October 13 2023 newsletter

Dear Emma,

The new year has come in like a lion! We may now be facing a provincial and federal election before the month of May. Now is the time to hold on to your hats, stay informed, and get involved in your local communities. 

As I’m sure you have heard by now, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Monday that he will resign. He has also prorogued, or suspended, parliament until March 24. After that date, a federal election could happen at any point, especially since both Jagmeet Singh and Pierre Polievre have said they will table non-confidence motions as soon as possible and will not vote to support the government. 

The NDP have done incredible work at the federal level over the past several years, bringing dental care and pharmacare to Canadians. Our federal party did the hard work of starting up those programs to bring dental care and access to medications to those who need it the most. These programs represent the most significant expansion to our healthcare system since Medicare and bring us several steps closer to true universal healthcare. The NDP also passed the Early Learning and Child Care Act to lower the price of child care along with anti-scab and sustainable jobs legislation to protect workers. These strides would never have occurred if the NDP had not held the threat of an election over the Liberals every day. All of those measures were opposed by both Liberals and Conservatives until the NDP forced the Liberals to enact them.

However, the NDP never intended the supply and confidence agreement to last forever. Eventually, the Liberals showed their true colours, as they always do, and the NDP couldn't look past their scandals and mistakes. It is time for a new government in Ottawa, and I am so glad that the NDP has already shown the kind of caring and effective government they will be. 

At the same time as all of this drama is taking place at the Federal government, President-elect Trump is threatening to slap massive 25% tariffs on Canadian goods, providing Doug Ford with the cover he needs to seek a new mandate from Ontarians and send us back to the polls. This could happen any day now, as it is advantageous to Ford to have Ontarians go to the polls before the Federal election begins. But all of this is pure speculation. Only Ford and his insiders know when Ontarians will go to the polls. 

Regardless of what the government decides, the Ontario NDP caucus and I are ready to run a campaign filled with positive, practical and ready-to-go solutions. The only thing that would make our campaign in Toronto Centre better is YOU! 

Campaigns run on people power. I would love to see each and every one of you out knocking on doors with me. Let’s tell your friends and family about the significant policies of the Ontario NDP. Speak out on social media about the importance of getting out the vote, especially for first time voters. Let’s work together to elect the Ontario NDP and fix the things that has been broken by 30 years of Liberal and Conservative rule in the province. 

Amidst all of this turmoil, we also need to take a moment to gather with our friends and neighbours. In that spirit, I’d love for you to join me in celebrating the possibilities of the year ahead at my New Year’s Levee.

Here are the details for your calendar:
When: Sunday, January 26, 2025
Time: 2 – 4 PM
Where: Daniels Spectrum
585 Dundas Street East
Toronto, ON M5A 2B7

Google map and directions

We’ll have a selection of refreshments and snacks. The venue is wheelchair accessible, including washrooms.

Let’s celebrate the year ahead, including the Lunar New Year, with hope, positivity, and our shared power to create change. I can’t wait to see you there.

Yours in community service, 

Kristyn Wong-Tam

MPP, Toronto Centre

• Jarvis Collegiate Repair Backlogs
• Supporting Small Business - Wanda’s Pie In The Sky
• 2024 in Review
• Regent Park Community Centre’s Pancake Breakfast
• Ford Fails on Housing and Homelessness
• Pride Toronto’s 2025 Theme - ALL IN!
  
• This Week's Meetings
  
• This Week’s Headlines
• Local Community Events

On Thursday, I returned to Jarvis Collegiate with ONDP Leader Marit Stiles and Trustee Dee Williams. Principal Stephen Bain highlighted the vibrant school community and revitalized the library and gym. 

Ontario students deserve safe, fully operational and staffed schools so that they can receive the best education and learn about all career paths. I am so grateful to the principal, educators, and students we met, especially the grade 10 civics class, who are passionate about politics and asked the best questions!

We also observed important facilities that have been shut down for a decade or more, including two science labs, a greenhouse, an art room and a full industrial kitchen. Ontario’s Fiscal Watchdog, the Financial Accountability Office, warned in their December report that the Ford government was underfunding capital repairs needed in schools by $12.7 billion. What we saw at Jarvis CI is symptomatic of chronic Liberal and Conservative government underfunding in public education, leading to 85% of TDSB schools falling below the state of good repair.

