Dear neighbour,
I have begun canvassing again in the neighbourhood, and it’s really nice to connect with constituents again
A big issue that I’m hearing about at the door is that landlords are frequently applying for Above Guideline Increases (AGI) to increase the rent above the provincial maximum.
That’s why I’ve decided to hold a virtual town hall for renters so you can learn how AGIs work, what your legal rights are, and how to challenge AGIs to keep your rent affordable.
The event will be held on Tuesday, June 24 from 7:00 to 8:00 PM.
I’ll be joined by guest speakers including Alex Venuto from Ontario Renters for Fair Housing and the High Park Tenants’ Association, and a lawyer from the Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario (ACTO).
You’ll hear from experts, connect with other renters, and take part in breakout discussions to ask questions, share stories, and explore practical organizing strategies.
AGI applications have surged 250 percent in the past decade, affecting over 200,000 households. Many AGIs are applied unfairly, and renters are often left in the dark about their rights, including the fact that these increases are supposed to expire.
This townhall is free and open to all. RSVP here to join us online.
See you there.
Sincerely,
Jessica Bell
MPP, University-Rosedale
In this newsletter:
- Students rally to save Heydon Park Secondary
- TDSB budget means bigger class sizes, pool closures, cuts to music.
- Ontario’s Financial Watchdog should investigate Ontario’s housing strategy
- OpEd: Ontario needs a real buy-local, build-local strategy
- It is time for Ontario to set a maximum temperature for rental units
- Working together to tackle the harms of social media
- Join me at Toronto Pride 2025
Students rally to save Heydon Park Secondary
On Monday, I joined students at Heydon Park Secondary School for a walkout to protest the TDSB’s decision to stop Grade 9 enrolment next year. Heydon Park offers a safe, inclusive, and student-centred environment for young women, trans, and non-binary students, many of whom have disabilities or learning differences. Chanting “Save our school” and holding handmade signs, students sent a powerful message about how important this program is to them.
We’ve also heard from parents and educators who are sounding the alarm about the slow erosion of programs that support students with additional needs. The Ford government’s chronic underfunding of public education has put schools like Heydon Park at risk.
The Ontario government needs to properly fund education so school boards aren’t forced to cut important specialized programs like Heydon Park.
Add your voice by signing the petition to save Heydon Park here.
TDSB budget means bigger class sizes, pool closures, cuts to music.
On Wednesday night, Toronto’s public school board narrowly passed a two-year budget plan to close a $34.4 million deficit by making some cuts to education.
Outdoor education programs are being cut. The itinerant music program that brings professional musicians into classrooms is being cut. Some pools will be closed. There will be an increase in class sizes, including an increase in class sizes for special education.
School Board trustees made the decision to make these cuts and pass a balanced budget because they are legally required to do so. The Minister of Education, Paul Calandra, had also warned the TDSB they’d be placed under supervision if they didn’t pass a balanced budget.
The Toronto Catholic District School Board is also facing serious financial pressures. They have proposed using $30 million from property sales and are drawing on reserve funds to stabilize finances.
Just like so many other school boards, the TDSB is being forced to make cuts every year because the Conservative government has been cutting funding to schools, when you factor in inflation and population changes, since 2018.
We will continue to advocate for the Ontario government to invest in our schools, bring in smaller class sizes, repair and maintain our school buildings, and invest in special education.
If you or your family have been affected by school budget cuts, I want to hear from you. Please reach out to my office at [email protected] or 416 536 7206.
Ontario’s Financial Watchdog should investigate Ontario’s housing strategy
The Financial Accountability Office (FAO) recently released an economic update showing that Ontario’s housing starts have dropped to their lowest level since 2007. Housing starts refer to the number of new residential construction projects that begin during a specific time period. This is a serious red flag in a province with a goal of 1.5 million new homes over the next decade.
Too many renters are already living in housing that is too expensive or doesn’t meet their needs. If we want to attract and keep the workers who power our economy, we need to ensure they can afford to live here. That means building more housing that meets people’s needs.
That’s why I joined MPP Catherine McKenney in writing to the FAO to request a review of the Ontario government’s efforts to spur private-market housing construction. In our letter, we urged the FAO to help Ontario legislators understand what Ontario has done and could do to address Ontario’s many significant housing challenges.
We asked the FAO to assess how housing supply is affecting rent and home prices, the impact of domestic and foreign investment, and the province’s progress toward its housing supply goals. We also requested an evaluation of the new federal-provincial housing agreement and an analysis of additional measures that could be taken to support construction that meets the housing needs of current and future Ontarians by income, household size, and population.
You can read the full letter here.
OpEd: Ontario needs a real buy-local, build-local strategy
This week, I published an op-ed in the Trillium calling on the Ford government to take stronger action to protect Ontario’s economy and support Canadian jobs in the face of rising trade threats from President Donald Trump.
Ontarians want to buy local and support our economy, but the government needs to make it easier. Declaring one day a year as “Buy Ontario, Buy Canadian Day” is a symbolic gesture, not a real strategy.
