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This past week has been horrifying, complicated, and scary for so many people in our communities. 

I am mortified and heartbroken by the violence in Israel and Palestine. I am grieving alongside everyone who has been affected during this week of brutal violence. My own sister, an employee with Air Canada, was working in Tel Aviv during the initial hours when the war broke out. Panic and fear gripped me as over the phone she relayed the awful experience felt on the ground. She and her colleagues participated in their hotel's safety drills along with other guests as they awaited an aircraft to bring them home. Our family was relieved when my exhausted sister returned home on the last Air Canada flight out of Tel Aviv on Sunday night.

The terrorist attacks by Hamas on thousands of innocent Israeli civilians are unjustifiable. I am shocked by the brutality, missile attacks, kidnappings, and targeting of civilians including the elderly and children. These are war crimes and must be prosecuted. I call for the immediate safe return of all hostages and call on the government of Canada to do everything in its power to ensure the release of Canadians among the captives.

Israel’s military operation into Gaza commenced several days ago and continues now. Innocent civilians in Gaza are caught in a horrific cycle of violence; like the Israeli civilians killed over the past few days, Gazans are victims of Hamas’ brutality. Israel’s bombardment of civilian homes and infrastructure in Gaza, where over half the population are children, has killed hundreds of Palestinians with entire families wiped out. Israel’s total blockade of Gaza, stopping the flow of food, fuel, water, electricity, and medical supplies, as well as the lack of a humanitarian corridor out of Gaza, is causing massive suffering and casualties. Canada must urgently insist that Israel respect international law and protect the lives of innocent Palestinian civilians who bear no responsibility for Hamas’ terror.

Jewish Canadians and Palestinian Canadians are terrified, devastated, and worried for family and friends. I share that despair and worry what the days to come may bring.

In the past few days I have also seen people around the world, including some here in Canada, celebrate attacks on civilians. This is abhorrent and has profoundly hurt Jewish and Palestinian members of our community. Violence against civilians is never justified. Community spaces important to Toronto’s Jewish communities have been threatened. We have seen racist anti-Palestinian vandalism and messages equating all Palestinians to Hamas and encouraging genocide, including shocking calls by members of the Israeli Parliament for a new Nakba. This too is unacceptable. In these dark times, we must treat each other with compassion and empathy and recognize our common humanity.

A decades-long cycle of violence has already taken the lives of too many Palestinians and Israelis. This year has been brutal for all in the region; with an extreme right-wing Israeli government and the absence of real democratic Palestinian leadership, and with the dangerous influence of external states like Iran, there is no clear pathway to peace.

Canada and the international community must urgent push for a ceasefire, a humanitarian aid corridor to save innocent lives, and work towards a sustainable solution where Israelis and Palestinians can live in peace, security, and mutual self-determination.

And that solution can only be political. There is no possible military solution to this decades-long conflict.

I am calling on our federal government to do everything in its power to ensure the protection of civilians and respect for international law. Canada must now support international justice efforts by the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court to investigate war crimes by all military actors in Israel-Palestine. All war crimes, by all parties to this conflict, must be prosecuted.

Our collective focus must now go to building the conditions of a just peace in the region. The international community, Canada included, must work towards a credible peace process that will finally bring peace and security to all in the region, while respecting the humanity and rights of all civilians, Israeli and Palestinian.

I stand with all people in Israel and Palestine who yearn for peace, freedom and security.

May we achieve this peace in our lifetimes.

Kristyn

Kristyn Wong-Tam

MPP, Toronto Centre

Today I joined with local business owners and advocates to call on the Federal government to fix the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) program. You can watch the full press conference here.

During the height of the pandemic, CEBA was a lifeline for small businesses. It allowed small businesses to stay solvent, paying their rent and keeping their staff employed. On September 14, 2023, the federal government – after a long wait – announced an 18-day extension to the forgivable loan deadline from December 31 to January 18. If businesses do not repay their loan in full by this deadline, they are no longer eligible for the up to $20,000 in loan forgiveness offered by the Federal government for on-time repayment.

An 18-day extension is utterly useless. Small businesses across Ontario are still struggling. COVID-19 lockdowns hit them hard, even as communities rallied around them. This botched announcement has been an enormous letdown to the small business community. Julie Kwiecinski, CFIB’s Director of Provincial Affairs for Ontario shared that 87% of small businesses that took out a CEBA loan told CFIB they need this extension

The federal government has upended the helpful and timely CEBA program and I am asking them to fix it. Graham Hnatiw, owner of the Old Spaghetti Factory said it best: “The reality is that the government is telling businesses that can’t repay the loan in the next 100 days to take on another loan from a bank at a much higher interest rate and overall payment in order to secure the forgivable portion. This is not realistic or fair.”

I was glad to be joined by small business owners and advocates here today to flesh out the true cost of not extending these loans. Right now, CEBA is a life raft for small businesses.  As a provincial representative, I cannot stand by and watch it become a deadweight that drags our main streets underwater and into further debt. 

Watch and share my full press conference here! 

In response to an Ontario NDP request, the office of the Auditor General has confirmed that they are investigating the Ford Conservatives’ process for selecting and approving Ministerial Zoning Orders (MZOs). I welcome the eventual report that will help shine light on this process.

I believe that Ford’s routine use of MZOs has created a “two-tier” planning system where certain favoured insiders can bypass the normal rules and due diligence required of everyone else.

With Ford’s Greenbelt grab, we’ve seen a troubling pattern of corruption and preferential treatment for well-connected land speculators. People have questions about whether that pattern extends to other decisions – such as urban boundaries and this government’s frequent use of MZOs. I am committed to answering these questions and bringing ethics and transparency back to Queen’s Park.

The RCMP has launched a criminal investigation into the Ford government’s $8.3 billion Greenbelt land swap. This is a huge victory for all Ontarians who pushed back against the removal of lands from the Greenbelt and won! 

I am proud that Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles and our team have kept up the pressure on this issue. Our requests launched the Auditor General and Integrity Commissioner's investigations into this corruption scandal. And now the RCMP will be able to use their considerable scope to investigate even further. 

It is shameful that Ontario’s Premier is under criminal investigation – that there is enough evidence that this investigation was launched. This Conservative government is spiraling out of control. 

For over a year, sign after sign has pointed towards a cash-for-access culture of corruption and collusion at the heart of how this government makes decisions, putting the private interests of a select few of their insiders ahead of everyone else. I hope that this investigation will get us even more answers. 

This week I spoke to the Investigative Journalism Foundation to share my insights into the patterns I have seen with this Conservative government’s patronage appointments. I have been pointing out for months that the majority of tribunal appointees have close ties to Ontario’s Conservative Party. I am glad that the pattern is beginning to be recognized widely. 

While tribunals across the province continue to experience high backlogs of cases and increased wait times for people seeking justice, this report reveals that six out of nine appointed chairs of Ontario’s tribunals have either donated money to, served as a high-ranking staffer for, or run for political office under the banner of a Canadian conservative party.

Ford is continuing to prioritize cronyism and the bank accounts of his friends over helping everyday Ontarians. Stacking Ontario’s tribunals with Conservative insiders is eroding people’s trust in the fairness of our tribunals system. I will not stand by while that happens.

The Ford government has been corrupting the political process ever since they took office in 2018. This is not new, but it is deeply concerning. I am glad to continue to stand with Tribunals Watch and to join them in calling for an independent Adjudicative Tribunal Justice Council. Yesterday’s report only makes this call more urgent.

Next week I will be proud to join my colleagues in the Ontario NDP in the Legislature to table a motion to save Ontario Place. I will update you on the outcome in my next newsletter and will be posting information about the motion on my social media accounts throughout the week. 

I am looking forward to speaking to this motion. Ontario Place deserves to be saved. It’s true that it deserves some love, care, and investment to live up to its full potential, but the government is going about it all wrong. This government should listen to the people of Ontario by holding public consultations about the direction of Ontario Place. That is what we need. What we don’t need is a massive private, for-profit spa on public land, subsidized to the tune of $650 million public dollars. 

We also don’t need a government that makes deals in back rooms, refuses to release business cases, or cares more about making their friends wealthy off of public assets than about creating a province where everyone thrives.

Join me and Ontario Place for All on Monday, October 16th from 2:30 PM- 4 PM for their rally on the South Lawn of Queen's Park 

Sign the petition to keep Ontario Place Public here! 

Information is becoming more clear about how to get a new COVID-19 booster dose in Toronto. My office has heard multiple anecdotal reports of community members who successfully walked in to the Metro Hall vaccination clinic and received a new updated booster shot without an appointment. I obviously recommend that everyone book an appointment, but feel this information is worth sharing. 

Pharmacies are expected to begin receiving the new booster shot ⁠— this new shot closely matches the COVID-19 variants circulating in Ontario ⁠— over the next week. 

Starting on Oct. 31, all Toronto residents will be eligible to receive their updated COVID-19 vaccine and annual flu shot at the same time at fixed-site vaccination clinics, pharmacies, or with primary health care providers. Members of the general public will be able to book an appointment through Toronto Public Health starting on Oct. 25 and only one appointment will be required to get both the COVID-19 vaccine and the flu shot.

Toronto Public Health encourages all Torontonians to get their COVID-19 and flu vaccines as soon as it is their turn. Getting vaccinated is an easy and effective way to be protected. Both vaccines are free for people six months of age and older who live, work or attend school in Ontario. 

Public health confirmed that while an OHIP card is not required at TPH clinics, it may be requested by other health care providers. 

The provincial government’s Housing Services Act is requiring housing providers to review eligibility of applicants and to take action to cancel applications if there is no response from applicants to outreach attempts. In order to help applicants to streamline their application process, complete annual reviews, view housing options, and connect with the City of Toronto’s RGI team, the city has created an online portal called MyAccesstoHousingTO.

The City is working to connect with applicants to ensure they register and are active on the portal. There are approximately 30,000 applicants who aren’t yet registered on the online portal, leaving them at risk of having their applications cancelled. If you need assistance with registration, please go to Help for RGI Applicants.

With the motions adopted on September 28th by the Planning and Housing Committee meeting, Access to Housing will not cancel any unregistered RGI applications until City Council has considered the proposed deadline of January 31, 2024.

If you are having trouble registering for the portal, please reach out to my office and my staff will direct you to appropriate resources. 