Wanda’s Pie in the Sky is a longtime and beloved bakery in Kensington Market. I’ve known the owners, David and Wanda Beaver, for years. In fact, they used to be one of my suppliers when I owned a Timothy’s World Coffee franchise on Church Street. They’re responsible business people and exceptional pie makers. So when they reached out for assistance in December to correct an issue with City Hall, I was happy to lend my support as the Small Business Critic for the Ontario NDP.  

At issue was an addition built during the pandemic to provide safe distancing for indoor dining. City Hall at that time was gripped with delivering rapid responses on critical issues during the extended state of emergency. Issuing permits was not one of the urgent core functions as City Council redeployed planning, building, transportation staff to shelter, housing and public health departments to fight the spread of COVID-19. 

Caught in the middle of all this was Wanda’s Pie in the Sky who has been ordered to take down an expensive addition. Except the City’s notices were sent to their landlord and property owner but never forwarded to Wanda’s Pie as the commercial tenants. I asked David and Wanda not to tear down the addition, so we can work with the City to find an alternative solution. Thanks to Mayor Olivia Chow’s personal involvement, City staff will now be working with Wanda’s Pie to conditionally approve the addition. This is a big win! Thank you to everyone who came out to sign the petition, call their Councillor, enjoy a slice of pie, and support Wanda’s Pie in the Sky. It’s a great Toronto news story for the start of 2025!

2024 was a huge year, and I am so proud of all we have accomplished together as a community. At the end of last year, my team and I put together a year in review to capture all of the big events. You can view the entire thing here.

A few of my favourite moments of the year include when we: 

• Moved second reading of the Gender Affirming Healthcare Act (which Ford voted down)
• My Intimate Partner Violence Epidemic Act passed second reading after Ford was forced to support it by community pressure
• Helped to save St. Bartholomew’s Children’s Centre
• Ontario NDP cracked open the Greenbelt scandal, revealing that Ford’s office used codewords to avoid detection
• Supported St James Town tenants through flooding, power outages, and landlord negligence
• Fought Ford’s sudden closure of the Ontario Science Centre, removing fencing by hand
• Worked alongside the community to bring Rastafest to Regent Park
• Listened to 100+ expert witnesses who affirm IPV is an epidemic in Ontario
• Rode my bike from Toronto to Montreal in support of HIV/AIDs research
• Lead community consultations around the Our London Family Act and countering Islamophobia
• Hosted a Small Business Roundtable to hear directly from business owners about the support they need
• Hosted a massive National Housing Day event at Queen’s Park, bringing over 200 advocates together
• Tabled my bill to fix Ontario’s tribunal backlog at the Landlord Tenant Board

I am looking forward to everything that 2025 has in store! I know it will be a year of bringing community voices forward, fighting for access to justice, and bringing forward new ideas to make our neighbourhoods stronger. 

Thank you to the City staff and volunteers at the Regent Park Community Centre for cooking up a delicious pancake and waffle breakfast for the neighbourhood. It was so much fun to make waffles and chat with everyone who attended. 

The breakfast was about connection, community, and belonging for everyone during the winter season. Let’s keep showing up for one another this new year - it's what community is all about!

On Thursday, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) published its Municipalities Under Pressure Report, a searing indictment of the conservative government’s inaction on homelessness. 

We in Toronto Centre know the realities of encampments and homelessness. We see our neighbours out in the cold every day. Each person sleeping unsheltered is a failure of government, and yet this conservative government doesn’t have any concrete plan to tackle homelessness. I have asked the government over and over to produce this plan, and they have refused. 

The number of unhoused Ontarians grew by 25% over the past two years, with more than 81,000 people identified as experiencing homelessness in 2024. Without significant intervention, that number is expected to triple by 2035.

A future in which hundreds of thousands of people live without stable housing should be unimaginable in a province as prosperous as Ontario, but instead, it is a very real possibility. 

Luckily, the Ontario NDP does have a homelessness plan and is committed to making meaningful investments in mental health care, taking back provincial responsibility for shelters and homelessness prevention programs, and building affordable and supportive housing.

