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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

Dear Neighbour, 

Today a bold new progressive chapter begins in the history of our city. Olivia Chow was sworn in as Mayor. Her story resonates in Toronto Centre because she called our streets in St. James Town her first Canadian home after her family arrived. Our new Mayor grew up on Rose Ave.

Olivia’s story of growing up in St. James Town, supporting her family’s transition to a new country, and her first-hand knowledge of what it means to be a tenant, to ride the TTC regularly, and to overcome systemic barriers matters. And that lived experience ⁠— experiences shared by so many of us in Toronto Centre ⁠— means that her policies will reflect what people actually need. 

Needless to say, I was overjoyed to join her swearing in as Toronto’s new Mayor today. The long, cold, conservative winter in the Mayor’s office is over. 

In this newsletter, I want to cover recent political updates and share exciting local events taking place in our community.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of joining the St James Town Residents’ Council to their Summer Town Hall. We spoke about the pressing issues that are deeply affecting residents in St. James Town such as housing & affordability. It's an honour to represent this dynamic neighbourhood at Queen’s Park.

Street Haven is a multi-service agency that provides support to women experiencing or at risk of homelessness. They have locations in several communities including Toronto Centre and it was an honour to meet with their Executive Director, Siu Mee Cheng, and their clients Theresia and Florence. We learned how the Federal and Provincial governments can do more to address the refugee and homelessness crisis in our city. Among the many services, the Ontario NDP is calling for an immediate investment in homeless programs such as the Canada Ontario Housing Benefit and the re-instatement of the Physician and Hospital Services for Uninsured Persons program. The humanitarian crisis is worsening as shelters and refugee homes are full and new arrivals are being turned away daily.

Torontonians are still asking questions that Ford is ignoring about Ontario Place. This was illustrated in a comically bad interview by Infrastructure Minister Kinga Surma earlier this week that you can see here. Ford has launched an aggressive ad campaign to try and build excitement using the tax-payer money he pretends to want to protect ⁠— but journalists and Torontonians are not being fooled.  Furthermore an Ontario-based company named Thermea also initiated a law suit this week about if Therme’s name will cause legally problematic confusion. Our new Mayor has pledged to fight Ford’s suspiciously unprofitable spa plan with every tool ⁠— and we will be supporting all efforts to keep Ontario Place public. 

A story broke this week that a federal environmental report commissioned in March listed 29 federally protected species that live in the parts of the Greenbelt that Ford wants to bulldoze. This is not a nail in the coffin for his plans, but could pose additional challenges to his wetland giveaway plans.

After Ford restored a useless patronage title known as the King’s Counsel last week, he threw his Attorney-General under the bus saying that he never saw or approved who received the controversial designation. Be that as it may, Ontario’s Tribunals remain in crisis with no end in sight and I would argue that the real scandal facing both men is their failure to deliver Ontarians any semblance of access to justice.

Ontario's Ombudsman gave Ford a roadmap to fix the Landlord and Tenant Board (which has lessons applicable to many other Tribunals). Instead of getting to work, Ford's government is prioritizing divvying out useless patronage titles. 

Twitter was never known for being an oasis of self-care and assumed best-intent. But its new owner showed the world why every billionaire is a policy failure with historically painful clarity. It is important for me to be where my constituents are, so, like many of you, I begrudgingly downloaded another social media app and am on threads! You can follow me here: https://www.threads.net/@kristynwongtam 

On July 13, Toronto hospital workers, including frontline nurses, medical laboratory technologists, health care aides, cleaners, clerical staff and many more, will be holding city-wide rallies to protest against the privatization of hospital services.

What: Rally Against Health Care Privatization Outside St. Michael’s Hospital

Time: 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM on July 13, 2023 

Address: 30 Bond St., Toronto (sidewalk at the corner of Queen St. and Victoria St.)

