September 29, 2022
NDP slams Ford govt for delaying housing people can afford
Conservatives stand in the way of inclusionary zoning proceeding in Toronto TORONTO – On Thursday, the Ontario NDP Housing critic MPP Jessica Bell slammed the Ontario government for delaying afford... More
September 28, 2022
Help Toronto build more affordable homes
Last year, City Council adopted an inclusionary zoning policy framework to get more affordable housing built across Toronto. The framework makes it mandatory for new developments near transit sta... More
September 27, 2022
With welfare diet complete, I renew my call to double social assistance
I have now completed my two week social assistance diet, where I spent $47.60 a week on groceries and toiletries to call on the Ontario government to double social assistance rates. I still had so... More
September 22, 2022
Register to join our town hall on the crisis in health care
Ontario Health data shows the average wait for hospital admission has grown to nearly 21 hours. Recent data also showed that 1,417 Ontarians died waiting for surgery over the last year. Hospital... More
September 16, 2022
Here's what it's like to run a food bank in 2022
This is what it’s like to run a Food Bank in 2022 This week, I interviewed Shauna Harris, the executive director of Spadina Fort York Community Care Program to better understand how food insecurit... More
September 16, 2022
NDP push to double rates won’t end after two-week ‘social assistance diet’
QUEEN’S PARK — NDP MPPs pledged to keep the pressure on the Ford government to double social assistance rates as they reflect on a two-week initiative to bring urgent focus to the paltry rates of O... More
September 15, 2022
When will affordable housing be built in Toronto?
This month, I criticized the Ford government for delaying the construction of affordable housing in Toronto in Question Period. The government has not approved any of the 104 inclusionary zoning ar... More
September 9, 2022
$1227 is too little to live on
On Tuesday, I began a two week welfare-diet with some of my MPP colleagues to pressure the government to double social assistance rates for the 900,000 Ontarians that rely on that money to survive.... More
September 7, 2022
End legislated poverty. Double assistance rates now.
For the 900,000 Ontarians who live on social assistance (ODSP or OW), the atrociously low rates make it impossible to afford necessities, such as food, shelter or medicine. Ford's Conservatives pro... More
September 7, 2022
NDP MPPs reintroduce bill to stop landlords from gouging tenants
TORONTO — NDP MPPs Jessica Bell (University-Rosedale) and Bhutila Karpoche (Parkdale-High Park), along with Joel Harden (Ottawa Centre) and Terence Kernaghan (London North Centre), have announced t... More
September 7, 2022
Demand Real Rent Control Now
Toronto has a housing affordability crisis. People are sleeping in parks. Families have to wait up to a decade to move into community housing. Rent is too expensive. And only the richest 5% of inco... More
September 6, 2022
Not enough to live on
Over the next two weeks I’ll be living on a welfare diet of $47.60 a week, joining my colleagues MPPs Vaugeois, Harden, and Taylor. Our plan is to draw attention to the 900,000 people living on pov... More
September 6, 2022
University-Rosedale forum for education
NOTE: We are postponing this education forum to ensure the newly elected school board trustee can be present at this meeting to make it as productive as possible. We will update this webpage and se... More
August 19, 2022
It took us decades to build a public health care system. We’re not going to give it up without a fight.
The health care crisis is affecting us here in University-Rosedale. This month, three of Toronto General’s intensive care units reached bed capacity, including units for cardiovascular and coronary... More
August 18, 2022
Ontario should follow B.C., establish public land registry to fight money laundering: NDP MPPs
TORONTO — NDP Housing critic Jessica Bell (University-Rosedale) is re-introducing legislation with MPP Bhutila Karpoche (Parkdale-High Park) to crack down on money laundering and tax fraud in Ontar... More
August 17, 2022
ACT NOW: Homes are for people first!
While individual buyers are required to publicly register the property they own, investors can set up numbered corporations, trusts and partnerships that are allowed to buy and sell property ano... More
August 12, 2022
Here's what in Ford's 2022-2023 budget
The 2022 post-election budget document is unchanged. However, the re-announced budget measures include a 5% increase and indexing to inflation of ODSP, beginning in September a two-year $225 milli... More
August 11, 2022
New Strong Mayors bill is a blow to democracy and civic engagement
One of Doug Ford’s first orders of business after winning the election in 2018 was the euphemistically-termed Better Local Government Act, which cut Toronto’s wards from 45 to 24 in the middle of t... More
July 11, 2022
Help 11 Walmer Road residents get back into their apartments
My office is currently working with a group of tenants who were evicted in 2019 from 11 Walmer Road due to renovations. Six of these tenants expressed interest in returning and all filed the approp... More
June 28, 2022
Tenants threatened with eviction for using AC window units
Today, I went on Newstalk 1010 with Jerry Agar to talk about the tenants at 130 Jameson who are being threatened with eviction if they don’t remove their dishwashers or window AC units. Many of the... More
April 6, 2022
Act Now: Keep Health Care Public
University Rosedale is home to many heroic health care professionals, as well as Canada’s best hospitals, including Prince Margaret, Toronto General, Mount Sinai, Toronto Western, Sick Kids, and Wo... More
April 4, 2022
Update on government housing bill 109, committee sign-up
Government Bill 109, The More Homes for Everyone Act, stated purpose is to speed up housing construction. Among other things, the Act formalizes the MZO process and sets up penalties municipaliti... More
March 24, 2022
Businesses still waiting to receive promised gov't financial aid
My office is still receiving emails and calls from small businesses in University Rosedale who are having difficulty receiving the financial aid they were promised by the Ontario government. Duri... More
March 23, 2022
ACT NOW: Address the opioid crisis
Like many communities in Ontario, Toronto's Kensington Market is seeing a sharp rise in drug poisoning and fatal overdoses. While the provincial government should be working with community stakeho... More
March 22, 2022
On World Water Day, NDP MPP re-introduces bill to reduce microfibres in Ontario waters
QUEEN'S PARK — Jessica Bell (University-Rosedale) will re-introduce her bill to ensure all washing machines sold in Ontario are equipped with a filter that reduces the shed of microfibres into wate... More
March 10, 2022
Stop the clawback of Ontario Trillium Benefits from TCHC tenants
Toronto Community Housing Corporation tenants have contacted our office in distress after the Canadian Revenue Agency said they are clawing back hundreds of dollars in Ontario Trillium Benefits. ... More
March 9, 2022
Commercial rent control survey: we want to hear from you!
Small businesses in University Rosedale and across Ontario have been decimated by this pandemic. Many were offered meagre and inadequate supports and many more received nothing at all. However, eve... More
March 8, 2022
Meeting for Tenants of 30 & 35 Charles St. W. March 28 at 6:00 PM
Open to all tenants at 30 & 35 Charles St. West. Please RSVP here in advance. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Conta... More
March 3, 2022
Action Alert! Demand the government pass Bill 54 to protect vulnerable road users now.
Send a message to Minister Mulroney and House Leader Paul Calandra now! Demand the government pass Bill 54 to protect vulnerable road users now. Bill 54, the Vulnerable Road Users Law (VRUL) if ap... More
March 3, 2022