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Dear neighbour, We’re returning to the legislature on October 21, and it’s going to be a tumultuous session. The legislature should be solving our biggest challenges, like implementing an effective response to climate change, solving homelessness, and fixing our public services, from health care to schools to transit. Our Premier, however, is thinking about the next election, and he’s making cynical and divisive political moves that will do nothing to improve our lives, and everything to motivate his base. That’s why the Premier is attacking bike lanes. The Conservatives are proposing new legislation that will require cities get provincial approval to build a bike lane if it takes out a lane for vehicles. The government is also going to review every bike lane built in the past five years. Bike lanes are part of the solution to our massive traffic congestion problem because bike lanes make it easier for more people to quickly and safely get from A to B. Instead of cynically targeting bike lanes, the province should move ahead with practical transportation solutions, starting with improving train, streetcar and bus services, more bike lanes, and smart urban planning so people can live near where they work, play, and study. We are organizing a bike rally with cyclists, health and road safety advocates on Wednesday October 23 at 5 p.m. at Queen’s Park. Visit jessicabellmpp.ca/rally_ride for updates and please sign up to volunteer at https://forms.gle/3zek7zAUR22RA6Qn7 and help us reach out to cyclists. I want our streets to be safe. Sincerely,
Jessica Bell |
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In Doug Ford’s Ontario, being poor is a full time jobOn September 27, I held a press conference at Street Haven Shelter to address Premier Ford’s flippant remarks urging people in encampments to “get off their A-S-S and start working.” I was joined by Asil Lavoie who struggles with Multiple Sclerosis and lives in a shelter hotel. “I invite Ford to live a month in my shoes before telling me how to live my life,” she said. I was also joined by Jay, who has lived in a tent in downtown Toronto for six months and has been working everyday to find a shelter bed. There are none available. Jay shared how challenging it is to find work while carrying 50 pounds of equipment every day and searching for your next meal. “I know that once I am in a shelter, personally, I will be able to find a job. But in a tent situation – it’s nearly impossible,” he said. The Conservative government has built just over 1,000 homes in six years, far short of the 25,000 homes Ontario needs annually. The government has also weakened rent control and tenant protections, making it harder for people to find and keep their housing. Instead of attacking the poor, we are calling on Ontario to fix Ontario’s homelessness crisis, starting with participating in the new federal government program to combat homelessness, doubling social assistance rates, and building 250,000 non-market and affordable homes on public land. You can join our call by signing this petition: https://www.jessicabellmpp.ca/we_can_end_homelessness You can watch our press conference here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1U28ygaHIMVoF53enc-dsII9FYGtRe4gZ/view
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Are the Conservatives forcing schools to spend millions on partisan ads?I visited our riding’s public schools in September this year, and for the first time ever, I noticed these big blue signs on most school buildings, boasting about Ontario’s plan to fix and build schools. I have four concerns with these signs. First, based on correspondence with the Ministry of Education and the TDSB, it appears the Ministry is forcing school boards to spend millions of taxpayer money earmarked for education on printing and posting these signs, at a time when schools are being forced to do more with less. The TDSB estimates they are spending $1000 on each sign, for a total figure of $400,000. If all the school boards are posting about the same number of signs at the TDSB, then school boards could be spending more than $3M a year on partisan advertising. Second, taxpayer money is being used to create a favourable impression of a government, as an early election looms. This is partisan advertising using taxpayer dollars, and shouldn’t be allowed. Third, these signs convey a very misleading message, as they imply the government is doing something to fix and build schools to an acceptable standard. This is just not true. Fourth, this funding is still a massive $16B short of what is needed to keep Ontario’s schools in a state of good repair. Take Jesse Ketchum School on 61 Davenport Road, Toronto as an example of how this funding shortfall is playing out. Government capital funding will be used to repair the school's boiler, but the school still has 47 outstanding urgent repairs, ranging from plumbing and HVAC issues to flood prevention and electrical work. Many older schools across Ontario are facing a similar repair backlog. Our kids should be learning in safe and well-maintained buildings. These are buildings where the washrooms work, they’re accessible, and there’s energy-efficient and effective heating and cooling so kids are warm in winter and cool enough in summer. That's what every parent, student, teacher, and staff person expects. We are calling on the Ford government to match their actions with their message and properly invest in building and fixing Ontario’s schools by providing an additional $16B to the school capital program. We're also calling on the Ford government to reimburse school boards for the cost of putting up these signs. I've written a letter to the Minister of Education Jill Dunlop asking her to take action. Parents, teachers, students and staff, I encourage you to send a message to the Minister as well @ [email protected].
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Revitalizing Ward 10 schools forum October 17Ward 10 parents / guardians / caregivers, school councils, student councils, teachers / staff, and community members please join me for our next ward forum.