I was thrilled to join both Muslim Welfare Canada at 40 Oak and Salvation Army at their Harbour Light location to serve Thanksgiving dinners. My favourite way to celebrate this holiday is by sharing a meal with the community. I am thrilled that I was able to do so twice!

School Community Safety: Supporting Student Achievement, Well-being & Mental Health

DATE: Thursday, October 19, 2023
TIME: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
LOCATION: Nelson Mandela Park Public School (440 Shuter St)

Please join us for a Ward 10 Forum with Trustee Williams to discuss School Community Safety. We will also have updates from the Trustee and Superintendent. Everyone is welcome. Refreshments and childminding are provided.

Please RSVP here for the Ward 10 Forum

Deadline Extended!

Calling all youth in grades 7 and 8 in Regent Park, Moss Park, and St James Town! 

Join the Dear Future Me 2023-2024 Resilience Program to meet new people, attend enriching workshops, fun trips, and more!

Eligibility for the program:

• In grade 7 or 8
• Reside in Regent Park/Moss Park/St. James Town
• TCHC resident
• Available one Saturday every month from October to March

Register here

Toronto's First Post Office will lead a quill-writing workshop on October 14th — write a letter as they did in the Town of York in the 1830s! The event is free with a Pay What You May donation option, and 100% of proceeds go to material costs for the program. Don't forget to bring an address!

RSVP here for a ticket, as spaces are limited. All ages are welcome.

Join the Friends of Regent Park next Sunday, October 15th, from 10 am-12 pm for a Community Clean Up of the Big Park at 620 Dundas Street East! 

No registration required; meet at the Bake Oven. 

The 519 is hosting a free self-defense workshop next Sunday, October 15th, from 1:00-4:00, facilitated by Chris James! Register here to join! 

This is part of their monthly self-defense workshop series; more information can be found on their website here! If you sign up and are unable to attend, please email [email protected]

The City of Toronto is hosting virtual and in-person public consultation on the Short-Term Rental Bylaw - attend to share your opinions and learn more about the proposed changes to the bylaw. 

Virtual consultation: Tuesday, October 17th, 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Location: Online Webex meeting

Click HERE to register for the virtual event

In-person consultation: Tuesday October 24th, 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Location: Metro Hall (55 John St, Toronto, ON M5V 3C6) in Room 308/309

Click HERE to register for the in-person event

The location for the in-person consultation is fully accessible. Please email [email protected] or 647-632-4073 at least 72 hours in advance to help ensure availability.

The Law Society of Ontario’s Action Group on Access to Justice is hosting their annual Access to Justice Week from October 23-27, with a mix of online and in-person sessions. Their calendar for the week is packed with events that will be interesting to community advocates and individuals in addition to legal professionals. I encourage you to register for sessions that interest you. 

See their full calendar here

David Crombie Park is being revitalized and Phase 2 is currently underway. The City will be working on the park revitalization alongside cycle track improvements on The Esplanade for a seamless integration of the park and public realm.

Public Meeting: Thursday, October 26

125 The Esplanade (the Tent)

• Session 1: 3 PM - 4:30 PM
• Session 2: 6 PM - 7:30 PM

The same information will be shared at both sessions.

Register here.

Join the Friends of Regent Park for their annual October Funfest! 

Date: Saturday, October 28, 2023

Time: 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Location: The bake oven in the "Big Park"

This event includes a halal BBQ, pumpkin carving, music, dancing, candy, and apple crisp from the bake oven.

The City of Toronto is hosting a Small Business Forum on Monday, October 30 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. This free, full-day, in-person event supports Toronto small businesses by providing them with access to information, connections and resources to build and grow their enterprises. Register here.

When: Monday, October 30th, 8:30am-4pm

Where: Metro Toronto Convention Centre, South Building, Level 800, Exhibit Halls F & G

The Forum will focus on the theme “Future-Proofing Businesses through Innovation & Sustainability” and will feature leading entrepreneurs as keynote speakers, panel discussions on trends facing small businesses, concurrent programming sessions and a trade show area. The Forum will also provide information about government resources and links to small business experts, product providers and other tools and services to assist small business.

Dear Neighbour, 

Happy Thanksgiving weekend! I wish everyone a peaceful weekend full of delicious food, time with loved ones, and a moment to reflect on what we have to be thankful for. If you are feeling lonely or hungry this weekend, there are several community events that would be enriched by your attendance! Please look for them at the end of this email. 

This was another busy week in the Legislature. The Ford government continues to be mired in scandals –  this time for possible illegal lobbying and expanding urban boundaries without consultation.

On Wednesday, I asked the government about potential illegal lobbying and conflict of interest under investigation by the Integrity Commissioner. The issue is with Mr. Amin Massoudi, who was hired as a speechwriter and communications consultant for the Premier under the name of the company he owns, Atlas Strategic Advisors. It was recently revealed that Atlas Strategic Advisors was registered to lobby the government on behalf of numerous companies while the company was under contract to the PC Caucus. When I raised this to Minister Paul Calandra, he stumbled over his words and tried to redirect me on a technicality. It is clear to me that he knows that the government is in the wrong. You can watch the full question here.

Yours in community service,

Kristyn Wong-Tam

MPP, Toronto Centre

Doug Ford and his government have not only been busy trying to sell off the Greenbelt for the benefit of their developer buddies; they have been doing the same types of favours for other “3rd parties”  as they work to expand the urban boundaries of many cities across the province, without proper consultation with the cities themselves or Indigenous communities, often against the express advice of planners within those municipalities.

Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles is calling this "Act II of the Greenbelt corruption crisis.”

She says that it is “yet further evidence that this government will stop at nothing to rig the system so long as it helps their close land speculator friends.” 

This internal government briefing note highlights “possible contentious issues” concerning the Conservatives’ April 2023 ministerial amendments to municipal official plans in Waterloo, Wellington County, Guelph, Barrie, Belleville, and Peterborough. 

The document shows the government knowingly overrode recommendations from regional planning staff by adding lands to municipalities’ urban boundaries proposed via “third-party requests,” neglected to consult with impacted First Nations, and forced urban boundary expansions that were at odds with the province’s own planning policies and housing targets.  

Ford and his government knew what they were doing was wrong. So they tried to hide it. They knew these plans would result in the loss and disruption of watersheds, farmlands, and critical habitats. They knew these decisions were not only not evidence-based but recommended against by experts. Yet they went ahead anyway, seemingly to please these unnamed “3rd parties”. I have a few good guesses about who they might be. I bet you do, too.

Nearly 500 tenants across five buildings in the York - South Weston area of Toronto are on rent strike to protest expensive above-guideline rent increases being imposed on them by their corporate landlords. 

Yesterday, I rose in the Legislature to ask the government when they will restore real rent control in Ontario and stop allowing huge corporations to price-gouge their tenants during a housing crisis. 

Watch my question here and sign the petition to bring back real rent control here.

I also attended No Demovictions TO’s protest on Tuesday. I am proud to stand alongside these tenants as they fight for their affordable homes and the community they love. Many of the apartment buildings slated for demolition do not need to be knocked down. They are aging and may need some repairs, but they should not be demolished just to make room for luxury apartments not covered by rent control. It is shameful that Doug Ford’s policies have made the displacement of these tenants easier and more profitable. 

Are you being demovicted? Get in touch with No Demovictions TO today!

A massive congratulations to Manitoba Premier-elect Wab Kinew, the entire NDP team, and the great people of Manitoba for making history this week. Manitoba elected the first Indigenous Premier in Canadian history! This is a very important day for Canada and Indigenous representation. I’m very excited to see the great things their majority government will accomplish! 

These election results are an incredible rebuke by voters of the social conservative dog-whistles their previous PC government made in desperate and shameful attempts to be re-elected.

Public Health Canada is in the process of approving updated COVID-19 boosters and vaccines. Here’s what you need to know:

• Almost all COVID sub-variants circulating in Ontario have mutations that have made our original and bivalent boosters less effective at preventing hospitalization and symptomatic infection.
• New boosters will soon be widely available in Ontario. These boosters are different. They are entirely targeted towards newer strains of COVID-19. They will offer significantly better protection. 
• Public health recommends for everyone who is eligible to get the new booster when it arrives. It will protect yourself, your loved ones, and your community. These new boosters offer the best available protection.
• COVID-19 numbers have been increasing across Ontario over the last month. 
• People at high-risk are being prioritized by local public health units to get new boosters first. Availability varies across Ontario, but you can call the provincial vaccine portal at 1-833-943-3900 for information about XBB booster availability in your area.
• I will share more information soon when I have clearer information about how you and your loved ones can get the new COVID-19 shot in Toronto.
• Toronto Public Health is providing free rapid tests. Learn more from Toronto Public Health here. 
• If you or a loved one tests positive for COVID-19, you may be eligible for Paxlovid. Paxlovid can reduce the risk of severe infection for people at risk. You can learn more from Toronto Public Health here. 
• Opening doors and windows, using MERV-13 HEPA filters, and wearing a high-quality mask (meaning an N-95, KN-95, etc) continues to reduce COVID-19 transmission.

It was an honour to join Pride Toronto & The 519 in recognizing Truth & Reconciliation Day this past Saturday with their community feast. As Canadians, it is vital we recognize the genocidal history Indigenous peoples survive and our crucial role in advancing Indigenous rights and self-determination. The Ontario government must do more to honour the treaties and negotiate with sovereign Indigenous nations in good faith.

Thank you to the St. James Town Residents' Association for welcoming me to their corn roast! It was wonderful to come together for some great food and great conversations. Look at those ears!

I was thrilled to join the vibrant Mid-Autumn Festival celebration sponsored by the Chinese Workers Network and the Asian Canadian Labour Alliance. Thank you for having me — and for the mooncakes!

Join me this Sunday, October 8th, 2023, at 10:30 am at CRC 40 Oak St to celebrate Thanksgiving weekend with the Muslim Welfare Centre! A hot, takeaway meal will be served on a first-come, first-served basis.

Enjoy a delicious meal, the beautiful sunshine, and time in the community! 

Toronto's First Post Office will lead a quill-writing workshop on October 14th — write a letter as they did in the Town of York in the 1830s! The event is free with a Pay What You May donation option, and 100% of proceeds go to material costs for the program. Don't forget to bring an address!

RSVP here for a ticket, as spaces are limited. All ages are welcome.

Join the Friends of Regent Park next Sunday, October 15th, from 10 am-12 pm for a Community Clean Up of the Big Park at 620 Dundas Street East! 