This week, Pride Toronto announced their Pride 2025 theme: ALL IN! You can watch the announcement video here. 

I am so excited about this theme, which brings solidarity and community connection to the forefront of our pride celebration. This unity is something we need now more than ever as the alt-right tries to separate LGB people from their Trans and Non-binary siblings. A threat to one of us is a threat to all of us, and we must stand strong together. 

I can’t wait to celebrate pride together in June, emphasizing love, solidarity, and joy!

• Rainbow Health Ontario
• Canadian Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce
• The Harm Reduction Collective
• FAIR Association

After refusal to declare intimate partner violence an epidemic, PCs curtail study 

YorkRegion.com reporters wrote about intimate partner violence in 2024 in response to local murders 

TTC board debating 2025 budget that's set to freeze fares, increase service | CBC News

Norovirus cases are on the rise. Here's what you need to know about this nasty bug | CBC Radio

CBC investigation uncovers grocers overcharging customers by selling underweighted meat

Huge tent next to Toronto landmark may finally come down after a decade

Neighbourhood Information Post is offering exciting workshops at Rosedale Heights School of the Arts for youth under 18. Participants can explore ceramics, filmmaking, printmaking, and photography in two after-school sessions:

• Dates: January 14, 2025, and February 4, 2025
• Time: 4:30 to 7 PM
• Location: Rosedale Heights School of the Arts, 711 Bloor St E, Toronto, ON M4W 1J4

Transportation and a gift certificate will be provided, with all supplies offered by the school. For more details, contact Seyon at 416-924-2543 x0. 

Click here to register.

ArtReach invites Toronto-based arts programmers aged 13–29 to attend an info session for the 2025 Community Arts Programming Grant. This session will provide guidance on grant applications and strengthen submissions.

Details:

• Date: Wednesday, January 15, 2025
• Time: 6–8  PM
  • 6–7 PM: Overview of guidelines and Q&A
  • 7–8 PM: Walkthrough of the application package
• Location: Online via Zoom

The grant application deadline is February 1, 2025, at 11:59 PM. For more information, visit artreach.org/workshops.

The Yonge Street Mission is supporting entrepreneurs in Regent Park with its 2025 Micro-grant Program. This initiative offers financial assistance and coaching to help individuals grow their businesses.

Program Details:

• Grant Amount: Up to $4,000 (disbursed in two payments based on progress)
• Eligibility:
  • Must be a business owner or aspiring entrepreneur in Regent Park or surrounding areas
  • Eligible to work in Canada
  • Proficient in English and computer skills
  • Involvement in YSM programs is a plus

Timeline:

• Application Deadline: January 24, 2025
• Coaching Sessions: March – May 2025 (8–10 sessions)
• Grant Interviews: May 2025
• Final Report Submission: August 2025

To apply, click here or email [email protected] for further inquiries.

The St. Lawrence Neighbourhood Association (SLNA) Waste Reduction Group is hosting its 12th annual REmarket, a two-day event for recycling and donation.

Event Details:

• Dates:
  • January 29, 2025 (10 AM–7 PM):
    • Donation collection, recycling services, and hazardous waste drop-off
    • FreeMarket: Guests can donate or take items for free (non-commercial purposes).
  • January 30, 2025 (10 AM–6 PM):
    • Donation collection, recycling services, and hazardous waste drop-off
    • Repair Café Toronto and CultureLink Bike Hub (11 AM–3 PM):
      • Repair Café: Fix clothing, jewelry, electronics, appliances, and more.
      • Bike Hub: Conduct small bike repairs and safety checks.
• Location: St. Lawrence Market Tent, 125 The Esplanade (at Market St.)

Items Accepted:

• Recycle: Dental waste, cigarette butts, batteries, damaged textiles, disposable razors, and more.
• Donate: Household items, books, mobility aids, toys, clothing, and accessories.

For full details and accepted items, visit slna.ca/remarket-guidelines or email [email protected].

Dear Neighbour,

2024 has been an incredibly eventful year. Let's look back on everything we did together. 

As always, it is an honour to fight for you and our communities,

Kristyn Wong-Tam

p.s. We are nearly at our fundraising goal — can you help us get over the finish line? 