We need a plan that ensures public dollars go to Ontario and Canadian businesses, not foreign multinationals. Ontario is investing $200 billion in infrastructure projects like hospitals, highways, transit, schools and child-care spots. That spending should support local jobs and industries, especially those hit hardest by trade disruptions, like steel, aluminum, and lumber.
Every year, the Ontario government buys $29 billion in goods and services. Just $3 billion goes to Ontario-based businesses. That number should be much higher. We’ve proposed practical solutions: mandatory labelling of Canadian-made products so people can choose local at the store, stronger procurement rules for government contracts, and targeted investments in our agriculture and manufacturing sectors.
Groups across Ontario are backing this approach. The Ontario Federation of Agriculture wants local food prioritized in public institutions like schools and hospitals. Unifor has joined our call to manufacture affordable housing and transit vehicles right here in Ontario, especially in places like Thunder Bay and Kingston, where plants are operating below capacity.
We need the government to act now. With a modest shift in consumer spending toward Canadian goods, we could add $10 billion to the economy. Let’s stop missing opportunities. It’s time for Ontario to step up with a serious buy local, build local strategy that protects jobs and keeps our economy strong.
It is time for Ontario to set a maximum temperature for rental units
Climate change is here and it’s making our homes hotter and more dangerous. Every summer, my office hears from tenants trapped in sweltering apartments with no relief. Many of these units reach temperatures over 30°C, putting people’s health and safety at serious risk.
We’ve seen what can happen. During the 2021 heat wave in British Columbia, over 600 people died, many of them seniors and low-income residents living in apartments without air conditioning. These deadly events are not one-offs. Extreme heat is becoming more frequent and more intense.
Ontario’s housing laws haven’t kept up.
My office has been organizing on this issue year after year. The Ontario Human Rights Commission has made it clear that safe housing must include protection from extreme heat. They’ve called on the provincial government to treat air conditioning as a vital service and to establish a legal maximum temperature for rental units.
In 2023, the government acknowledged this issue and promised action. They amended the Residential Tenancies Act to ensure tenants have the right to install and use a window or portable air conditioner. But Section 36.1 still hasn't come into force.
Now we are coming into another summer and the government has not passed the laws Ontario needs to keep renters safe and cool during the summer.
I am calling on the Ford government to introduce a legal maximum temperature for rental units and protect the right of tenants to install air conditioning without added charges or rent hikes. We also need to improve our building code so we’re building more energy efficient buildings. We need investment in renovating and upgrading existing buildings so they are more energy efficient. We need a plan to keep our cities cool, by, for example, planting more trees.
Sign our petition for a provincial maximum heat law today.
If you’re living in a very hot apartment, I want to hear from you. Email us at [email protected]
Working together to tackle the harms of social media
On June 17, I hosted a virtual town hall with MPP Catherine Fife and Dr. Alison Yeung to talk about the impact social media is having on young people.
There’s growing evidence that excessive screen time and social media use are taking a toll on youth mental health. Kids are spending an average of four to six hours a day on social media. This is shocking. It means they’re spending less time on sleeping, homework, socializing with friends in person, spending time with family, and doing sport. It also means our kids are increasingly being led to content that can be very harmful, from online bullying, to predators lurking on chat sites, to tips on extreme dieting and suicide.
Other provinces, states, and countries are already taking steps to limit the harms of social media on young people. Australia has enacted a law banning social media access for anyone under 16. In the U.S., Utah now requires parental consent for anyone under 18 to open a social media account, restricts addictive features, and allows parents to sue platforms for harm caused to their children. And locally, the Toronto District School Board has filed a lawsuit against major platforms like Meta and TikTok, citing the damage they’re causing to student learning and well-being.
On June 3, MPP Fife introduced a motion calling on the government to investigate the impact of social media on youth and bring forward stronger protections. The proposal includes:
- Reviewing how addictive features like infinite scroll and algorithmic feeds affect young users
- Requiring platforms to verify age and limit access for children under 13
- Equipping public health units to provide clear warnings about the risks of excessive screen time.
This motion is a starting point. It’s time for Ontario to take digital harm seriously and ensure young people are growing up with the support and protections they need. If you missed it, you can watch the full event here and sign the petition.
Join me at Toronto Pride 2025
Pride is a time to celebrate, connect, and stand up for equality and inclusion.
Come visit our team on Saturday, June 28 at 4:00 PM at Church & Isabella (Booth C11). Stop by to say hi, grab some Pride-exclusive swag, and chat about how we can keep pushing for a more inclusive Ontario..
You’re also welcome to march with me and the Ontario NDP at these Pride weekend events:
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Trans March – Friday, June 27 at 6:30 PM. RSVP here.
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Dyke March – Saturday, June 28 at 1:30 PM. RSVP here.
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Pride Parade – Sunday, June 29 at 1:30 PM. RSVP here.
Hope to see you there!