No registration required; meet at the Bake Oven. 

The 519 is hosting a free self-defense workshop next Sunday, October 15th, from 1:00-4:00, facilitated by Chris James! Register here to join! 

This is part of their monthly self-defense workshop series; more information can be found on their website here! If you sign up and are unable to attend, please email [email protected]

Join the Friends of Regent Park for their annual October Funfest! 

Date: Saturday, October 28, 2023

Time: 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Location: The bake oven in the "Big Park"

This event includes a halal BBQ, pumpkin carving, music, dancing, candy, and apple crisp from the bake oven.

ICON Talent Partners is now accepting applications from interested candidates for their 2023-2024 Fellowship class.

Their Fellowship is a comprehensive 6-month program whereby they expose top BIPOC talent to competitive careers in sectors such as banking/finance, management consulting, venture capital, private equity, technology/innovation, startups, sports/entertainment, and much much more!

Apply here by October 18th!

This completely FREE program strives to expose BIPOC high school students, university students, graduate/professional students and young professionals to the multitude of opportunities and careers that exist and in which they can excel.

Dear Neighbour, 

Queen’s Park returned this week and so did Doug Ford’s shenanigans. 

Despite promising to introduce legislation that would protect the Greenbelt ⁠— he has not done so yet. His government voted against Marit Stiles’ Greenbelt Restoration Act at first reading ⁠— something which is virtually unheard of.  Almost all bills pass first reading. Voting in favour of a bill at first reading simply recognizes that the bill is suitable for debate and not offenssive. 

The Greenbelt Restoration Act Marit Stiles put forward would:

• Repeal the Ford Conservatives’ 2022 Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve Repeal Act and restore provisions in the DRAP Act, 2005.
• Amend the 2001 Oak Ridges Conservation Act so lands the Ford Conservatives removed from the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan by regulation are again a part of the Oak Ridges Moraine Area and the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan.
• Amend the Greenbelt Act, 2005 to protect the lands that the Ford government removed by regulation in 2022.
• Helped mitigate any potential liabilities that the government may incur through the change in policy.

Ford is embarrassed and scared. His government is backpedaling while the sharks in his caucus taste blood in the water. 

To keep the pressure on Doug Ford, Marit Stiles moved a motion for a special committee to investigate Ford’s Greenbelt Grab.

As Marit Stiles said, “I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again – we are going to use every legislative tool available to us to get to the bottom of the Ford Conservatives’ corruption scandal and restore trust, transparency, and accountability at Queen’s Park.”

People have lost trust in this government. Too many questions remain. Who in the government tipped off speculators to the Greenbelt changes? Who made the decision to change policy direction? We’ll keep asking questions until we uncover the full extent of the government’s all-too cozy relationships with well-connected speculators.

A prior Select Committee helped uncover misconduct in the former Liberal government’s gas plants scandal, which led to the former Premier’s chief of staff sentenced to four months in jail. The creation of that Select Committee was supported by MPPs from all parties.

As you might expect, I was excited to return to Queen’s Park swinging at the Ford government. 

On Monday, I demanded that Ford apologize to educators and Trans Ontarians for his inflammatory language that is actively making schools unsafe for 2SLGTBQI+ students. You can watch and share my question here.

And earlier today I had the chance to call attention to heart-breaking criminal cases that the Ontario Superior Court dismissed due to ‘inexplicable’ delays. Everyone who has been following the administration of justice in Ontario knows that the delays are not inexplicable: they are the direct, predictable consequence of this government’s chronic underfunding and meddling with appointments.

While the bar is low for the quality of the answers this government provides, this answer was particularly egregious. I asked the Minister about a stabbing and shooting in Toronto Centre this week that stems from his failure to fix our bail system.  But his final answer to "our criminal justice system is collapsing and victims aren't getting justice" was essentially "you're welcome". Shame. 

Finally, beginning this Friday, community members and organizations will recognize the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. There will be many events taking place in our community to help you recognize this important day and show support for local Indigenous organizations. 

Beginning tomorrow, the Indigenous Legacy Gathering at Nathan Phillips Square is organized by Council Fire. Friday and Saturday will be busy with a full schedule of events from 7 AM on Friday to 8 PM on Saturday. You can see the schedule here.

Additionally, Friday, September 29, will be the Mid-Autumn Festival! I hope that everyone celebrating can gather with their families to enjoy good health and prosperity.

Yours in community service,

Kristyn Wong-Tam

MPP, Toronto Centre

Health care is not for sale! It was an honour joining labour and community advocates from across Ontario this week calling for an end to Ford's privatization plan. We saved the Greenbelt ⁠— now let's save public health care! 

It is an honor to stand with First Nations Land Defenders and allies to call for justice and respect for First Nations. Ford is refusing to meet with Northern Ontario Chiefs, reinforcing his pattern of encroaching on Indigenous land without consultation. Grassy Narrows and all other nations have the right to Free Prior and Informed Consent!

The next economic downtown is ahead ⁠— if it isn't already here. The Federal government has been asked by the commanding majority of small business stakeholders to extend the loan forgiveness deadline for CEBA loans by a year. Not doing this will force thousands of small businesses to take out new loans at today's painfully high interest rates. This means small shops will close. Workers will lose their jobs. The Federal NDP publicly supports this change to save small businesses. You can read the Federal NDP's statement here.

Justin Trudeau must sit down with small business stakeholders and accommodate small businesses' needs in the middle of a downtown. Immediately. 

No Demovictions Toronto is hosting a rally against demovictions and renovictions this coming October 2 at 5 PM at City Hall. Tenants, this is your time to speak out!

This will be a public call to action to demand government prioritize affordable, purpose-built rental buildings in Toronto. We are seeing a record number of rental units being destroyed, leaving our affordable housing stock meager and forcing seniors, families, and low-income individuals into dire financial stress. 

You can see No Demovictions Toronto’s complete list of demands here — I’m looking forward to seeing you there!

Join Dixon Hall on Thursday Oct 5th, from 11 AM to  3 PM for their Hospitality and Food Industry Job Fair! This is a great chance to speak with prominent leaders in the sector, make connections, and even land a great job! 

To register, email [email protected]

The Downtown Yonge BIA has put out a survey to understand the community's concerns around safety and inclusion. If you can, please spare a few minutes to give your input on these essential neighbourhood questions. 

Please note that the Downtown Yonge is defined by Bloor Street in the North, Bay Street in the West, Richmond Street in the South, and Church Street in the East.

Follow this link to enter the survey! All respondents who complete the survey by September 30, 2023, can enter for a chance to win: 

• One (1) "Exotic Escape for Two Retreat" Elmwood Spa package;
• One (1) set of two (2) tickets to the musical "Chicago" at the CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre;
• Two (2) $200 Little Canada Giftcards;
• Two (2) $50 Hailed Coffee Giftcards;
• Three (3) $50 Le Genie Bakery & Espresso Giftcards and
• One (1) $200 Adega restaurant Giftcard

Ahead of Thanksgiving weekend, register for The Corner’s Thanksgiving meal on October 6, 2023, from 12 PM to 2 PM. 

Halal and vegetarian options will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Places are limited, so please register by calling 416-964-6657 or visit The Corner at 200 or 250 Wellesley St. East.  Find out more information here.

Did you have a great time at this year’s Cabbagetown Festival? I know that my team and I did! 

They are conducting a survey on how local businesses, residents, and visitors liked the festival. You could win 1-of-2 $100 gift cards for a local Cabbagetown shop! 

The deadline to complete is October 6 —  fill out the survey here.

Hope Leads is conducting a health and advocacy workshop to support women and gender-diverse community members to improve their understanding of the Canadian healthcare system, develop self-advocacy skills, and build capacity within the healthcare systems to sustain improvements.

To participate, you must: 

• Self-identify as a woman, non-binary, or gender-diverse person in Canada with lived experience(s) of barriers to healthcare and income inequality — we prioritize Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour, folks with disabilities, neurodiverse people, migrants, immigrants, newcomers, refugees, non-citizens, members of the Two-Spirit and LGBTQIAA+ community and those from under-served and under-represented communities that have access to less robust protections and fewer resources;
• are able to attend a live online class on Eastern time (The date will be shared with participants)
• are 18 years and older;
• are comfortable engaging in a closed online group setting with a camera and mic on;
• can provide GOOD TO BE GOOD with the information we need to ensure a successful session.

Visit the link here to fill out the form to sign up!

Families in Regent Park are invited to “Borrow a Grandparent” and spend time with older adults in the community and enjoy storytelling, games, music, button making, and reading. 

When: Saturday, September 30, 2-4pm

Where: Daniels Spectrum Community Living Room (585 Dundas St East)

ICON Talent Partners is now accepting applications from interested candidates for their 2023-2024 Fellowship class.

Their Fellowship is a comprehensive 6-month program whereby they expose top BIPOC talent to competitive careers in sectors such as banking/finance, management consulting, venture capital, private equity, technology/innovation, startups, sports/entertainment and much much more!

Apply here by October 18th!

This completely FREE program strives to expose BIPOC high school students, university students, graduate/professional students and young professionals to the multitude of opportunities and careers that exist and which they can excel.

Dear Emma, 

I want to wish everyone celebrating a happy Rosh Hashanah! I hope that the year ahead of us brings everyone the best of health, happiness, and success.

This was another eventful week in provincial politics, with Global News publishing Ford’s mandate letters from 2018. CBC also reported that Ford spent over 1672 hours of Crown Attorney's time fighting their release. Ford’s mandate letters show a pattern we saw during his first term — he is fixated on cutting the public services we rely on. 

It is crucial to stress that Ford has not published his mandate letters from the current 2022-2026 term.

On a lighter note, I want to thank all our amazing volunteers and community members who came out for the St. James Town and Cabbagetown Festivals last weekend! The streets were packed, and our local shops were busy. In fact, our big orange NDP tent had so many visitors that we’ll need to re-order new swag to replenish our supplies. What a way to wrap up the summer!

To round out the busy week, yesterday I returned to Queen’s Park for Estimates Committee meetings, where I asked pointed questions to the Solicitor General and the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery. The Estimates Committee is a standing committee where we review how the government is spending the money allocated in the budget and have the opportunity to question Ministers and government staff. 

I used this opportunity to draw attention to a series of news stories this week about the crisis in Ontario Courts. It was reported that Judges are refusing to sit in Ontario’s Milton courthouse because it is literally falling apart, while Liberal and PC governments have ignored courthouse workers calling for urgently needed repairs. You can see my CP24 interview here or listen to my interview on Newstalk 1010 here. 