At this Ward 10 Forum we will learn how we are transforming school grounds to create more sustainable, engaging, and environmentally friendly outdoor learning and play spaces. We will also hear an update of our 2024-2033 Long Term Program & Accommodation Strategy to balance school enrolment, increase access to programs, and equity of opportunities for students. Please RSVP here to let us know you will be attending. Childcare will be provided onsite. Interpretation and Accessibility: Please let us know about any required interpretation or accessibility needs you have. Please specify on the RSVP form or contact us directly at [email protected] or 416-395-8787. |
Update: What’s happening at Ontario PlaceThese past weeks, we have seen a number of devastating developments at Ontario Place. Here’s a summary. Removal of Trees on the West Island On Wednesday, October 2, Infrastructure Ontario began the removal of 865 trees on the West Island of Ontario Place. Crews worked throughout the evening to raze the mini-forest that was home to many species of wildlife, including birds, coyotes, foxes, and mink. The removal operation was undertaken without public notices and was part of the approximately $200 million in site preparations that taxpayers are funding to prepare the land for the Austrian Therme group, which plans to build an indoor waterpark on the site. You can read more about the tree removal here. Terms of 95-Year Therme Lease Revealed At the same time they were destroying the forest at Ontario Place, the Premier and his government finally released the details of its 95-year lease with Therme. Here are some of the highlights:
This TVO article offers a useful breakdown of the deal: The Ontario Place spa is a costly extravagance we'll be subsidizing forever. Redirecting Raw Sewage into Swimming Area In addition, a new Toronto Star report has revealed that the government wants to redirect raw sewer waste into a channel used by swimmers and rowers to support Therme’s Ontario Place plans. This is a major public health and safety issue. It turns out the Premier has negotiated a great deal for Therme and a terrible deal for the people of Ontario. Ontario Place Protectors have filed an appeal against Bill 154, which exempted the Therme project and anyone involved from all Ontario laws. As we await their appeal, we continue to call on the government to cancel the deal with Therme. We can have a beautiful waterfront for public use for far less and invest billions in the hospitals, schools, and housing Ontarians want and need, not a private luxury spa. |
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I met with Toronto’s new homelessness union to talk about the urgent need for housing solutions“COHB is better than a shelter, a shelter is better than the streets but we need to work on making a solution that fits everyone.” - Member of the Toronto Underhoused and Homeless Union I am inspired by the work the Toronto Underhoused and Homeless Union (TUHU) is doing to end homelessness in our city. The Union is made up of people who are homeless and underhoused, fighting for their right to safe, permanent housing. I recently met with some of TUHU's members to discuss the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB), a program that helps people cover housing costs so they can move into permanent homes. We spoke with people currently living in shelters and tents, struggling to find stable housing and work. We also heard from those who, after receiving the COHB, were able to move out of shelters and into permanent homes. While COHB has been helpful for some, it’s by no means a silver bullet. Right now, there is not nearly enough funding available to help everyone who needs it. We’ve also seen the Ford government make cuts to the program and withhold existing funding for months on end. In addition to expanding COHB funding to help more Ontarians move out of homelessness and into permanent, affordable homes we want to see Ontario build 250,000 affordable homes and make meaningful investments in services that support people in need. Watch my interview with TUHU here: https://fb.watch/vcXbI1rInQ/. You can learn more about their demands here: https://www.rpcmtoronto.ca/tuhunion. |
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Thank you for joining me at our Yorkville Town HallOn Thursday, September 26, we gathered at the Stone Church in Yorkville for a town hall meeting where residents had a chance to talk about the issues that matter most to them. Thank you to all who came. If you have any follow-up questions or comments, please send them to [email protected]. |
Thank you for stopping by our Health Care Drop InEarlier this month, I connected with people throughout University-Rosedale at the corner of Dundas St W and Carlyle St, opposite Scadding Court Community Centre and Toronto Western Hospital. Together, we discussed how long so many Torontonians have been waiting for health care, shared our experience, and how we can better support our public health care system. Thank you to all who stopped by. |
Rally to Fix the TTC on October 17Are you tired of waiting for the bus or train? How many times has a delay made you late? Or a shutdown ruined your plans? You deserve transit you can rely on. We are asking the federal government to speed up investments in public transit for a faster, safer, more dependable TTC! I will be joining TTCriders at their rally to call for better transit. I encourage you to join me. This in-person event is wheel-chair accessible, This event is kid-friendly and open to all ages.
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Ontario’s vulnerable children deserve betterOn October 9, the Ontario government announced a review of Children’s Aid Societies (CAS), claiming it would address financial mismanagement and quality of care. However, unions representing CAS workers argue this review is a “smokescreen” to cover up the government’s failure to support children and families, while enabling further privatization. Ontario’s child protection system is in crisis. Many vulnerable children are being housed in hotels, motels, and offices due to severe funding shortages. The number of unlicensed placements has doubled since 2021, forcing more kids, especially those with complex needs, into unacceptable settings. CAS agencies are scrambling to find proper placements, while parents are left with no choice but to relinquish care of their children to access critical treatment, which remains scarce due to a shortage of treatment beds. Despite a child welfare “overhaul” launched four years ago, funding has not kept pace. Around 90% of agencies face deficits, layoffs are common, and services are being cut. The Financial Accountability Office found that child protection funding is $70 million short, adjusted for inflation, since Ford took office. Meanwhile, the government claims funding has increased, but the reality is that workers are overwhelmed and kids are being placed in unsafe conditions. The announced audit is too little, too late. Children in the care system need urgent help, not another lengthy review. My colleagues and I continue to push for increased and sustainable funding to CAS agencies to protect Ontario’s most vulnerable children. |