Dear neighbour,
On September 23 at 12pm come down and join me in walking with Grassy Narrows youth and community members to show that we are with them on their path to achieve mercury justice and freedom.
The people of Grassy Narrows First Nation in northwest Ontario have been hard-hit by mercury poisoning after the government allowed a pulp mill to dump waste into a river in the 1960s. The damaging effects are still seen today.
Grassy Narrows people are powerful leaders in the movement for Indigenous sovereignty and environmental justice. They have shown that together we can fight for justice against all odds and make real gains.
This is a family-friendly event. Rain or shine!
Exact location to be announced closer to the date. You can register here or by clicking the button below.
Sincerely,
Jessica Bell
MPP, University-Rosedale
In this newsletter:
- Join me for Ice Cream at Margaret Fairley Park
- Solidarity with Surrey Place workers
- Removing bike lanes will put lives at risk
- Luxury jets, fancy hotel rooms, but no new deal for municipalities
- No More Noise campaign for quieter streets
- Day of Action for education on August 29
- Toronto Outdoor Picture Show closing weekend at Christie Pits
Join me for Ice Cream at Margaret Fairley Park
Let’s connect, chat, and cool off with some free ice cream! Join me and special guests the Harbord Village Residents’ Association (HVRA) at Margaret Fairley Park (100 Brunswick Ave) on Wednesday, September 16 from 6:00–8:00 PM.
Solidarity with Surrey Place workers
On Thursday, August 20, I visited the picket line at Surrey Place to stand with OPSEU local 511 frontline social service workers, who are now in the 13th week of their strike.
These workers deserve better wages. It’s that simple.
Surrey Place workers support children, youth, and adults with autism, developmental disabilities, and sensory-related concerns. They care deeply about the people they support. They want to get back to work, and they miss their clients.
This issue can be resolved by Surrey Place management negotiating a fair deal with workers. My focus is also on pressuring the Ford government to properly fund social services so workers can be paid properly, staffing levels can be increased, and families can more quickly access more comprehensive care.
Please show your support by visiting the picket line at Surrey Place. You can find more information here.
It’s a great opportunity to meet neighbours, enjoy the park, and talk about the issues that matter.
This will be an education-themed back to school so parents can get an update on the latest school issues.
RSVP here or in the button below.
Removing bike lanes will put lives at risk
On Friday, August 14, I rode my bike to join Cycle Toronto at their press conference responding to the latest court decision on protected bike lanes.
I used the University Avenue bike lane to get there, one of the very bike lanes Doug Ford’s government wants to rip out.
The Court of Appeal has ruled that the Ford government can move ahead with its plan to remove 19 kilometres of protected bike lanes on Bloor, Yonge, and University.
This is a terrible decision for road safety.
Toronto has a serious congestion crisis. People are stressed out trying to get to work by transit, by car, by bike, and on foot. It is awful out there.
But there isn’t a credible expert out there, not a municipality, not a planner, who has shown that ripping out bike lanes will fix congestion. The evidence shows the opposite. Removing protected bike lanes will make our streets more dangerous, cost millions of dollars, and fail to solve traffic congestion.
People will die if these lanes are removed. It will most likely be a senior, a child, or someone who is just trying to get to work or school safely.
If the government is serious about road safety and congestion, they should stop this fight and work with the City to keep protected bike lanes on Bloor, Yonge, and University.
Our office will continue to support and lead on work to protect our bike lanes, from action in the streets to motions in the legislature. We’ll make sure to share information on any upcoming event for you to participate in.
I want to give a big shout out to the lawyers at EcoJustice, Cycle Toronto, and all the other active biking groups who are leading the work to protect our bike lanes. Thank you.
Luxury jets, fancy hotel rooms, but no new deal for municipalities
Doug Ford may have shut down the Legislature for a five-month summer vacation , but he cannot shut down the questions about his government’s growing list of scandals.
First, there was the Greenbelt. It has been more than 1,000 days since the RCMP launched its criminal investigation into the Conservative government’s handling of the Greenbelt, where a few well-connected developers were given the chance to build on protected land and make billions of dollars.
Then came the Skills Development Fund where the government played favourites in handing out $2.5 billion meant to train unemployed workers. Millions went to lower-ranked applicants while more qualified applications were passed over. Companies that donated thousands to the Conservative Party received millions in funding.
And let's not forget the $28.9 million luxury private jet, purchased while Ontarians are struggling to afford groceries, rent, and basic bills.
Now we have the hotel scandal where conservative GTA MPPs billed taxpayers more than $120,000 for downtown Toronto hotel stays. Doug Ford said this money would be paid back but we are still waiting on the proof that this happened.
No wonder instead of answering questions, Doug Ford has been busy ducking reporters. When a Premier is running away from the public, we have a problem.
This week, Premier Ford is at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference in Ottawa, where mayors, councillors, reeves, and wardens from across the province meet with provincial leaders to push for the support their communities need.
Municipalities are asking for stable, year-over-year funding to help cover the rising costs of infrastructure, housing, homelessness, social services, transit, roads, water, and sewers. Property taxes were never designed to pay for responsibilities that should sit with the province.
Instead, Ford is offering one-time, application-based funding for municipalities that do not have development charges. The province announced $500 million, matched by the federal government, for municipalities that do not have development charges. That may help some projects, but it is not the long-term framework municipalities have been asking for.
Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles laid out a better path.
Municipalities need a provincial partner that respects local democracy, works collaboratively with elected councils, and helps communities deliver the services people rely on.
That means uploading provincial costs back to the province, building affordable housing in communities across Ontario, lowering the cost of groceries, repealing Bill 10, and ending unwanted provincial land grabs.
Ford should be announcing a real new deal for municipalities, not handing out short-term grants while his government finds money for private jets, luxury hotel rooms, and well-connected insiders.
No More Noise campaign for quieter streets
No More Noise Toronto is a community advocacy group working to reduce harmful noise and improve Toronto’s sound environment through data, resident organizing, and policy change.
They are calling for stronger action on excessive vehicle noise, including provincial changes to allow automated noise enforcement, such as noise cameras, and higher Highway Traffic Act penalties for modified exhausts and unnecessary vehicle noise.
Right now, enforcement is weak and complaint-driven. Too often, residents are told to call 311, then redirected to police, with no clear path to action. That means loud vehicles continue to disrupt neighbourhoods, affect people’s health, and make our streets less safe and welcoming.
Learn more and support their campaign here or click on the button below.
Day of Action for education on August 29
On Saturday, August 29, communities across Ontario are coming together for a Day of Action for education, organized by the Ontario Education Coalition and Fight Ford Protests.
In Toronto, the action will take place at Queen’s Park.
With back-to-school underway and education worker contracts expiring on August 31, students, families, educators, and education workers are standing together for better teaching and learning conditions.
Across K–12 and postsecondary education, people are feeling the effects of underfunding, staffing pressures, cuts to student supports, and changes affecting access.
I will be there and I hope you will be too.
Find more information here or click the button below.
Toronto Outdoor Picture Show closing weekend at Christie Pits.
Toronto Outdoor Picture Show is wrapping up its summer season with a three-night closing weekend at Christie Pits Park from August 21 to 23.
This year’s programme, Going Places, has featured road movies, train journeys, time travel, ocean adventures, and more. The final weekend includes two screenings that were cancelled earlier this summer because of severe weather: Titanic on August 21 and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes on August 22.
Closing night on August 23 will feature the audience-selected film Little Miss Sunshine.
All screenings are free/PWYC and open to the public. Bring a blanket or chair, arrive early to get a spot, and enjoy one last weekend of outdoor movies in the park. More info here.