Newsletter – September 29th, 2023 – Ontario Government Returns to the Legislative Assembly
Oakville North-Burlington Newsletter September 29th
Ontario Government Returns to the Legislative Assembly
Good afternoon. I hope the people of Oakville North-Burlington had a healthy and happy summer.
As the Ontario government returns to the Legislature, we do so with a renewed sense of purpose and commitment to the well being of the people of Ontario.
Over the past few months, our dedicated team has worked tirelessly to address the pressing needs and challenges facing Ontario. In this newsletter, I am pleased to share with you the results of our actions, highlighting some of the achievements in our community, as we continue to build a strong Ontario. – MPP Effie Triantafilopoulos
I joined a wonderful group of 50+ volunteers to help Oakvillegreen plant 200 trees in Buttonbush Woods Park.
It was also a great opportunity to present Oakvillegreen President Karen Brock with a $25,000 Seniors Community Grant to support the preservation efforts in our community. This project will engage 600 older adults with nature, indigenous land-based education and mindfulness programming, aimed to reduce social isolation, promote physical ability, and build community.
It is said that society grows great when we plant trees in whose shade we shall never sit, and the environmental stewardship of Oakvillegreen is a shining example of this, paying it forward, and leaving a greener future
It was a pleasure to stop by Oak Park’s Fall Fair and catch up with lots of Oakville families in our community. I also had the opportunity to announce Ontario Trillium Foundation’s grant of $67,100 in capital funding bringing much-needed change to Oak Park Neighborhood Centre.
This generous grant enabled the installation of permeable paving, which is not only environmentally friendly but also incredibly beneficial for individuals with mobility challenges, creating a greener and more accessible gathering place for all.
To Michelle Knoll, the staff and volunteers at Oak Park, the Ontario government thanks you for all you do for our community!
Joined by Burlington MPP Natalie Pierre, I was pleased to present a grant of $22,600 from the Ontario Trillium Foundation on behalf of Premier Ford and the Ontario government.
With an extraordinary team of over 600 staff members and volunteers, Acclaim Health touches the lives of 25,000 clients each year, catering to their unique needs and ensuring their well-being.
This grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation signifies a shared commitment to accessibility and inclusivity. The renovation of washrooms and the enhancement of the entrance ramp for the Burlington Adult Day Program space for individuals living with dementia, is a tangible step towards creating a more inclusive environment.
Thank you for all you do for our community.
I had the privilege of presenting St. Luke’s Palermo with a grant of $73,600 from the Ontario Trillium Foundation’s Resilient Communities Fund! This funding, spanning 12 months, will be a major catalyst in helping St. Luke’s Palermo recover and fortify its resilience in the face of the impacts of COVID-19.
The grant will play a vital role in enabling St. Luke’s Palermo to hire new staff, cover existing staffing costs, and recruit additional volunteers who are essential to the ongoing success of their Nourishing Neighbours food security programs. These programs have been crucial in ensuring that our community continues to have access to nutritious food during these challenging times.
This grant will empower St. Luke’s Palermo to expand their reach, serve more individuals in need, and contribute to the long-term well-being of our community.
I want to express my appreciation to Reverend Garfield Wu, the dedicated team at St. Luke’s Palermo, their invaluable volunteers for their unwavering commitment to our community. Together, we can make a positive impact on the lives of our neighbours.
I joined Wellspring’s Birmingham Gilgan House to celebrate the approval of a $103,300 Resilient Communities Fund from the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
Thank you to the dedicated staff and volunteers who embrace cancer patients with warmth, understanding and compassion.
I was pleased to celebrated the 10-year anniversary of École secondaire catholique Sainte-Trinité and announced a second-floor expansion, adding 180 new student spaces through a $6.8 million investment from the Ministry of Education.
Oakville North-Burlington is building schools to accommodate our growing population and ensure each child has a world-class learning environment.
As the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Economic Development and Trade, it was an honour to join MPP Rudy Cuzzetto to announce the Ontario government is providing Eurofins Canada with $2,500,000 through the Ontario Together Fund. Eurofins is a global leader in bio-analysis. This investment will support cutting-edge innovation in the life sciences sector and create well-paying jobs.
Thanks to the vision and leadership of Premier Ford and Economic Development Minister Fedeli, Ontario is well on its way to becoming a global life sciences hub and a leader in the development, commercialization, and adoption of innovative health products and services. Companies like Eurofins will help us achieve our goals.
Congratulations to the team at Eurofins.
