Jessica Bell MPP, University–Rosedale

Dear neighbour, 

Ignace, a region in northern Ontario, was chosen as the site to hold Canada's nuclear waste underground.  Ignace is located upstream from the Grassy Narrows First Nation territory.  

This is what Grassy Narrows leader Joseph Fobister, had to say in response:

“This decision puts the people of Grassy Narrows in grave danger. The transport of extremely dangerous nuclear waste and its disposal within our watershed will do irreparable destruction to our lands, rivers, and our way of life, which have already been damaged by so many harmful decisions imposed on us. 

It is we, who live downstream, and our future generations who will be harmed yet again against our will and for the benefit of others. 

Grassy Narrows has been clear that we say no to nuclear waste disposal and we will fight this callous disregard for our safety, our self determination, and our collective rights as First Nations people.”

The government is moving ahead with a controversial plan to dispose of nuclear waste and invest untold billions into new nuclear power plants.

How much is all this going to cost us? How will this plan affect electricity prices? Why isn’t Ontario comparing nuclear expansion and gas-powered plants to other energy mixes like renewable energy and energy storage solutions, which are now cheaper than new nuclear power generation? And why is the land near Grassy Narrows—a community that has suffered so much from industrial poisoning—being chosen for a nuclear waste site?

We can do better than this. 

Sincerely,

Jessica Bell
MPP, University-Rosedale

In this newsletter:

• The vote to close supervised consumption sites is happening this week 
• Bill 228 opens the door for carbon capture and storage 
• Here’s what’s in the Conservatives latest worker bill 
• You’re invited to our End of Year Party!
• Join me in demanding fast and affordable transit for all
• Why is the Landlord and Tenant Board still broken?
• Marit Stiles calls out Conservatives for low housing starts 
• Volunteer with us
• Trinity St Paul’s is hosting a multi-faith Christmas Eve Service for Peace 

The vote to close supervised consumption sites is happening this week

Last week, the Conservative government introduced a motion to bypass public hearings on Bill 223, the legislation that if passed will close 10 supervised consumption sites, including the Kensington Market Overdose Prevention Site, and stop new sites from opening.   

We expect the next vote on the closure of consumption sites to happen on Monday, December 2nd after Question Period at about 12 pm. 

The Conservatives are rushing this bill for political expediency. Emergency room doctors, first responders, mental health and addiction experts, shelter providers, and advocates agree: closing supervised consumption sites will drive drug use into public spaces like parks and bus shelters, and more people will die of preventable drug overdoses. 

Tell Premier Doug Ford ([email protected]), Government House Leader Steve Clark ([email protected]) and Solicitor General Michael Kerzner ([email protected]) to keep consumption sites open and invest in comprehensive addiction treatment, health care and affordable housing programs to help people recover. 

Bill 228 opens the door for carbon capture and storage 

On November 25 the Conservatives introduced Bill 228, an omnibus bill that makes major changes to Ontario’s wildfire management and paves the way for the gas and oil industry to store carbon dioxide underground. You can read the bill here.

Here’s what we know so far: 

Schedule 1 of the bill proposes significant changes to wildfire management by expanding the fire season to year-round, and granting wildfire officers sweeping new powers to inspect, seize, and enforce rules. While these changes acknowledge the growing threat of wildfires fueled by climate change, the Conservatives are not addressing Ontario’s severe shortage of frontline wildfire firefighters in this bill. 

Schedule 2 proposes amendments to the Oil, Gas, and Salt Resources Act to allow carbon dioxide to be captured at the production site and stored underground, effectively setting up a new carbon capture and storage (CCS) industry in Ontario.  

The oil and gas industry has been lobbying for carbon capture and storage for years to receive government subsidies to reduce emissions while continuing to mine for fossil fuels.  

Carbon storage is far more expensive than other carbon emission reduction measures, such as wind, solar, and energy efficiency. The projects are not economically viable without large government investment. There are also significant and unresolved technical issues, safety, and storage issues with CCS.  

Public investment in energy and greenhouse gas reduction projects should be directed to cheaper and greener solutions. 

If you have feedback on this bill, please share them with me by emailing [email protected]. You can also request to participate in the committee process by following this link: https://www.ola.org/en/apply-committees. 

Here’s what’s in the Conservatives latest worker bill 

On November 27 the Conservative government introduced Bill 229, Working for Workers Six. You can read it here.

The bill makes the following changes to workplace laws:

• A new 16-week job-protected parental leave for those who adopt a child or conceive a child via surrogacy.
• A new 27-week job-protected leave for employees unable to work because of a serious medical condition. 
• Expanded rules to ensure vehicles reduce speed and move to another lane when passing construction or emergency sites. 
• Makes it easier for firefighters with 10 years or more service to access Workplace Social Insurance Benefits (WSIB) if they are diagnosed with kidney or colorectal cancer. Firefighters are routinely exposed to carcinogens, chemicals, and other toxins while performing their duty.
• Introducing mandatory minimum fines of $500,000 for corporations convicted of repeated offenses within two years under the OHSA, which resulted in the death or serious injury of one or more workers.
• Changes to the Ontario Immigration Act (OIA) requiring greater accountability and transparency between immigration representatives, employers, and newcomers applying to the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP), such as requiring representatives to have a written contract with OINP applicants, provide proof of their registration or license, to provide the status of OINP applications to applicants, and require that applicants have access to their application or file.
• Tougher penalties under the OIA, including a minimum three and maximum ten-year ban for immigration representations who engage in or counsel fraud, and a lifetime ban for individuals convicted of a serious offense, such as human trafficking or withholding passports).