Yours in community service,

Kristyn Wong-Tam

MPP, Toronto Centre

This upcoming Sunday, September 17, is Regent Park’s newest Pride event, OUT LOUD!

This one-day block party is themed to promote equity and inclusivity. Join us on Regent Park Boulevard from 12 PM to 7 PM. You can register and find out more about this fantastic event here.

Our team will be there all day, so please come by to say hi! Look for our big orange tent, where we will be giving away more prizes. There will also be music, vendors, entertainers, arts & crafts, cotton candy, children's games, and even a cookie bar. Yes, you read that right, a cookie bar!

Happy 30th Birthday to Toronto's Performing Arts Lodge!

PAL provides invaluable housing and support to performing artists and arts workers. They were early pioneers of the St Lawrence neighbourhood and helped create a beautiful community.

PAL teamed up with Commfest to host a joyful block-long celebration on Market Street. I have been a champion of PAL and co-op housing my entire life and public career, and I couldn’t be prouder to celebrate this significant milestone with them!

Leader Marit Stiles and Ontario NDP have condemned new renderings of Ford’s Ontario Place scheme. MPP Chris Glover represents the riding of Spadina Fort York, home of the beautiful natural waterfront habitat that Ontario Place rests on. I want to share my colleague’s statement here, which I fully support: 

Ontario Place’s West Island is a mature forest that provides habitat to more than 125 species of birds, as well as mink, beavers, and foxes. It’s a precious greenspace in Downtown Toronto, where that is pretty rare. Just like carving up the Greenbelt, this is a real disservice to our environment and to future generations of Ontarians.
It shows how committed this government is to these shady backroom deals, especially in light of their Greenbelt corruption scandal. Here, they’re pushing forward with a backroom deal that emerged from a shady procurement process that gave a private corporation, Therme Group, control over some of Canada's most valuable public parkland.
The entire process surrounding the Ontario Place lease has been deeply flawed and shrouded in secrecy. This 'new' footprint is nothing but a regurgitation of their old, recycled plan. Ontario Place is public land cherished by generations of Ontarians. A 95-year lease that forces the public to pay half a billion dollars for a new parking garage while handing over public land to a private luxury spa is wrong.
Let's be clear - this is not what Ontarians want. Given this government's track record of scandals and questionable backroom deals, we have every right to be deeply troubled. The Ford Conservatives must cancel this lease and go back to the drawing board to engage in a fair and transparent process that truly respects the wishes and concerns of Ontarians."
The procurement process surrounding this luxury spa has been marred by flaws, including recent revelations from an FOI report that no fairness monitor was in place, raising serious concerns about transparency and fairness.

Amidst the Ford Conservatives’ corruption scandal, the Ontario NDP has filed an official complaint with Elections Ontario over questionable donations made to the Conservative Party.

The donations in question appear to be from Municipal Solutions, a lobbying company helmed by John Mutton, who multiple sources identify as the “Mr. X” from the Integrity Commissioner’s report.

Ford’s Conservative Party can’t say who paid for these donations, which were for tickets to a record-breaking $6 million fundraiser held behind closed doors. Official documents suggest Municipal Solutions purchased two $1,500 tickets to a Conservative fundraiser and gave them to municipal politicians.

The Conservative Party’s required donations disclosures to Elections Ontario do not include the names of Mutton, the two municipal politicians who used the tickets, or Municipal Solutions.

In a letter to Elections Ontario, Provincial Director Kevin Beaulieu asked the Chief Electoral Officer to investigate these – and other – donations made to the Conservatives.

Ontario’s Election Finances Act prohibits political parties from accepting corporate donations. Donations may also not be made on behalf of someone else.

Read Beaulieu’s full letter here.

Recently, the City of Toronto and the Toronto Transit Commission have announced two pieces of big news. First, all TTC subway riders will be getting cellphone service starting October 3rd! Torontonians will no longer have to be brought back to the stone age when they ride the subway. After over a decade, Mayor Olivia Chow and François-Philippe Champagne, Federal Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, have successfully ended Rogers’ hold over underground wireless coverage. 

More exciting news is that TTC service is restored to near pre-pandemic levels this fall. Aside from initial service cuts in 2020 due to the pandemic, previous Mayor John Tory again cut service on the TTC back in May of 2023. You can read more about how the TTC is returning to full service here, including in Scarborough. 

ACTNOW is hoisting a rally against demovictions and renovictions this coming October 2 at 5 PM at City Hall. Tenants, this is your time to speak out!

This will be a public call to action to demand government prioritize affordable, purpose-built rental buildings in Toronto. We are seeing a record number of rental units being destroyed, leaving our affordable housing stock meager and forcing seniors, families, and low-income individuals into dire financial stress. 

You can see ACTNOW’s complete list of demands here — I’m looking forward to seeing you there! 

Are you 17-29 years old and interested in a career in the trades? This information session hosted by BOLT, Tridel's charitable arm, is for you! Learn about the finishing trades, understand how to start your career, and enjoy a complimentary lunch. 

When: Wednesday, September 20, 12-3 PM

Where: Yonge Street Mission, 306 Gerrard Street East

The Downtown East Action Plan provides a set of actions to coordinate City services and address complex challenges in Toronto’s Downtown East related to poverty, homelessness, community safety, mental health, substance use, and the drug poisoning crises.

Join Fred Victor for their final Community Forum on Wednesday, September 20th, from 6 PM to 8 PM at the John Ines Community Center. Share your thoughts about the action plan, hear updates, and discuss practical next steps.

RSVP here!

Join Fred Victor, Friends of Regent Park, and Muslim Welfare Canada on Saturday, September 16, for their annual Harvest Festival. Celebrate Regent Park gardeners, enjoy a community meal, kids’s activities, a raffle, and more!

The event will be hosted in the Big Park Communal Garden at 620 Dundas Street East from 11 AM-1:30 PM.

If you have questions, email Ashrafi Ahmedat [email protected]. See you there!

Join the Ontario Health Coalition on the first day of the new legislative session to send a strong message to Doug Ford and his government — healthcare is not for sale and needs massive public investment to serve Ontarians appropriately. RSVP here

When: September 25, 12 PM

Where: Queen’s Park South Lawn

Regent Park Film Festival is excited to host a special FREE community screening of the 1997 documentary Shooting Indians: A Journey with Jeffrey Thomas. Join them for this free event, followed by a talkback with the filmmakers! RSVP here, and tickets are first-come, first-served. 

When: Thursday, September 21 - doors open at 6:30 PM, movie starts at 7:00 PM.

Where: Imagine Cinemas Carlton Cinema - 20 Carlton Street

Dear Neighbour, 

The beginning of September signifies a return to school and the Labour Day long weekend. With the CNE in full swing, eager parents and students have a few days left to take it all in. 

This week, Artscape announced it has been placed into receivership. They are a cultural institution that has operated successfully in Toronto for over 30 years by providing creative spaces and residences for artists. Like many in Toronto Centre, I’m concerned for the future of those who live in Artscape's live/work apartments or rely on their community hub and services such as those in Regent Park. 

Over the years in conversations with Artscape staff, board members, and most recently with the CEO, I have expressed my support for dedicated and expanded arts funding. 

The Ford Conservatives have failed to invest in the arts and non-profit housing models similar to what Artscape has offered creatives for years. To create a truly vibrant and successful arts and cultural sector in Ontario, we need a provincial arts funding strategy, including inflation-indexed and sustained investment in the Ontario Art Council to reverse years of Conservative cuts.

On a personal note, this summer has been incredibly challenging as my wife is still receiving cancer treatment. Farrah is the bravest person I know and I’m incredibly proud of her. Recently, my father has been diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer and as I support him and Farrah with their treatment plans, I’m in awe of the hardworking health care professionals who go above and beyond to take care of our loved ones. They deserve our deepest gratitude. As an MPP, watching firsthand the deficits in the health care system, I’m re-committed now more than ever to fight for real investments to ensure our healthcare system is strong, viable and stays public forever. 

Many thanks to the residents of Toronto Centre who have stopped me on the street to offer kindness or sent along their good wishes. It means more to me than you can ever imagine. I am so proud to represent you.

Read ahead for select community events and festivals that are free and fun for everyone.

Stay safe and enjoy the long weekend ahead.

Yours in community service,

Kristyn Wong-Tam

MPP, Toronto Centre

This week, we learned of another damning piece of the puzzle in the Ford government’s disturbing pattern of corruption. We learned that Steve Clark has been found to have breached two sections of the Member’s Integrity Act – an important code of ethics that all government members agree to follow when Ontarians trust us with public office.

With each new piece of information, we’re seeing how far up this corruption goes. Ontarians deserve nothing less than full accountability from this Minister who used his public position to benefit a select few ultra-wealthy developers. Ford must demand his resignation instead of protecting his minister.

The size of this scandal is outrageous. This Minister clearly broke the law with his involvement in these dirty deals.

However, Doug Ford is doubling down on his defence of Steve Clark, and even getting aggressive towards journalists ⁠— which you can watch here.

Ontarians deserve so much better than fake apologies. His words are meaningless without any action to back them up. Ford must step up, show some leadership, and kick Clark out of cabinet. Then get us all back in the Legislature so we can restore all of these lands back to the Greenbelt.

Background and Quick Facts:

• The Integrity Commissioner has found Minister Clark in breach of sections 2 (conflict of interest) and 3.2 (insider information) of the Member’s Integrity Act.
• He has recommended to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario that Minister Clark be reprimanded for his failure to comply with the Act.
• A complaint was filed by the Official Opposition on December 8, 2022
• Additional information was presented in the Auditor General’s special report on the Greenbelt changes
• The Official Opposition ONDP added to the complaint following the release of the AG’s special report on August 19, 2023

Public Pressure is Working

While Ford refuses to listen to Ontarians, common sense, or even the Integrity Commissioner, his team is clearly worried and potentially beginning to buckle.This week the government began to return two parcels of land to the Greenbelt after its owners’ listed the land as being for sale. This is not nearly enough to fix the mess he made ⁠— but coming from a Premier who refuses to fire a blatantly corrupt cabinet Minister, it shows how deeply anxious Ford’s team is right now.

To help keep up public pressure, the Ontario NDP launched a new website that I invite you to share with your networks ⁠— HasSteveClarkResignedYet.ca.   