I had the pleasure of joining Ontario’s Associate Minister of Housing Rob Flack, MPP Stephen Crawford, MPs Anita Anand and Pam Damoff, Halton Region Chair Gary Carr and Oakville Mayor Rob Burton to announce a joint investment from the Governments of Canada and Ontario through the Canada-Ontario Housing Initiative of $11.9 million to build Kerr Seniors Supportive Housing.
This new 4-storey building providing 52 units for seniors will make a real difference in the lives of people in our community ensuring the supports and resources they rely on every day.
As we returned to the Legislature, I had the opportunity to welcome Oakville North-Burlington student Minuka who was selected to be a Page with the page program at Queen’s Park. His proud parents were there to see him serve as page captain.
With bright young people like Minuka, the future is in good hands.
Ontario Providing New Tools to Municipalities to Build More Homes Sooner
The Ontario government has assigned housing targets to 21 additional municipalities as part of its plan to build at least 1.5 million homes by 2031, Including Oakville and Burlington. Once these municipalities, through their heads of council, have pledged to achieve their targets, they will have access to the new Building Faster Fund, which will reward municipalities that are on track to meet their housing targets.
The three-year, $1.2 billion fund will provide up to $400 million per year to municipalities that have committed in writing to achieve their overall 2031 housing target. Ten per cent of the overall funding will be reserved for small, rural and northern communities that have not yet been assigned a housing target by the province to support unique needs and circumstances.
Expanding Strong Mayor Powers
Municipalities with targets have been given strong mayor powers if their head of council has committed to meeting these targets, in writing, by October 15, 2023. These municipalities would then receive strong mayor powers by October 31, 2023 and would be eligible for the Building Faster Fund. Oakville and Burlington’s targets are 33,000 and 29,000, respectively.
Ontario Raises Minimum Wage
Starting Sunday, October 1, Ontario’s minimum wage will increase from $15.50 to $16.55 per hour, helping more than 900,000 hard-working men and women across our province earn more take-home pay for themselves and their families.
This 6.8 per cent raise means up to $2,200 more in workers’ pockets every year and brings Ontario to one of the highest minimum wages in the country.
Our government is continuing to deliver steady and predictable annual increases, helping families offset the rising cost of living while also providing certainty to businesses.
Minimum wage jobs should be for the start of a worker’s career, not the end. We are giving workers a hand up to even better jobs and bigger paycheques.
Province Launches Plan to Power Ontario’s Growth
The Ontario government released the Powering Ontario’s Growth plan, outlining the actions the province is taking to meet the increasing demand for electricity driven by strong economic growth and electrification through the 2030s and 2040s. These actions, which include new zero-emissions electricity generation, long duration storage and transmission lines will provide families and industries with the reliable, low-cost and clean power they need and power our future.
Powering Ontario’s Growth outlines the actions the province is taking to meet electricity demand over the long-term, including:
- Nuclear Energy – Advancing reliable, affordable and clean nuclear power through pre-development work at Bruce Power and three additional small modular reactors at Darlington
- Competitive Procurements – Starting to plan for the next long-term competitive procurement of non-emitting electricity resources including wind, solar, hydroelectric, batteries and biogas
- New Transmission Infrastructure – Designating and prioritizing three new transmission lines that will power Algoma Steel and job creators in Northern Ontario, and one new transmission line to power growth in the Ottawa region and across Eastern Ontario.
- Hydroelectric Power – Asking OPG to optimize hydroelectric generation from current sites and working with IESO to assess two proposed pumped hydroelectric storage projects in Marmora and Meaford to improve grid efficiency
- Keeping Costs Down – Starting planning for the future of energy efficiency programming in Ontario to help reduce demand and supporting the deployment of distributed energy resources (DER) such as rooftop solar and the EV batteries
- Planning for Future Transmission – Directing IESO to report back to the Minister with transmission options to address system bottlenecks between Toronto and northern Ontario, and into downtown Toronto, to enable growth
These initiatives will advance a diverse supply mix, positioning Ontario to support electrification and energy affordability while competing for international investments which are looking for jurisdictions that provide access to clean, reliable electricity.
Ontario Investing to Find Long-term Housing for Asylum Claimants
The Ontario government is investing another $42 million through the Canada Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB) program to support the City of Toronto and other impacted municipalities across the province in providing urgent assistance to a rapidly growing number of asylum claimants and other at-risk populations.
This $42 million investment in 2023-24 through the COHB program will assist approximately 4,000 new households, helping move more people into housing and free up existing shelter spaces in impacted communities.
This investment represents precisely the kind of support our municipal partners have been asking for. This funding will help municipalities provide life changing support, including safe places to live for some of the most vulnerable. Every individual deserves to live safe and healthy lives, free of violence, intimidation, and fear of persecution. We are proud to make this investment.