The Friends of Allan Gardens and Toronto Metropolitan University’s Office of Social Innovation are thrilled to present Sounds Like A Park, a free concert series that will take place from 5:30-8 PM every Thursday in July.

The opening event will feature Toronto’s new Poet Laureate, Lillian Allen, and her Revolutionary Tea Party, Indigenous Collaborative Dancer Cotee Harper and Indigenous Collaborative Singer Theo McGregor.

They will be followed by Samba Squad on July 13, Counterpoint and Friends on July 20, and Thyron Lee Whyte & Band on July 27.

The Toronto Outdoor Picture Show is bringing Toronto Centre a screening of CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON directed by Ang Lee. There will be a short film Requiem for Romance, directed by Jonathan Ng. It takes place on Thursday, July 13, 2023 at the Corktown Common ⁠— 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. 

The Regent Park CHC is having a free barbeque celebrating their 50 years of serving Toronto Centre communities this Thursday from noon to 4 PM. Join them for a live DJ, games raffles, zumba, dancing, and food!

When: Thursday July 13 from 12 PM - 4 PM

Address: Regent Park “Big Park” at 620 Dundas St East

This event might not be in Toronto Centre (it is at 33 King Street near Weston Road and Lawrence Avenue), the housing crisis is affecting Toronto Centre, and solidarity is a wonderful strategy to advance tenant rights.

Join me celebrating the launch of the Moss Park Photostory Exhibit at Neighbourhood Information Post. It will take place from 2:00 – 4:00 PM at 269 Gerrard Street East on the second floor.

The Theatre Centre is hosting Community Meal for Summer 2023. It takes place on Thursday July 27 and it starts at 12:30 PM at The Theatre Centre Café/Bar. RSVP here if you are interested!

Thank you for all that you to do. It is an honour to represent and organize for our communities. 

Kristyn Wong-Tam

MPP, Toronto Centre

Dear Neighbour, 

This week has been jam-packed and I am excited to share it with you. Keep reading to hear about issues with the Landlord and Tenant Board, an awesome local business owner helping Sudanese refugees, upcoming community events, and so much more!

The long-awaited Ombudsman’s report on the crisis at the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) was released yesterday. Housing Critic, MPP Jessica Bell and I, as the Critic for the Attorney General, held a press conference in response. 

The backlog at the LTB has grown from 20,000 in 2020 to 38,000 today and the Ford Government has no plan to address the problem. Simply put, the failure to quickly schedule LTB hearings to resolve disputes between landlords and tenants has made life impossibly stressful for many Ontarians.

The ONDP has been tirelessly advocating for years to depoliticize the appointment process and increase the number of adjudicators so that Ontarians can receive a fair and timely hearing. This report paints a clear and damning picture of the crisis. The Ford government must acknowledge their failing; then provide a detailed and costed plan with committed timelines to address the crisis. Otherwise, residents will never be freed from the misery of Ford’s broken tribunal system. 

Click here to watch our press conference.

During my recent visit to Moss Park and the Garden District, I was delighted to be welcomed by a large number of supporters of Esra's. The owner, Muna Elbadri, is a remarkable individual whose resiliency and strength are truly inspiring. Not only has she managed to create a beloved community hub, but she has also extended her support to Sudanese citizens who are struggling in their home country.

This Star story highlights the journey of this small Toronto shop that averted disaster and became a source of hope and support for many. Muna's story is a reminder of the power of community and how one individual can make a difference in the lives of so many.

I am grateful to have had the opportunity to meet Muna and the wonderful supporters of Esra's cafe and speal about their advocacy efforts to support Sudanese refugees. Their dedication to the community is truly remarkable, and I look forward to seeing their impact continue to grow!

Recently, Canada opened its humanitarian doors to Syrian and Ukranian refugees. Our nation has a proud history of standing up for human rights and providing sanctuary to those fleeing persecution and violence. I’m proud to lend my voice and join the call from Sudanese Canadians asking the Federal government to once again rise to the occasion of supporting refugees. We’ve done it successfully before and it’s time for us to do it again. To learn about the Sudan conflict, please consider this article.