Earlier this week, Ford’s Education Minister Stephen Lecce refused to commit to keeping Trans students safe at school. He was asked if Ontario would bring forward legislation that could force education workers to out Trans and non-binary students without their permission that could put students at further risk — even when their parents are anti-Trans. 

According to the Trans Pulse Health Survey, 35% of Trans Ontarians have seriously considered suicide in the last year, and 11.2% have attempted suicide. Social support — in places like schools — reduces that risk and keeps Trans students safe. We must recognize that in the schools and at homes, the safety of children and youth must come first - above all else. Minister Lecce is not better informed about the safety of home environments than the students navigating them in real-time.

This week, Leader Marit Stiles, Education Critic Chandra Pasma and I as your 2SLGBTQI+ Critic held a roundtable with education stakeholders to discuss how to ensure schools are safe and welcoming for all students and staff in the rise of anti-2SLGBTQI hate. Here is our statement.

Ontario’s NDP will do everything in our power to fight anti-Trans legislation if the Ford government chooses to bring harmful new bills forward. We have already tabled legislation to expand Gender Affirming Health Care and create 2SLGBTQI+ Safety Zones in the last year.

Join Marit Stiles, Jagmeet Singh and our Toronto caucus as we take the streets with over 20,000 labour members to honour the past, present and future victories of the Labour Movement at this year’s annual Labour Day Parade. The NDP is the party of working people and we will never waiver in our solidarity with the labour movement. We will be in the lead section of the parade.

This year, the Toronto York Region Labour Council highlights our collective strength and solidarity with the theme,  "Year of the Union. Worker Power, Lifting Communities.” 

As we march through the heart of Toronto, we'll be showcasing the vital role that unions play in improving our workplaces, our neighbourhoods, and our lives. From workplace challenges to the cost of living crisis, it’s through our collective power that we can inspire positive change and uplift not only ourselves but also the communities we're a part of. When we stand together, we can uplift entire communities.

WHEN: September 4, departure at 9:30 AM sharp

WHERE: NDP contingent will meet at Queen & Simcoe at 9:15 AM

Let's march in solidarity, showing the world the true impact of worker power. Let's continue to advocate for fair treatment, better conditions, and a brighter future for all!

2023 has been a ‘Hot Labour Summer’ (to use a term circulating on social media) with many strikes and wins by workers united for fairness. 

This week, Unifor announced that Metro workers’ strike has ended with an agreement that secures historic wins for frontline workers. Toronto Centre New Democrats and I had the honour of joining Metro workers every week on the picket lines in Toronto Centre to show support for their demands. Congratulations! 

In additional good news, USW announced today that a second Starbucks in Ontario has successfully voted to unionize!

While good news abounds when workers organize, TVO workers’ strike is continuing. To quote my colleague NDP MPP Jill Andrew, “TVO is, and has been, more than a channel to us. More than a broadcaster. It educates us. It entertains us. In many ways, it helped raise us. This doesn't happen without its workers, who for too long, have been kept down with wage freezes or increases well-below inflation (equalling a cut), moving from temporary contract to temporary contract, all without benefits of permanent placement.” 

I look forward to greeting and encouraging TVO workers during the Labour Day Parade!

On a final note, the Toronto Centre NDP’s 2021 training on how to unionize your workplace remains relevant. You can share it with any family members, friends, or colleagues you know at this link. 

Yesterday I stood with community organizations including parents who lost their children to commemorate International Overdose Awareness Day. Last year in Canada 7328 died from overdose. That’s 20 people a day. 34% of deaths are in Ontario.

We know solutions to preventing overdose deaths include moving away from criminalization to remove the stigma, making drug-quality testing freely available to guarantee a safe supply, and funding affordable, supportive housing, and crisis beds for those seeking treatment.

I want to specifically thank the Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention, Women's College Hospital, META-PHI, FAR Canada, Africans in Partnership Against AIDS, and African and Caribbean Council on HIV/AIDS in Ontario for your vital work every day of the year.

To frontline harm reduction workers: when things finally change ⁠— and they will ⁠— it will be because of the difficult and life-transforming work you are doing today.

The St James Town and Cabbagetown Festivals are coming up!  Both are held on September 9 and the Cabbagetown Festival spans the whole weekend, including September 10. My team will be setting up a community table at the two events and we need your help to give away Back to School supplies and other cool swag.

Volunteering at these festivals is a great time to connect with the community, spread the word about important provincial issues, and enjoy a beautiful weekend with new friends.

Cabbagetown Festival ⁠— Volunteer with us! 

We have shifts at 11 AM, 2 PM, and 3:30 PM on Saturday the 9 and Sunday September 10.

 St James Town Festival ⁠— Volunteer with us! 

We have shifts at 2 PM, and 4:30 PM on Saturday the 9. When can you join us?

Mayor Olivia Chow announced on Monday that TTC Service will increase to 93% of pre-pandemic levels after Labour Day to accommodate an expected influx of riders. Service will be increased to 95% by November, with bus service at 99% of pre-pandemic levels

From Tues., Sept. 5, the TTC will be restoring 126 school trips for elementary and secondary schools, and will be increasing frequency on nine routes that serve post-secondary institutions. 

“More TTC service means more room on board, shorter wait times, and better reliability for all transit users,” said Mayor Olivia Chow. “By reinvesting some of the $60 million originally budgeted to operate Line 5, there will be 280,000 weekly customer trips with scheduled service improvements by November, with service almost back to pre-pandemic levels. Most of this investment will be in the bus network, where we know demand is greatest.”

By November, more Scarborough transit users will have a direct bus route to the subway, without needing to transfer to other buses.

For every dollar spent at a small business, 66 cents on average stays in the local community, compared to just 11 cents of every dollar from large multinational companies, according to new data from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB). 

Shopping local is more fun, often more convenient, and keeps our local economies humming. Support a local business this weekend and post about it using #ShopLocal and #SmallBusinessEveryDay

Join Fred Victor, Friends of Regent Park, and Muslim Welfare Canada on Saturday, September 16 for their annual Harvest Festival. Celebrate Regent Park gardeners, enjoy a community meal, kids’s activities, a raffle, and more! The event will be hosted in the Big Park Communal Garden at 620 Dundas Street East, from 11 AM-1:30 PM. If you have questions email Ashrafi Ahmedat [email protected]. See you there!

Join the SLNA’s Waste Reduction Group for their 8th Annual ReMarket to recycle your unwanted items, repair broken items, get your bike repaired, or bring home some new (to you) items from the Free Market. This event runs Wednesday September 20 from 10 AM-7 PM and  Thursday, September 21 from 11 AM to 3 PM. Different services are offered each day so be sure to visit the SLNA’s website for full details. 

The City of Toronto is hosting a series of public consultations as they carry out an Implementation Review of the City’s Noise Bylaw. Your voice deserves to be heard.

Consultations are taking place in-person and virtually between September 12 to 21 - sign up here. 

Email SubmissionsYou can also submit your feedback by emailing [email protected]. Deadline to submit feedback is October 15, 2023.

Starting September 5, 2023, Dixon Hall Employment Services offers an eight-week FREE computer training followed by 3 months of assistance for employment or Literature and Basic Skills training.

This initiative is open exclusively to unemployed women.

Services will be delivered in hybrid mode (in person at the Regent Park Community Centre with one-on-one support, and via virtual platforms).

The first cohort of 10 women will start the program on September 5, and our instructors will deliver the following modules: Basic Computer Skills, How to use a Smart Phone at work, Creative Writing, etc. Wrap Around Coaching, Building Resilience and Career Development, Canadian Workplace Culture, Job search workshop, Professional Communication, In-Depth Resume Writing, and Cover Letter sessions are built in as well in this training.

Learn how to deliver great customer service and boost your career in hospitality.

Working in hospitality and tourism requires great customer service skills. This free, in-person, two-day program was developed by OTEC and gives you a hands-on approach to learning how to deliver good customer service, including customer service essentials, stress management, and emotional intelligence.

The program is being held on two upcoming weekends, September 23 and 24, as well as October 21 and 22.

This has been another full week of news about the Greenbelt and this government’s corrupt handover of billions of dollars to their favoured developers. In this newsletter, I will continue to keep you updated on this scandal as it develops. 

We are also in the thick of festival season in Toronto Centre! Keep reading for details about The 519’s Back to School Bash, Freedom Fest, Summer Chill Fest, the St James Town Festival, and the Cabbagetown Festival! 

Doug Ford’s backroom Greenbelt deals are starting to rot from the inside out. Two of the Housing and Municipal Affairs Minister’s staffers have resigned and just this morning the government backtracked on the removal of one large parcel of Greenbelt land in Caledon. This is a huge victory! And it’s a reminder that our pressure on the government is working - we have to keep it up! Please continue to email the Minister, share information, and get involved with local groups fighting for our greenbelt. Minister Clark needs to resign in disgrace over this colossal scandal. 

I also want to echo what our leader Marit Stiles had to say about Minister Clark’s Chief of Staff’s resignation:

“This is the bare minimum of accountability for one of the most serious breaches of public trust in Ontario’s history. The Auditor General’s report was very clear—this staffer obviously didn’t act independently. 

Now it’s time that the Minister take responsibility, do the right thing, and step down; time that the government recall the Legislature so we can restore these lands to the Greenbelt for protection; and time for the Conservatives to start providing Ontarians with the transparency and accountability they deserve. 

Mr. Ford needs to face the music.” 

I also join my colleague Catherine Fife in calling for the Ontario Legislature’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts to prioritize the Auditor General’s Greenbelt report, so it is the first order of business when the Committee resumes.

The Ontario NDP will use every available legislative tool to get to the bottom of this scandal and end corruption at Queen’s Park. It is sickening but not shocking that Ford Conservatives continue to disregard due process, accountability, and transparency. Instead, they seem to be actively encouraging and perpetuating corruption to the tune of billions of dollars and thousands of hectares of priceless protected land.

MPP Fife’s letter to the committee cited precedents to prioritizing the Auditor General’s Special Reports, including those on the Liberal government’s Ornge and gas plants scandals.

The Standing Committee on Public Accounts can conduct public hearings, calling representatives from the government and the broader public sector, with the goal of providing analysis and recommendations to the Legislature. 

The Official Opposition NDP has also formally requested that the Legislature be recalled immediately to return the lands to the Greenbelt for protection.  

Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles delivered a passionate speech to assembled delegates at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) conference on Monday. In that speech, she reiterated the ONDP’s commitment to supporting municipalities and being a partner to them in building housing.

I am proud to be part of a caucus that is proposing solutions that don’t involve giving massive incentives to developers over struggling Ontarians or making land speculators rich by ignoring the environment. Here are just some of the positive and expert-backed housing solutions that the ONDP has and will continue to put forward in the Legislature:

• Real rent control
• Building truly affordable housing (including non-profit, public, co-op, and supportive housing)
• Cracking down on land speculation
• Establishing inclusionary zoning to build homes within existing neighbourhoods, near transit, and other key infrastructure.

I am proud to stand in solidarity with TVO workers who are on strike. They are fighting for wages that reflect the cost of living after years of wage freezes and caps. They are also fighting for permanent jobs, not precarious contracts, for the licensed teachers who deliver curriculum content on TVO. This content is part of TVO’s organizational mandate, but the Minister of Education has directed the organization to hire only contract workers for those positions. This is why collective bargaining and strikes are such important tools for workers. Together they can take on the big bosses and Ministers that one worker alone could not. 

On Monday Mayor Olivia Chow announced that 1,350 more people in Toronto will be supported to pay for housing through $13.4M of new funding to the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB) program, which supplies individuals and families in need with rent supplements. This one-time top-up funding consists of contributions from both the City of Toronto and the Province of Ontario. 

This infusion of emergency cash will help people experiencing homelessness, including asylum seekers, secure safe, permanent housing while they get back on their feet or establish themselves in the city for the first time. This will also relieve pressure on the shelter system, which is routinely over-capacity and not a permanent housing solution for anyone. 

I am glad that the Provincial government came to the table at this critical moment and grateful to Mayor Chow for getting this deal done. It has been so disappointing to see the Federal government leave Toronto behind during this crisis. 

On Monday, August 28, from 4 PM to 5 PM, MPP Jessica Bell, MPP Chris Glover and I are hosting a virtual Small Business Forum with special guest Aaron Binder from Better Way Alliance.

We will be discussing:

• Implementing a standard commercial lease,
• Commercial rent control so there’s a cap on how much the rent can be raised between tenancies,
• Creating a dispute resolution mechanism like a Commercial Tenant Board.

You can RSVP for our Zoom forum here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. More information can be found here, and if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please email me at [email protected] or MPP Jessica Bell’s office at [email protected]. 

The St James Town and Cabbagetown Festivals are coming up. Both are held on the weekend of September 9 and 10 and Kristyn’s team will be setting up a community table at the two events. 

These festivals are a great time to connect with the community, spread the word about important provincial issues, and enjoy a beautiful weekend with new friends.

Cabbagetown Festival - Volunteer with us! 

We have shifts at 11am, 2pm, and 3:30pm on Saturday the 9th and Sunday the 10th. When can you join us?

St James Town Festival - Volunteer with us! 

We have shifts at 2pm, and 4:30pm on Saturday the 9th. When can you join us?

Residents of Church-Wellesley, St. James Town, Regent Park and Moss Park are invited to The 519’s 7th Annual Back to School Bash. This free event is being held this Saturday, August 26, 11 AM - 4 PM at Barbara Hall Park.

Celebrate as we get set for the new school year with:

• delicious food, live DJ, and performances
• bouncy castle, games, and school photos
• haircuts for kids and youth
• backpacks with school supplies for kids and youth attending
• books for children attending
• children's catch-up vaccinations available on site
• dental cleaning
• educational pop-up stations
• interactive art installation, and much more!

Freedom City Ministry presents their 9th Annual FreedomFest this Saturday August 26, 1 - 6 PM at the Greenspace behind 200 Wellesley Street East.  

FREE food, music, clothes, essentials, household items, kids stuff, fun, festivities & community!

This Saturday is the new basketball court official dedication & revitalized green space opening at 325 and 375 Bleecker Street.  Youth United Basketball League from the Wellesley Community Centre is hosting a FREE community BBQ, a 4on4 basketball tournament & back-to-school giveaways this Saturday August 26 from 2 - 4 PM.

This upcoming Sunday head to the St James Cathedral Lawn for an interfaith summer celebration hosted by the Anglican Diocese of Toronto. 

Summer Chill will be held on Sunday, August 27, from 12 -2 PM, outside St. James’ Cathedral. This free, family-friendly event will combine fun activities for kids (including a free ice-cream truck and a visit from Santa on vacation!) with information on issues faced by people experiencing homelessness and the need for expanded respite capacity.

Calling all fashion fans! Join your neighbours in a showcase of diverse one-of-a-kind pieces created by community members! The event will include music, snacks and the main show. Come celebrate the creativity of Regent Park!

This event will take place on Thursday, August 31st from 5-9pm in the Daniels Spectrum Courtyard (585 Dundas St E). RSVP here! 

We love the annual St James Town Festival, a fun-filled community event that brings out all the neighbours. Head to the Greenspace behind 200 Wellesley St East to enjoy live performances, activities, and food vendors from 2-7 PM on Saturday, September 9. And don’t forget to stop by our MPP community table for spin-the-wheel prizes and popular swag giveaways!

The Cabbagetown Festival is back! I am excited that this treasured annual festival is coming back to Parliament Street. Come by on August 9 and 10 for live entertainment, food vendors, a kids zone, and showcases by local businesses and artisans. We’ll be there with our community table under the bright orange banner for the entire weekend with spin-the-wheel prizes and popular swag giveaway!

Learn more and sign up to volunteer with the Cabbagetown BIA here.

The Downtown East Action Plan provides a set of actions to coordinate City services and address complex challenges in Toronto’s Downtown East related to poverty, homelessness, community safety, mental health, substance use, and the drug poisoning crises.
I know many of you are deeply affected by these crises and it is important that the Action Plan is informed by your experiences and ideas. Fill out the survey and stay connected to the Action Plan’s work here.

Yours in community service,

Kristyn

Kristyn Wong-Tam

MPP, Toronto Centre

Dear Neighbour,

There has been more information on Ford’s ways of evading accountability, as well as community events I’ll be attending across Toronto Centre — all of which I am eager to share with you.

It has only been one week since my last newsletter telling you about Ford’s Greenbelt scandal, yet we are only starting to uncover how corrupt this government truly is. 

A damning article from Global News, released just three days ago, has brought to light additional information about Doug Ford’s use of a personal cellphone for government business. While the Auditor General’s (AG) Special Report about Minister Clark's political staff concluded that they would routinely use their personal e-mail accounts to conduct government business, it seems this is common on the Conservative side of the House. Global News states: “What was made clear by government officials was Ford did not use his government-issued cellphone to make a single phone call during that one-week period in November (2022).”   

Leader of the Ontario NDP, Marit Stiles, has written to the Integrity Commissioner stating this additional information so it is to be included in their ongoing investigation. I will keep you apprised of this case’s developments — stay tuned. 

Ontario's Finance Minister, Peter Bethlenfalvy, recently released the 2023-24 First Quarter (Q1) Fiscal Update. My colleague, MPP Catherine Fife (Waterloo), Official Opposition Finance Critic, emphasised that the report highlights the Conservative government's continued neglect of everyday Ontarians. 

Despite the Financial Accountability Office’s (FAO) report’s projection of a $22.6 billion surplus due to below-planned spending, Minister Bethlanfalvy maintains that there is no change to the deficit/surplus... The most extensive and valuable pieces of land removed from the Greenbelt, as reflected in last week’s AG report, is in the Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve, located in Minister Bethenfalvy’s riding of Pickering – Uxbridge. And through the AG report, we have all been made aware that the direct actions of the Ford government have enriched ultra-wealthy developer Silvio DeGasperis by more than $6 billion. 

While Ontarians suffer from $7.2 billion in below-planned spending (e.g., cuts), including $1.7 billion in below-planned expenditures on health, a 67% cut for Emergency Forest Firefighting, and a 2.7% cut from the Ontario justice sector, these statistics are terrifying on paper, but their repercussions are severe. 

I was honoured to meet with Out Loud North Bay earlier this week to learn about the good work they do supporting 2SLGBTQI+ Ontarians in North Bay. Their story is incredible: they are entirely volunteer-run, and were created by community for community. However, as they have grown, the demand for their services has also spiked. They are seeing rising hate and threats first-hand ⁠— like so many 2SLGBTQI+ organizations and Ontarians. They are filling a real gap and need government support. It’s time for the Ford Conservatives to recognize the importance of community-based organizations like Out Loud North Bay and fund them for the vital services they are providing to 2SLGBTQI+ families in the north.

On Monday, August 28, from 4 PM to 5 PM, MPP Jessica Bell and I are hosting a virtual Small Business Forum with special guest Aaron Binder from Better Way Alliance.

We will be discussing:

• Implementing a standard commercial lease,
• Commercial rent control so there’s a cap on how much the rent can be raised between tenancies,
• Creating a dispute resolution mechanism like a Commercial Tenant Board.

You can RSVP for our Zoom forum here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. More information can be found here, and if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please email me at [email protected] or MPP Jessica Bell’s office at [email protected]. 

This Saturday morning, August 19, from 10 AM to 12 PM, join the Friends of Regent Park hosting Pancakes in the Park at The Big Park (600 Dundas St. East). There will be vegan, gluten-free, and Filipino-style pancakes, and halal chicken and vegan sausages. 

Don’t miss out on the music, face painting, and dancing! I will be there and looking forward to seeing many of you. Please meet at the Regent Park Community Centre at 402 Shuter St in case of rain.

Join me and my team this coming Sunday, August 20, from 12 PM to 7 PM at Regent Park’s Sunday in the Park.  The event will take place at 600 Dundas St. East at “The Big Park,” there will be free halal, vegetarian, and kosher BBQ, good music, and fun with the community. If you have any accessibility needs, please email [email protected]. 

And if you would like to volunteer with us at this event and gain some outreach experience, please sign up to volunteer here, and a staff member will contact you about a shift time. See you there! 

If you want to improve your job-related skills to make you a more competitive candidate in today's labour market. In that case, Woodgreen offers an in-person workshop this coming Sunday, August 20. The Skills for Success for Experienced Workers (SSEW) Program provides unemployed individuals aged 45+ with training and support to improve their foundational and transferrable skills.

Their information session will be at 1533 Victoria Park Ave inside WoodGreen Employment Services' main workshop room beside the main entrance. For more information, click here. 