Dear Neighbour,

What a week it has been in politics!

This week's headline that shook Ottawa was the bombshell resignation of Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland. Today Prime Minister Trudeau shuffled his cabinet.  

This cabinet shuffle is lipstick on a pig. It captures the adage — Liberal, Tory, same old story. Politicians who will cling on to power by rewarding their insider friends while ignoring what everyday people are facing. 

I want to echo NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh’s calls for Trudeau to resign. It’s time for Trudeau to touch grass and talk to Canadian families struggling in every community. 

In provincial politics, this week had another bombshell report that Doug Ford is hoping Trudeau’s news buries: the Financial Accountability Office (FAO) damning report into education funding and the schools repair backlog. 

The report confirms our worst fears: the crisis in our schools of crumbling infrastructure is going from bad under the former Liberal government to worse under Doug Ford. 

 Here are the highlights you should know:

• 84% of TDSB schools are below a state of good repair

• Ontario has a $12.7 billion shortfall over the next ten years because Ford won’t maintain and repair schools — this means the number of schools below a state of good repair will continue getting worse

• Ford Conservatives have cut school funding by $1,500 per student since 2018

• In 2024 alone, Ford further slashed education funding by $300 million

• Under Ford, Ontario has the lowest per-student funding in more than ten years

I want to echo what Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles is saying: "It means leaky roofs. It means classrooms that hit freezing temperatures in the winter and stifling heat in the summer. It means asbestos in our walls and lead in our drinking water, and students learning in portables that should have been replaced decades ago. It is unacceptable."

This isn’t an abstract problem: it is happening right here in Toronto Centre. I had personally visited Jarvis Collegiate with our progressive education champion and TDSB Trustee Deborah Williams. A beloved high school in our community has classrooms that are abandoned and collapsing because of the choices Liberal and Conservative governments make. 

I also want to say thank you to everyone who volunteered us this year — thank you, thank you, thank you! With your ongoing support, we continue to get ready for Ford’s snap election call rumoured to take place this spring. On Wednesday we had our final door-to-door canvass of the year and we had a superb volunteer turn-out — and last evening we had our final phone-canvass with even more positive reception. I would love for you to join us in the new year — you can sign up to volunteer here.

And of course, I am wishing you, your family, your friends, your chosen family, and your community a warm and relaxing holiday season. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, and Happy New Year to all!

For everyone needing support over the break, we are so lucky to have many organizations providing food, warmth, and community care during this season. Some exceptional local organizations worth knowing about over the break are:

• Yonge Street Mission
• Fred Victor
• Muslim Welfare Canada
• Calling 211 will also connect you with a full list of helpful service providers in our neighbourhoods. 
• You can also find an updated list of City of Toronto Warming Centres at this link.

Finally, my team and I happily research, write, edit and send out 50 weekly newsletters like this one every year. I'm sure you would agree, it's time to give the hardworking writing elves a little Christmas break and family time.

Our community newsletters will resume after the first week of the New Year. I am so looking forward to returning in the new year with updates and to continuing to connect with you all. In the meantime, I wish all of you a happy, bright, and safe holiday season, whether you are celebrating or simply enjoying the slower pace as we end the year 

Yours in community service, 

Kristyn Wong-Tam

MPP, Toronto Centre

p.s. My campaign manager is reminding me to ask you for a year-end donation to ensure you get your tax credit back in time for tax season. Thank you! 

• You're Invited to My New Year's Levee
• Remembering Raji Sivasubramaniam
• Get Ready With Me: Political Edition
• Local Arts Organizations Receive Trillium Grants!
• Welcoming Artisan MRKT and Sans Coiffure to Toronto Centre
• This Week’s Headlines
• Local Community Events

This new year I am excited to announce that my office will be holding a New Years Levee! On January 26, 2025 from 2 – 4 PM at Daniels Spectrum (585 Dundas St. E) we will gather for free coffee, hot chocolate and cookies!