This constituency week, I went door-to-door canvassing to speak with the residents of Regent Park and St James Town about their most pressing issues. We discussed topics like the need for affordable housing and how the unfavoured privatization of healthcare will impact residents. We had Toronto Centre swag to give away along with information on how my constituency office can be of assistance.

If you are interested in joining the next canvass, click here to sign up! We will be visiting every neighborhood in the riding, so watch out for us — better yet, join us!

Cabbagetown’s Forsythia Festival is returning this coming Sunday, May 7. The parade will begin at 10 AM at the intersection of Sumach and Winchester Street, while the festival will take place at Wellesley Park from 11 AM. to 3 PM, featuring a variety of fun activities, including a bouncy castle, mechanical bull, magician, beer garden and BBQ. Many thanks and congratulations to the Cabbagetown Residents Association for hosting this wonderful festival once again.

If you are planning to attend the Forsythia Festival, don't forget to wear yellow to join us in celebrating spring!

Many enthusiastic residents from the Bay Cloverhill Community and I are joining Councillor Moise and City staff to unveil the new Dr. Lillian McGregor Park this coming Tuesday, May 9 from 3 to 4 PM at 25 Wellesley Street West. 

It is difficult to to imagine that it was over 11 years ago when the BCCA and I first asked Premier McGuinty and Infrastructure Ontario to sell the land to the City of Toronto to allow us to build a new park. They said "no" many times, but the community, City Planning and Park staff and I insisted. Now look at what has been accomplished together — a new 1.6 acre park and dog off-lease area.

Toronto Centre residents desperately need and deserve more green spaces. Accessible public parks are important for our communities' collective health and wellbeing. I had always hoped that with enough community effort we could turn this abandoned lot into an urban park for generations to come.

The new park is named after Dr. Lillian McGregor, who belonged to the Whitefish River First Nation. She was a devoted nurse and a revered community leader, acknowledged for her tireless efforts to promote Indigenous culture and education. Her remarkable achievements were recognized with numerous accolades, including the prestigious City of Toronto Civic Award, the National Aboriginal Achievement Lifetime Award, and the Order of Ontario —  and now she is honoured through this remarkable Toronto park. 

If you are interested in knowing more about how this project came to be, check out the Bay Cloverhill Community Association’s article here. This is a big community win and BCCA was there from the very beginning.

I am excited to support Youth Week Toronto, an annual event that showcases the talents and abilities of young people from diverse communities across Toronto. Youth Week runs between May 1-7 and  the event celebrates youth engagement in civic activities, recreation, arts, and sports.

Toronto's youth play a crucial role in shaping our city's social, cultural, and economic landscape. Youth Week provides a platform for young people to participate in free events that promote personal development, visual and performing arts, and community engagement. There will be multiple events across the city throughout the week. If you are interested in attending and supporting our youth, click the link to get more info! 

Queen Street is now closed between Bay Street and Victoria Street, which started on May 3, 2023. Metrolinx initiated the closure due to the construction of two new subway stations for the Ontario Line Subway project. 

This closure is expected to last for five years and is quite disruptive for pedestrians and businesses on Queen Street. As we have seen with Eglinton LRT, we cannot afford to bet on Metrolinx to deliver on time. Metrolinx has been instructed by the Ford government to wilfully hold back information from the public in the past, which resulted in public mistrust from our residents and businesses in Toronto. I will continue working with neighbouring MPP Chris Glover and our local BIAs to make sure Metrolinx information is delivered in a more timely and detailed fashion.

Please give yourself more time to commute and plan accordingly. You can find updates for TTC riders here.

Downtown businesses will continue to remain open and ready to serve. Please visit and support, as many businesses will be impacted due to the street closures. Let’s shop local together!