There are free self-defense workshops for those who are 18+. Any fitness level can do this class, and will be facilitated by martial artist and self-defense instructor Chris James. The latest session is August 20 from 12 PM to 4 PM, specifically for BIPOC communities. Register here before this Sunday!

The Rekai Centres, a non-profit, charitable long-term care home providing exceptional care and inclusivity, seeks proposals for the visual transformation of the inaugural Rainbow Wing! 

I urge potential artists interested in creating an inviting and inclusive environment that celebrates and represents the 2SLGBTQI+ communities to take their talents to Wellesley Central Place.

Read more about this opportunity here. 

Yours in community service,

Kristyn

Kristyn Wong-Tam

MPP, Toronto Centre

Dear Friend, 

This week has been a whirlwind of breaking news about the Auditor General's report on the Greenbelt. I have given you a run down of report in this newsletter, as well as summer community events here in Toronto Centre. I look forward to sharing them here with you!

This week, the Auditor General (AG) confirmed everything that the Leader of the Ontario NDP, Marit Stiles, has been saying — Doug Ford’s Bill 23 is not about building more housing; it is about making developers richer. This policy shift explicitly involved the release of protected Greenbelt land, which was acquired just last year by a select few of Ford’s acquaintances for thirty times less than its present-day appraisal. Surprise, surprise. The value of their initial $240 million investment has surged exponentially to a potential earning of $8.3 billion. 

Make no mistake, this is what government corruption looks like under Doug Ford. Ontarians deserve better than a leader who cares more about his wealth and privilege. You can read the report here, or watch my video marking the report highlights here. Below, I’ve also outlined some notable takeaways. 

1. Auditor General confirms Ford’s Greenbelt changes were unnecessary to achieve the government’s housing target. This matters because the AG systematically obliterates Ford’s lie that he must rip up the Greenbelt to build 1.5 million homes over ten years. “Chief Planners in the regions of Durham, Hamilton, and York—which are home to all 15 land sites removed from the Greenbelt—told (the AG) that Greenbelt land was not needed to meet the current housing targets assigned to them by the Housing Ministry.”

2. Ford's political staff guided the Greenbelt policy. The AG notes that in June of 2022, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Steve Clark, received a mandate letter to “codify processes,” which we now know took protected land out of the Greenbelt, opening it up for development. This now-available land, approximately 92% of the acreage, came from five distinct areas, all of which were “recommended” by developers who had “direct access” to Minister Clark’s Chief of Staff. It’s not typical for political staffers to manage complex planning processes. Professional planners subject matter experts and local communities are generally involved in land-use planning studies but they are never unilaterally led or dictated by top-level political staff.

3. Under Ford’s government developers had undue influence. Ultimately 14 of the 15 sites selected for removal were given to the Greenbelt Project Team for review by the Housing Minister’s political staff. Only one site assessed for removal was provided by the Greenbelt Project Team. Owners of 15 sites removed could see an increase in land value of $8.3 billion. It shows that Ford’s wealthy insider friends will profit hugely from this shady and politically motivated process. 

4. Environmental factors, farmland protect, and existing municipal planning were all sidelined in the process. This suggests that the process was forced to fit a predetermined outcome and that at no point did the process prioritize the government’s stated objective — housing. Environmental agriculture expertise was not monitored or incorporated, and cities and their political staff were ignored.

The Conservatives Greenbelt Grab has nothing to do with building affordable places to live and everything to do with making a select few well-connected insiders even richer. Marit Stiles, myself, and the entire Ontario NDP team will continue to demand the immediate removal of Minister Steve Clark from Cabinet. Our demands including having Ford recall the Legislature to return all lands to the Greenbelt and cancel his nefarious deals with developers. 

This is only the beginning. I will continue to notify you as more is unveiled by the Integrity Commissioner's investigation. Take action by signing my petition to amend Bill 23, stop all plans to further remove protected land from the Greenbelt and protect existing farmland in the province by passing the Ontario NDP’s Protecting Agricultural Land Act.

Starting this Tuesday August 15th, the TTC and transit systems across Ontario are launching credit and debit payments to pay for fares. In addition to the TTC, riders can also use credit or debit to pay fares on GO Transit, UP Express, Brampton Transit, Burlington Transit, Durham Region Transit, Hamilton Street Railway, MiWay (in Mississauga), Oakville Transit and York Region Transit. Click this article link here for more information.

The Cabbagetown Community Arts Centre has provided affordable music lessons to at-risk children from low-income families in Toronto for more than four decades.

Because of a lack of funding, they are hosting a fundraiser through GoFundMe. To keep their doors open, they are trying to reach their goal of $25,000. If you can, please donate or spread the word by sharing this fundraiser with your friends and family.

If you need to speak with a doctor or a nurse practitioner about services like blood pressure checks, cholesterol checks, cancer screenings, mental health assessments, or access to primary care, check out the Wellness Hub. Locations are at the Corner and the Regent Park Community Health Centre. These are by appointment only, so please call (416) 347-0943 for bookings. *Bring OHIP/IFH if possible. 

The YMCA Community Action Network (YCAN) is an innovative national program. Its purpose is to engage leaders across Canada to address community needs through service projects! 

If you are between the ages of 13-30, a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident, or someone who has been granted refugee status in Canada and is passionate about learning new skills and making a difference in your community, consider signing up here. The first information session will be held on the 18th floor of 365 Bloor St E at 5 PM on August 14. 

SummerSeries in Trillium Park has an exciting season of programming, offering the perfect setting to enjoy music, arts, wellness, and nature. 

Starting July 1 until late September, there will be local artists, Ontario-based, and international artists for a variety of events, including live musical performances and outdoor yoga classes in Trillium Park on Toronto’s waterfront. All events are free and open to all ages!

This summer, there is no shortage of free and fun events in the city. City Hall Live, is this August with music and events featuring local musicians, grassroots music organizations, venues and presenters. You can find out about all of the concerts coming up here. 

This upcoming Sunday, August 13 from 3 PM to 7PM, the Afro-Indigenous Food Rights Project will be hosting an Emancipation Benefit Concert. Join us for a great event, as there will be live music and delicious food at 200 Wellesley Street East by the pool behind the building.

Yours in community service,

Kristyn Wong-Tam

MPP, Toronto Centre

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. 

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. 

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.  

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.

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. 

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.

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!

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!

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.

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. 

Ontario NDP Leader, Marit Stiles, and finance critic, MPP Catherine Fife came together to call out Ford:

“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.”

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!

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 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.

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.

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

Kristyn Wong-Tam

MPP, Toronto Centre

Dear Neighbour,

Election day in Scarbourough – Guildwood is TOMORROW. We have a real shot at denying Ford another Toronto riding ⁠— but we need your help to send Thadsha to Queen’s Park. 

The Thadsha Navaneethan campaign stands as a testament to the power of unity and progressive values. Now, more than ever, we have an incredible opportunity to bring meaningful change and elect a progressive, a New Democrat, in Scarborough Guildwood – and someone who genuinely understands and represents the needs and aspirations of the community. By doing so, we can bolster the Official Opposition in Ontario and stand up against the Ford Government. 

As we look at the political landscape in Ontario, we recognize that the Liberals find themselves in third place, lacking both party status and a leader. I heard for myself at the doors yesterday that Scarborough communities are uniting behind the NDP as the only option that can win more for them and send a clear message of change to Doug Ford. 

But here's the crucial part: we are so close, and we need your help to make a real difference. A strong Get Out The Vote (GOTV) effort is what will propel us to victory, and I am calling on our NDP family to step up and support us in this final stretch. Even if you can spare just an hour of your time, it can make all the difference in ensuring we reach as many voters as possible.

So I urge you to join me tomorrow for election day and be part of this historic movement. Click the link below to sign up ⁠— you can help in person or by remotely make calls using your computer.

In another incident of Doug Ford keeping Ontarians in the dark to save face, it was revealed this week that the Premier’s Office has been vetting all Metrolinx communications. CEO Phil Verster wrote to the Premier’s Chief of Staff in December, suggesting that Metrolinx was required to have the government’s approval before publicly discussing the Eglinton Crosstown LRT. Others close to this story suggest there was a “total lockdown” on communications unless the material was approved by the Premier’s or Minister of Transportation’s offices. 

This is an eerie echo of the fiasco in Moss Park, where 61 mature trees were cut down on a weekend without any public consultation or notice. The Toronto Star later revealed that political staff directed Metrolinx not to notify the local MPP of the work—while city officials were warned. Ford cannot be trusted when it comes to telling the truth about transit building.

Cities across Ontario including Toronto continue to reel from a critical lack of shelter beds and supportive housing with robust wraparound because governments have refused to come to the table with urgent funding for this housing and homelessness crisis. We experience the fallout of these issues directly in our neighbourhoods, including Church and Wellesley Village with the announcement of Dudley’s Hardware potentially closing next year. 

Just this week, Mayor Chow wrote to Federal Finance Minister Christia Freeland asking for emergency funds and was turned away and told that instead, the City should dip into reserve funds to cover costs. This is unacceptable. We urgently need ALL governments to work together to address the housing, mental health and addictions crises. Health and safety is everyone’s responsibility. We can’t afford to have the federal and provincial governments fight over who should do less for Toronto.

The provincial government has been sitting on over $22 billion of allocated funding, some of it from the federal government. The upper governments must stop their finger pointing and work with cities to address the mental health, addictions and housing crises. Otherwise, sustainable solutions will not advance until that happens. 

This is all happening as the Federal government continues to find the funds to subsidies fossil fuel companies with tax breaks despite the climate crisis. 

Toronto City Council passed a motion moved by Councillor Josh Matlow this week to protect the Ontario Science Centre from demolition and relocation. While it is widely accepted that the centre requires upgrades, many Torontonians oppose Doug Ford’s plan to demolish the building and move the centre to a much smaller site at Ontario Place. The motion asks city staff to understand what obligations, if any, the province has to continue operating a public-facing attraction on the Science Centre site and to explore the possibility of the city taking over the site. This model would look something like the Toronto Zoo. It is heartening to see all of the love for the Science Centre! 

Who voted for the motion to protect the Science Centre.

MPP Chris Glover is also gauging public support or opposition to the Conservative government's proposal for the Therme spa at Ontario Place. Please take a moment to complete this quick 5-question survey.