I was saddened to learn that a pillar of our community — Raji Sivasubramaniam — passed away on December 7. Raji was a pillar of our communities in St. James Town and Regent Park. He regularly called my office to connect his neighbours to support and community resources. He cared about his community with his whole heart. Raji lived a life of service for others and will be dearly missed. I also want to thank the St. James Town Corner for organizing a bus to Mississauga so that his friends could join his funeral service last weekend. Your life and impact will not be forgotten Raji. Friends and neighbours are invited to sign the digital condolences book here.

Before the House rose, I recorded this humourous video sharing my best secrets for getting ready for Question Period. I hope you enjoy it! ;) 

Joining Cababgetown Community Arts for their recital is an annual holiday joy! Thank you to the staff, volunteers, students, parents, & donors who are the backbone of Cabbagetown Community Arts and make everything possible. I firmly believe that connecting young people to the arts will open doors for them in transformative ways. You can learn about what they do at https://www.cabbagetownarts.org/. 

This week I was thrilled to recognize the Young Centre for the Performing Arts accomplishment in receiving a Trillium Grant to support their work delivering high quality arts programming for young people in our community. You can check them out at https://youngcentre.ca  and consider bringing little ones in your life to see Alligator Pie presented by Soulpepper Theatre!

I visited two growing small businesses in Toronto Centre who you should know about! Artisan MRKT by Jenna Lee is a vibrant new space celebrating Canadian artisans and entrepreneurs. You can visit this inspiring hub of creativity at 503 Parliament St. Toronto and https://artisanmrkt.ca. 

San Coiffure is a new hair salon dedicated to making an empowering and safe space for 2SLGBTQI+ people and women. You can check them out at 588 Yonge St. or sancoiffure.ca.

• NDP say they will vote no confidence in Liberal government with Trudeau as PM
• Singh says NDP will vote to bring down Trudeau government
• Who are the new members of Prime Minister Trudeau's Cabinet?
• Gunshots fired at Jewish girls' school for 3rd time this year
• Toronto's Medical Officer reflects on leading city's public health unit
• Gisele Pelicot wanted us to know her name. These are the men convicted in her rape.
• Freeland's resignation letter didn't mention gender, but Trudeau accused of phoney feminism anyway

Friends of Regent Park are hosting a pancake breakfast on Saturday, December 21 at the Regent Park Gymnasium and Banquet Hall. 

From 9 AM - 1 PM it is sure to be an exciting morning of pancakes, crafts, games, and more. Santa is expected to make the rounds and lots of new friends are to be made! 

Ho ho hold the date!

Looking for fun during the winter break? The Friends of Regent Park will host a Community Skating event.

Date: Saturday, December 28, 2024

Time: 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Location: Regent Park Ice Rink (480 Shuter St.)

Skates, helmets and skating aids will be available for free on a first-come, first-served basis (courtesy of the City of Toronto's Skate Lending Library).

The Legislative Assembly of Ontario’s Women’s Forum will bring together 124 young women and gender diverse individuals from across Ontario for a full-day program in Toronto to promote active citizenship and public engagement through education and empowerment. The forum will feature a variety of engaging events, including panels, workshops, and networking opportunities.

Applications are currently open and we encourage you to share the attached information in your riding.

Daily Pet Food Bank:
Providing essential food and supplies for pets, ensuring no pet goes hungry or is separated from their family due to financial challenges.

Community Day Events:
Monthly events offering:

• Pet food
• Pet supplies (bowls, leashes, apparel, carriers, gates, toys, beds, and blankets)

Pet Food Bank Hours:

• Monday: 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
• Tuesday: 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM
• Wednesday: Closed
• Thursday: 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM
• Friday: 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
• Saturday & Sunday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Contact Information:

• Website: www.torontohumanesociety.com/pet-services/community-day 
• Address: 11 River Street, Toronto, ON
• Phone: (416) 392-2273

ArtReach invites Toronto-based arts programmers aged 13–29 to attend an info session for the 2025 Community Arts Programming Grant. This session will provide guidance on grant applications and strengthen submissions.

Details:

• Date: Wednesday, January 15, 2025
• Time: 6:00–8:00 PM
  • 6:00–7:00 PM: Overview of guidelines and Q&A
  • 7:00–8:00 PM: Walkthrough of the application package
• Location: Online via Zoom

The grant application deadline is February 1, 2025, at 11:59 PM. For more information, visit artreach.org/workshops.