TTC is seeking feedback from riders to help create plans for improving their services. The plans include the 2024 Annual Service Plan, which will focus on how the TTC can best provide service in areas affected by construction, the 5-Year Service Plan for strategic direction from 2024 to 2028. The TTC is seeking input on potential service improvements and how to allocate funding. Customers are invited to take a survey to provide feedback; final plans will be completed by early 2024. This is an opportunity for our community to voice our needs and concerns to the TTC. 

Click here to fill out the survey and take action!

The City is working with Regent Park residents and users of recreational facilities to improve the programs and services offered in the area. 

Join the information session on May 9, between 7 PM and 8:30 PM and share your opinions on what changes you want to see in Regent Park services!

I was disturbed by the recent protest at the Fort York Public Library targeting a Drag Queen Story Hour event planned for families in Toronto. The protest was an act of desperation and hate, and it demonstrates a clear lack of understanding and respect for the 2SLGBTQ+ community and drag artists. 

Drag Queen Story Hour is an event that has been embraced by communities across Canada. These events are a beacon of community for Queer families, an opportunity for children to experience the fun of gender-expansive expression. It is unacceptable for a small group of individuals to try to silence this important initiative and instill fear in the hearts of families who simply want to enjoy a fun and educational activity.

I once again urge the Ford government to pass my Bill, the Keeping 2SLGBTQ+ Communities Safe Act. As the fear mongering against the 2SLGBTQ+ community rises, the Ontario government must take steps to ensure the safety of drag artists. 

I condemn the violence and hate against drag artists in Ontario and across Canada.

Sign my petition to support the Keeping 2SLGBTQ+ Communities Safe Act!

Don't miss out on the opportunity to have your voice heard! Sign up now for the joint Virtual Town Hall Meeting with MPP Tom Rakocevic and MPP Jessica Bell. Taking place on Monday, May 8 at 7PM, this meeting will focus on improving condominium laws in Ontario. 

Condominiums are an important part of the housing market in Ontario, and it is crucial that our laws and regulations are fair and effective. By participating in this town hall meeting, you will have the opportunity to share your concerns and ideas on how to improve the laws that govern condominiums.

Register now and join the conversation on how we can work together to make positive change.

In community work, 

Kristyn

Kristyn Wong-Tam

MPP, Toronto Centre

Dear Neighbour,

This week, ONDP leader Marit Stiles and Housing Critic MPP Jessica Bell introduced a motion to call for rent control as a part of our party’s solution to the housing crisis in Ontario. Had it passed, this motion would have brought back real rent control on all housing units, ensuring we close the loophole that the Liberals and Conservatives supported. Our motion would have ensured all buildings would be rent controlled, including new residential buildings first occupied after November 2018; making rent gouging illegal between tenancies. I was proud to speak in support of this motion at the legislature on behalf of the residents of Toronto Centre.

Despite the ongoing housing crises, Ford conservatives opposed this motion, ignoring the needs of Ontarians.

Our leader Marit Stiles adds:

“Skyrocketing rent is pricing people out of their communities. This is why we are proud to advance a solution that will immediately help make housing more affordable for Ontarians and address one of the core issues propelling this crisis.”

We need real rent control in Ontario; we can no longer stand back and watch the skyrocketing rent prices in our cities. Please sign our petition and join me in adding your name to bring back Rent Control and Stabilization.

Click here to watch me challenge the Ford government on allowing rent gouging to happen in Ontario. 

Ford’s harmful health care privatization bill reached third reading last night. It has been an uphill fight to stop this legislation with a Conservative majority controlling the House. Once again, I spoke in support of our public health care system in the debate. I remain steadfast in my support of tens of thousands of nurses, doctors and other health professionals fighting against bringing American-style health care into Ontario.

Ontario has world-class hospitals. Our healthcare is the envy of most Americans. It is part of our national identity. As Canadians and Ontarians, we take care of each other—I ran as MPP to ensure that the government takes care of its people. Not a province that shuffles the rich to the front and leaves behind those who need help the most.