As the Official Opposition Critic for the Attorney General, I keep an eye on what is happening in our courts. But I have never seen something this odd: a ruling from the Ontario Court of Appeal in which all details, including the name of the court where the trial was held, have been redacted. The ruling text does not list the offender's name, crime, date, judge, sentence, or reasoning. Legal experts have expressed grave alarm about this “secret triaI” and believe that the public and media have a right to greater context on why such an unconventional approach was taken. I will be keeping a close eye on this and will provide updates if anything concerning arises.

Tenants in Toronto routinely battle renovictions, AGIs, and bad faith requests to leave by landlords. Even when landlords act in good faith, the law is complex and it can be hard to know where you stand as a tenant. Luckily, there are great legal resources out there!

This week City TV published this informative article about what tenants need to know if their landlord is selling their home — check it out here and refer to Steps To Justice for more lawyer-vetted legal information.

This past Sunday, I joined Marit Stiles and Thadsha Navaneethan at the 40th-anniversary commemoration of Black July at Albert Campbell Square. Many community members shared stories from the anti-Tamil pogroms and genocide that took place in 1983. This event was a symbol of the resilience exemplified by the Tamil community.

Last week I had the pleasure of joining BENA for their annual summer social at Bishop and Belcher. It was wonderful to connect with so many community leaders and neighbours for a chat about the issues (small businesses, community safety, and local development were the hot topics!). If you are not connected to your local Neighbourhood Association I can’t recommend it more. It is a great way to meet your neighbours and make change in your community. If you would like to be connected and live in Toronto Centre email my office and we can link you up!

Join me this Saturday at the Moss Park Festival from 1 to 4 PM at Moss Park! Bring your friends, family, and neighbours to enjoy food, ice cream, live music, a bouncy castle, family portraits, and much more. Look out for our big orange tent and make sure you drop to pick up a prize.

Also, this upcoming Saturday, the Friends of Regent Park are hosting Pancakes in the Park from 10 AM to 12 PM by the Bake Oven in the Big Park (600 Dundas Street East). 

Everyone is welcome to spread their picnic blanket, eat, listen to music, and exercise. There will be a steelpan player, a face painter, and Dancing with Parkinson’s will lead the crowd in low-impact seated exercises. Pancakes, halal chicken sausages, and vegan sausages will be served. 

Yours in community service,

Kristyn

Kristyn Wong-Tam

MPP, Toronto Centre

Dear Neighbour,

This week a long-established and widely beloved hardware store ⁠— Dudley’s Hardware, Paint and Decor⁠— announced they could close. The owner needs to see action from all orders of government on the overlapping crises of chronic homelessness, untreated mental health and addictions, and a failed justice system. I visited Dudley’s owner Steve Dawson to discuss what next steps he needs to rebuild trust with all levels of government and prevent his business from closing. I also joined a meeting convened by Councillor Chris Moise today with public safety, small business, and community stakeholders about enhancing local public safety. Thank you to the Church - Wellesley Neighbourhood Association, the Church - Wellesley Village BIA, 51 Division, community members, Progress Place, the 519, Toronto City Staff, Councillor Moise, and the team at Dudley's for joining to discuss what changes can be made over the short and long term for everyone who lives, works, and plays in the Village.  

Ongoing decades of underfunding and downloading by the federal and provincial governments created the housing and homelessness crisis. The province is worsening public safety by not budgeting for new supportive and deeply affordable housing. I wrote to several of Ford’s Ministers, calling on them to make concrete changes and visit local stakeholders to hear firsthand what our communities need from our government. You can read my letter here.

I also spoke about this to City News Toronto yesterday outlining a strong emphasis on the mental health crisis and a need for bail reform, which you can find here. 

Yesterday, a constituent informed my office that Health Quality Ontario is forming a committee to make more consistent standards for gender affirming health care. 

To be clear, this committee will not do the work of the committee proposed by the Gender Affirming Healthcare Act. This committee will specifically focus on establishing standards of care for healthcare professionals who treat Trans people. Consistent standards mean fewer differences between providers. Rainbow Health Ontario already has a best practices document. Still, formalized standards are a step toward progress. 

The advisory committee proposed in the Gender Affirming Healthcare Act goes well beyond this to understand how access to care can be expanded, improved, sped up, and made more accessible. Nonetheless, Trans and nonbinary folks should make up most of the Health Quality Ontario committee. If you have lived experience, you can apply to be on the committee here by July 24, 2023.

The Toronto Star reported this week that the head of Ontario’s legal regulator did not accept the government’s offer of a King’s Counsel designation because using the title may violate professional conduct rules for lawyers.

This government has caused absolute chaos in the courts, affecting Ontarians’ access to justice. It currently takes more than four or five years for a civil action to proceed from commencement to trial. We’ve even seen serious convictions tossed out due to delays.

Justice delayed is justice denied.

But instead of prioritizing fixes to the justice system, Ford's Conservatives reward themselves and their donors with fancy new titles.

I called for Conservative MPPs bestowed with the King’s Counsel title to return it voluntarily.

It is appalling for Ford’s Ministers to put a patronage scheme before real issues like bail reform or fixing Ontario’s tribunal system crisis. 

This week, Stats Canada released Canada’s June inflation numbers, which have fallen to 2.8%. Hidden in that number is the deeply worrying statistic that food inflation is continuing at 9% ⁠— an acutely painful rate for everyone living on a fixed income. I want to echo NDP leader Jagmeet Singh’s calls for a windfall tax on grocery chains. Massive corporations are making record profits while millions of Canadians struggle to eat. We must also remember that Ford needs to raise ODSP and OW rates so that some of our lowest-income community members can afford to eat. 

I want to share some key statistics to help you decide what drives the problem. 

1: Competition in grocery suppliers has decreased significantly in recent decades.

2: Massive grocery chains are raking in more profits than ever.

Earlier this week, the Federal government committed to provide $97 million of the $157 million owed to Toronto to support settling refugee claimants. 62% of the funding Toronto deserves is a positive start. This shows how electing a progressive organizer as our Mayor is already winning new funding for essential services. In more good news, Mayor Olivia Chow’s first motion to open up more shelter spaces for refugee claimants passed Council on Wednesday with unanimous support. 

This week, new data from the Canadian Real Estate Board showed that rent price inflation is skyrocketing. At the same time, a study from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives showed that policies favouring profit over housing security are driving the housing crisis. I cannot stress enough how important vacancy rent control is — and I want to thank my predecessor Suze Morrison for her successful advocacy, ensuring vacancy rent control is enshrined in NDP policy. Vacancy rent control means rent control applied between tenancies — or, more simply, a new tenant will pay the same rent as the last tenant. Vacancy rent control can end the incentive for demovictions and renovictions. It is not a silver bullet — tackling the housing crisis requires a constellation of policy responses, many of which you can read about here. But vacancy rent control is one of the lowest cost/ highest impact housing policy tools available. 

The Ontario Heritage Trust is honouring the achievements of those who have shown leadership, commitment and the best and most creative approaches to heritage conservation this year. If you are interested in nominating an exceptional individual, the deadline is October 15, 2023. 

Learn more about each of the four categories of awards here:

• Youth Achievement
• Community Leadership
• Lifetime Achievement
• Excellence in Conservation

This week I met with Toronto Community Housing and staff from Councillor Moise’s Office to advance an exclusive use agreement for the Regent Park Islamic Resource Centre (RPIRC) at 246 Sackville Street. I recognize the importance of dedicated space and culturally-appropriate programs for the Muslim community in Toronto Centre. The RPIRC has hosted numerous Eid celebrations and many after-school programs for the local students. As their former councillor and current MPP, this wonderful organization and community hub is a source of pride for me in Toronto Centre.  I look forward to seeing them expand their services for a growing community in the years to come. 

Today, with the help from the Regent Park community members,  I was also able to help provide 50 hot meals to refugees and asylum seekers at 129 Peter Street. While it was a small part from my end, real solutions for this can only come through immediate actions from the federal and provincial governments. 

I talked more about the situation at 129 Peter Street in my previous newsletter, which you can read here.

Today I met with the coordinators of Grey-Bruce-Owen Sound Pride. They shared how their festival is being targeted by this new wave of violent anti-2SLGBTQIA+ hate and the lack of support that they feel from our Provincial government. They have a petition calling for their municipal government to do more that you can sign to show your solidarity with them! This government lacks coordination and real programs to support communities being targeted by hate-motivated violence and harassment. I have heard this feedback from Pride organizations across Ontario, but particularly from smaller towns and rural areas. Queer and Trans people in Ontario should feel safe and be supported by their governments no matter where they live. I will continue to press this government to invest in the safety of our communities. 

Queer East Social is coming to Toronto Centre’s Café Zuzu this Wednesday, July 29 from 6PM to 10 PM. This wonderful event is an opportunity for any 2SLGBTQ+ members and allies to celebrate and be together. 

Enjoy an evening of mingling with Queer & Trans organizations and support Queer owned and/or operated businesses by RSVPing for the event here!

The Toronto Outdoor Picture Show is bringing Toronto Centre a screening of Amélie directed by Jean=Pierre Jeunet. There will be a short film Arlo Alone, directed by Nicole Dorsey, screened just before the main event.

The screening will be held on Thursday, July 27, 2023 at the Corktown Commons ⁠— enter at Bayview ave and Mill Street (155 Bayview Ave). The admission is Free/PWYC (no ticket required to attend) The event will begin at sun down, with eats and treats before at 7 PM. Guests are asked to bring their own blankets and chairs. The movie will have captions. 

Until August 19th, Charlie's Freewheels will be bringing their Bike Safety Check Station to the Summer Saturdays at the Moss Park Market from 11 AM to 2 PM. Their teams of mechanics will perform safety checks and minor adjustments, and provide air and oil to your bike. The service is free for youth under 25, or Pay-What-You-Can for adults over 25.

On Saturdays, June through August, find historic reenactors and artisans in Old Town Toronto. This friendly group tours the area 12 noon to 3pm Saturdays, and are happy to chat with you about historic facts, their period specific attire, or snap a selfie. 

Their route/timing may alter week-to-week, however, their casual itinerary is:

12pm – 1pm: St. James Park for a stroll then off to Berczy Park for a picnic.

1pm – 2pm: Market Street where they demonstrate different things such as quill writing, knitting, whittling, polishing buckles.

2pm – 3pm: Back through St. James Park, where they just might invite you to partake in a game of croquet.

Thank you to Friends of St James Park for sharing this event with us! 

Yours in community service,

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MPP, Toronto Centre