan and Melissa Coenraad are remarkable local leaders who showed up and came out for their communities when they needed to be heard.
While the election results were not what we were expecting, our hard work has shown us some very hopeful results; but make no mistakes these are disastrous losses for Doug Ford’s Conservatives. Ontarians are rejecting Ford’s insiders-first agenda. Marit Stiles’ Ontario NDP was the only party to increase its vote share in both ridings, and has turned two of the safest Liberal and Conservative ridings in the province into competitive three-way races. The NDP is now a contender in places it hasn’t been historically. Kanata—Carleton went up 5 points and Scarborough—Guildwood went up 10 points, surpassing levels of contact and volunteers that were seen in previous elections. This continued type of grassroot-level organizing will be crucial when we turn these seats orange in 2026!
Ontario Hospitals Picking Up The Bill For Private Nursing Agencies |
The Globe and Mail recently published an article revealing that since the beginning of the pandemic Ontario hospitals allocate close to 4 times more money to private nursing agencies for their services, with agencies charging up to $140 per hour for a nurse. This is the result of a burned out and overworked public healthcare system, and this crisis is pushing more and more public workers over to privatized agencies as we speak, further drying out our public healthcare system.
This is the direct result of actions from the Ford government coming into fruition. Unpredictable schedules, inconsistent and capped wage raises, lack of benefits have made our healthcare workers feel insulted and disrespected, giving them no other choice but to move to privatized employment. What this means is that Ontarians’ tax dollars are being poured into private clinics as the public healthcare system that all people deserve is being starved, to the point where we inevitably are left with American-style private healthcare. The Ontario NDP will always fight against the privatization of healthcare, and ensure that all Ontarians have access to physical and mental health resources and medicare when needed. Tell the Ford government that our healthcare is not for sale!
Metrolinx Worker Reveals Extremely Concerning Details About Death at Burlington GO |
Michael Olsen, a customer protection services officer at Metrolinx, shared details about a fatality of a woman hit by a GO Train in Burlington to the Toronto Star and the details are extremely concerning.
Michael had recounted radioing GO dispatchers to stop a train headed towards the GO platform where a woman was walking on the tracks, and was told that the train would go at a reduced speed instead of a complete halt. He later had called 911 himself and headed towards the tracks despite putting his own personal safety at immense risk, but the train had hit the woman, who was later pronounced dead on scene.
An individual worker should never be subjected to long-term trauma and immense risk of personal safety to ensure public safety that a large agency like Metrolinx is responsible for. Metrolinx still has not commented on The Toronto Star’s questions on the dispatch issue nor questions on those that have been killed by Metrolinx trains the past 5 years alone.
This is not the first time that Metrolinx has not been transparent with public details. In previous newsletters I have talked about my office being excluded from notices and decisions to cut trees at Moss Park, a community in our own riding, and going ahead with the decision against public consultation. Metrolinx is a public crown agency on behalf of the government and the public deserves to be able to ask questions and receive transparent and accountable answers from those who run their public transit system.
Ford's Fiscal Irresponsibility Leaving Ontarians Behind |
According to the the Financial Accountability Office’s (FAO) latest report, Ford for continuing to withhold money at a time when Ontarians are struggling.
The report reveals that Ford’s government is refusing to spend $7.2 billion on Ontarians. Blatantly hoarding money and spending in the private sector, the convervatives are continuing to starve our hospitals, community services, and transit.
“Workers are living paycheque to paycheque across the province right now, and it’s getting impossible for people just to make ends meet,” said Stiles. “Wages are being held below inflation, and people have less and less to spend on even the bare necessities. Instead of making sure Ontarians’ tax dollars are providing them the services they need, Ford is simply not spending it. He is shirking his responsibility to sustain the strong public programs that people need more than ever. Out of touch is an understatement. It’s completely irresponsible.”
Community Events |
Music in St. James Park |
For the next month, the Old Town Toronto and St Lawrence Neighbourhood BIA are hosting the Music in St James Park series. The series is taking place on Thursdays from 7 - 9 PM throughout the month, with various artists presenting different styles of music. I hope to see you there!
4th Annual Wayo Children's Festival |
Jamii Esplanade is bringing back their annual Wayo Children’s festival this year! It is taking place from August 9th to August 13 at Berkeley Castle | 250 Esplanade Street with showtimes starting at 5 PM, it is a festival open to all with amazing musical and dance performances and a great adventure for kids! Ticket registration is available here, accommodation is available on request- please contact the organizers for more details.
The Capacity of Regent ParkInfo Session |
The info session for the Capacity of Regent Park project is taking place every Tuesday for the following month, focusing on workforce development, economic growth, aiming to create community-wide pathways for employment with significant community benefits. Sign up at this link to attend.
Fitness Classes in St. James Park |
The Friends of St. James Town and the Old Town Toronto BIA are hosting free fitness classes on Tuesdays at St. James Park. You can choose from a variety of options, from yoga to boot camp with specialized instructors. Arrive earlier at the pavilion to register.
Celebration of Life For The St. Lawrence Market’s “Unofficial Mayor” Bob Kemp
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Bob Kemp's dedication to making a difference in the lives of everyone around him has left an indelible mark on our neighborhood. He selflessly worked to keep our community vibrant, and his tireless efforts have had a profound impact on all of us. From organizing community events to offering support to those struggling, Bob's heartwarming kindness touched the lives of countless individuals.
As a tribute to Bob's extraordinary contributions, we will be hosting a Celebration of Life on Friday, August 18th, from 11 AM to 3 PM at David Crombie Park. This event will be a gathering of friends, neighbors, and community members coming together to honor his legacy and the positive changes he brought to our lives.
Yours in community service,
Kristyn
MPP, Toronto Centre