Join the fight to keep health care public - sign our petition HERE!

Tomorrow, the Fort York Library will be hosting a Drag Queen Story Hour with the fabulous, Gila Münster. She will be doing an interactive program story hour beginning at 2PM, with readings of acclaimed and age-appropriate LGBTQ+ themed books and performing a few musical numbers. I encourage you to join if you have young children and are looking for something fun to do this weekend!

Please note that this is an in-person program for ages 0-6, and young children must be accompanied by a caregiver. Registration is required in-personal at the library, or by calling 416-393-6240.

Regent Park Revitalization on Phases 4 and 5 is well underway, with a rezoning application now before City Planning. An important part of this revitalization is the $26.8 million community benefits package that I was pleased to support as the former Toronto Centre City Councillor. The funds will be directly invested into the TCHC tenant community in Regent Park, and it is up to the local community on how to spend it!

In April 2023, TCHC launched a community engagement process in Regent Park that was co-designed with the Community Benefits Oversight Working Group (CBOWG) and Tridel, facilitated by Monumental Consulting, specialists in equitable city-building and participatory design. One of the outcomes is a new survey that all TCHC tenants in Regent Park are encouraged to fill out before June 16, 2023. Community animators will be going door to door to speak with residents about their priorities shortly, so please make sure you have your say in what’s next for Regent Park. 

I was pleased to join the Regent Park community for the launch of the survey and a celebration of the remarkable contributions of the working group. I will always fight for our residents to promote an inclusive and equitable outcome for all. 

Congratulations to everyone involved. It’s one more step to a stronger and even more vibrant neighbourhood!

The applications for the Page program are now open until June 15, 2023. Each year approximately 150 grade 8 students from across Ontario are selected to participate in Ontario's Legislative Page Program. This unique educational program for students provides an opportunity to experience the provincial legislature in action and forge new lifelong friendships with peers from across the province. I encourage Toronto Centre residents to apply for this enriching opportunity. It will be my great honour to personally welcome you to the legislature.

Click here to apply!

As you know, climate change is one of the greatest challenges in our world. It is an issue that I care deeply about and strive every day to improve. This is why I am pleased to share an existing and environmentally positive initiative with you.

If you are interested in making this world a little greener and cleaner, check out The Great Outdoors Fund’s 2023 grant-giving programs. The purpose of the grants is to generate voluntary funding from the private sector to assist public agencies and their nonprofit partners, and use these funds to maintain the well-being of the great outdoors. They are dedicated to keeping the environment accessible to people from all walks of life, regardless of age, ability, or socio-economic status, and fostering enjoyment and appreciation of nature.

If you are interested in applying, both their Unsmoke Canada Cleanups grant and Nettoyages Finilaboucane Canada grant applications will be closing on May 6.

Interested in learning about your employment rights? The Tareekh Pe Tareekh – Know Your Employment Law Rights Public Legal Education Campaign is perfect for those who speak; Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Bengali and Tamil. Created by the staff lawyers from the South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario (SALCO), in partnership with other community legal clinics, they now offer short and accessible videos on basic employment law rights in Ontario. 

Employers may take advantage of employees, using this as an opportunity to exploit those with language barriers or who do not know their rights. These videos are perfect for spreading awareness and beginning conversations about employment rights within Ontario’s South Asian community. You can find the videos either on: 

• Twitter at @tareekpetareek 
• TikTok at @tareekhpetareekh1 

West Toronto Ontario Health Team is offering free mental health workshops, beginning May 9!  The workshops are designed to help you learn and develop skills to manage your mental health effectively. It is structured in a four-part series, where each week, you will learn to manage stress, live mindfully, overcome burnout, and discuss self-care. At the end of the four sessions, you will receive a certificate from the WTOHT and CMHA–Toronto.

Anyone over 18 years of age is able to register! 

Yours sincerely,

Kristyn 

Kristyn Wong-Tam

MPP, Toronto Centre