While these proposals are certainly supportable, they are modest.  

We will be calling for more ambitious measures to increase wages and working conditions for Ontario workers, such as making it easier to join a union, bringing in more paid sick days, reclassifying gig workers as employees, and reforming the WSIB so injured workers are fairly compensated. 

Please share your feedback on the bill with me at [email protected]. You can also request to participate in the committee process by following this link: https://www.ola.org/en/apply-committees.

NDP joins housing advocates urging Ford Conservatives to invest in affordable and supportive housing

On November 21, ahead of National Housing Day, the Ontario NDP joined more than 100 housing advocates and providers to send a clear message to the Conservative government: invest in affordable and supportive housing now. 

One of those advocates was Lin Sallay, Executive Director of Street Health. Every day, Street Health supports 100 to 150 people who are homeless, living in poverty and struggling with addiction. Due to the eight-10 year long waitlist for affordable housing and the higher needs of Street Health clients, most never find permanent housing.  

Everyone deserves a safe, affordable home, and that includes supportive housing. During Question Period, I called on the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to properly invest in supportive homes so no one is stuck waiting years for a home that might never come. 

You’re invited to our End of Year Party!

Join me, staff, volunteers, constituents, and neighbours on Monday, December 16 to celebrate the year and enjoy the holiday season together. Food and non-alcoholic drinks will be provided.

Please click here to RSVP

• 6:00 pm-8:00 pm, Monday December 16
• Tranzac Club, 292 Brunswick Ave, Toronto, ON M5S 2M7

Join me in demanding fast and affordable transit for all 

Public transit should be fast, reliable, and affordable for everyone. 

Toronto holds the record of having the worst commute times in North America. People are stuck in traffic and transit riders struggle with high fares, long waits, and transit vehicles being stuck in congestion. 

My colleague, MPP Joel Harden, has introduced a motion calling on the Conservatives to match municipal funding to transit so the TTC, along with other transit agencies, can improve their service and lower fares. The motion will be debated in the coming months. To raise awareness and build support for this motion please sign this petition.

Over the next several weeks we will also be flyering and talking to transit riders at all University-Rosedale subway stops to talk about transit. 

Come by, say hi, or sign up to volunteer at [email protected].

• Bathurst Station 6/12 4:45-5:15 pm
• Spadina Station 6/12 5:15-5:45 pm
• Spadina Station 13/12 4:45-5:15 pm
• St George Station 13/12 5:15-5:45 pm
• Ossington Station  16/12 4:45-5:15 pm
• Christie Station 17/12 4:45-5:15 pm
• St Patrick Station 17/12 5:15-5:45 pm
• Summerhill Station 19/12 4:50-5:20pm
• Rosedale Station 19/12 5:30-6pm
• College Station 20/12 4:45-5:15 pm
• Dundas Station 20/12 5:15-5:45 pm

Why is the Landlord and Tenant Board still broken?

The Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) is a broken and dysfunctional tribunal that has been fundamentally failing to deliver on its mandate for years. You can read last year’s scathing report from the Ombudsman’s office here.

Today, up to 53,000 people are waiting for a hearing at the LTB, leaving Ontarians to wait months, sometimes years, for their issues to be resolved.

Organizations, from the Toronto Real Estate Board to Tribunal Watch, have been calling for practical solutions to resolve the backlogs at the LTB including:

• Returning to in-person hearings when needed
• Reopening in-person regional centres and
• Selecting and training adjudicators that are impartial and fair.

I asked the government to do what they recommended this week in Question Period. Watch here.

We want to hear from you: Have you been impacted by LTB delays? Share your story with us by emailing [email protected].

Marit Stiles calls out Conservatives for low housing starts

On Wednesday, November 27 during Question Period, NDP Leader Marit Stiles criticized the Ford Conservatives for failing to address Ontario's housing crisis. You can watch the exchange here.

According to the Financial Accountability Officer, housing costs were responsible for 70 per cent of the inflation that Ontarians experienced in just the last quarter—from skyrocketing home prices to skyrocketing rent. 

Ontario ranked eighth in per-capita housing starts last month, behind British Columbia, Manitoba, Quebec, and Alberta. 

The Conservatives have continued to ignore recommendations from their own Housing Affordability Task Force by failing to legalize fourplexes and midrises. They have also cut funding for community housing by 70 per cent. 

We are developing our housing platform now to outline what we will do to increase housing construction, make renting affordable and safe, build affordable housing, and clamp down on speculation.  We welcome feedback. 

Volunteer with us

Sign up to join our issue-based canvassing team and hear directly from community members about the issues that matter most. Connect with your neighbours, help drive real change, and make a difference in University-Rosedale. 

Everyone is welcome.

Interested in volunteering in other ways? Reach out, and we’ll find the right opportunity for you.

We’ll follow up with you shortly after you sign up here.

Trinity St Paul’s is hosting a multi-faith Christmas Eve Service for Peace

Join Reverend Cheri DiNovo’s Christmas Eve Service for Peace featuring a Rabbi, an Imam ,and a community choir.

You can find more information here: https://www.trinitystpauls.ca/.