Oakville North-Burlington Newsletter March 27, 2026
March 27, 2026
“ Our government has delivered the 2026–2027 Ontario Budget, focused on protecting workers, supporting businesses, and building a stronger, more resilient economy. We are lowering costs by removing the provincial portion of the HST on new homes up to $1 million and cutting the small business tax rate to 2.2%. We are also investing in growth, with a $210 billion infrastructure plan to build highways, hospitals, and transit.
At the same time, we are strengthening public services by increasing funding for health care, education, and the Ontario Autism Program. We are keeping costs down through transit savings and consumer protections, while investing in community safety with enhanced policing and border security measures across the province.” —MPP Effie Triantafilopoulos
Celebrating New Professional Engineers in Oakville
Congratulations to the newly licensed Professional Engineers recognized at the PEO Licence Presentation Ceremony in Oakville.
Becoming a P.Eng. is a remarkable achievement that reflects years of dedication, hard work, and commitment to excellence. Engineers play a vital role in building our communities, driving innovation, and supporting Ontario’s growth across sectors like infrastructure, energy, and technology.
Best wishes to all recipients as you take this next step in your careers and continue to shape the future of our province.
Honouring the People Who Make Burlington Stronger
Congratulations to all of this year’s recipients of the BurlingtonToday Community Builders Awards, held at the Port House.
These awards celebrate the volunteers, leaders, and changemakers who go above and beyond to strengthen our community and support those around them.
Thank you to BurlingtonToday for hosting this special evening!
New public artwork installed at Sixteen Mile Sports Complex
The Town of Oakville has completed the installation of a new public artwork at the Sixteen Mile Sports Complex. The piece will debut with the opening of the expanded community centre and new Oakville Public Library branch on March 31, ahead of the community celebration planned for May.
Created by Toronto-based artist Micah Lexier, “The Object of the Game” is a wall scaled installation designed specifically with a recreation environment in mind. The piece features 48 circles of varying sizes, each representing the diameter of a different piece of sports equipment, creating a direct visual link to the activities and programs offered at Sixteen Mile.
When viewed from a distance, the circles create a visual effect that resembles stars or a constellation, offering an engaging focal point within the expanded space. Presented on a grid of baked porcelain enamel panels, the artwork provides a durable and visually striking feature for the facility.
Lexier is an established Canadian artist whose work appears in numerous public and corporate collections. His portfolio includes more than a dozen public sculptures, and he is a past recipient of the Governor General’s Award in Visual and Media Arts.
To learn more, visit Public Art and Exhibitions page.
Queen’s Park Weekly Update
MPPs returned to the Legislature on Monday to begin their Spring Session so we are pleased to resume our Queen’s Park weekly updates! Below are some highlights of our government’s Legislation that was both debated and voted on and recap some big events. Also below are some highlights on our Budget – which was tabled in the Legislature on Thursday.
Bill 75, Keeping Criminals Behind Bars Act, 2025
On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, MPPs debated – and voted on – the Keeping Criminals Behind Bars Act, 2025. As a reminder, this Bill will, if passed, hold offenders accountable, support victims of crime, and strengthen public safety. It includes bold new measures that would tighten bail requirements and crack down on dangerous driving. Alongside this Bill, our government introduced measures to strengthen safety protocols in adult correctional institutions and explore options to make information contained in the Ontario Sex Offender and Trafficker Registry publicly available. The Bill was referred to the Standing Committee on Justice Policy.
Bill 95, Supply Act, 2026
On Tuesday, the President of the Treasury Board introduced Bill 95, which authorizes the Ontario government to spend public funds for the fiscal year, giving legal effect to the expenditures outlined in the provincial budget. As a standard but essential piece of legislation, it provides the government with the authority to withdraw money from the Consolidated Revenue Fund to fund ministries, programs, and services already approved through the Estimates process. It entered 2nd Reading on Wednesday.
Bill 72, Buy Ontario Act, 2025
On Wednesday, MPPs resumed debate on our Buy Ontario Act, 2025, which is now in 3rd Reading. The Buy Ontario Act is about protecting workers and businesses by prioritizing Ontario goods and services in public procurement to ensure your tax dollars support Ontario jobs and products.
2026 Ontario Budget: A Plan to Protect Ontario
On Thursday, Minister of Finance Peter Bethlenfalvy released the 2026 Ontario Budget: A Plan to Protect Ontario. In the midst of U.S. tariffs and economic uncertainty, our government is building the most competitive, resilient and self-reliant economy in the G7. You can see Budget highlights elsewhere in this newsletter.
Effie in the Legislature this week:
On Monday, as Deputy Speaker, I resumed my seat in the Speaker’s Chair while MPPs debated – and voted on – Government Order No. 9–38: Concurrence in Supply. As background, “Concurrence in Supply” takes place after the Standing Committees complete their Estimates review and reports them back to the House for formal approval. Following debate on the Estimates, I presided over a series of votes on all ministry spending estimates. All Motions passed. I then presided over continued debate on Bill 75 as described above.
Celebrating Hellenic Heritage Month
On March 24, I hosted my annual Hellenic Heritage Month celebration at Queen’s Park, joined by the Premier, the Consul General of the Hellenic Republic in Toronto, Ontario’s Minister for Citizenship and Multiculturalism, fellow MPPs, representatives of Canada’s Hellenic organizations, and members of Toronto’s Greek community. Guests enjoyed an evening of traditional Greek cuisine, live music, and vibrant dance performances, celebrating the rich cultural heritage and lasting contributions of Hellenic Canadians across Ontario. You can view pictures of the event here. and,
Greek Independence Day
And on March 25th, I also delivered a Member Statement in recognition of Greek ndependence DayI, which commemorates the beginning of Greece’s struggle for freedom in 1821 and celebrates the enduring values of democracy and self-determination. You can view my Statement here.
Seniors Ease Grant
During Question Period on Wednesday, I rose to ask the Minister of Seniors and Accessibility about what our province is doing to make Ontario more accessible and provide examples of some support and services. Included in the Minister’s response was information about our government’s “Enhancing Access to Spaces for Everyone (EASE) Grant”. The EASE Grant funds projects that improve accessibility and support active lifestyles for people with disabilities and older adults. It supports these individuals to live more active, healthy, safe and socially connected lives within their communities.
You can apply for up to $60,000 in grants to fund small capital projects that focus on making outdoor spaces, buildings and housing more accessible for everyone. Deadline to apply is May 07, 2026, at 5pm. Learn more and apply here.
To support applicants for the 2026–2027 EASE Grant cycle, the Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility will be hosting 2 webinars during the application window to provide program information and guidance on completing or submitting the application form. To learn more or register for these webinars, visit the registration pages:
And on Thursday, I joined the debate on a Government Motion calling on the Government of Canada to establish an independent military honours review board to review veterans’ cases where evidence suggests that the criteria for the Victoria Cross were met.
Acts of valour – Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest expression of bravery in the face of the enemy—awarded for acts of valour so exceptional that they transcend duty itself. It represents moments when individuals, in the most difficult and dangerous circumstances imaginable, chose courage over fear, selflessness over safety, and service over self. You can view my remarks here.
Ontario Budget 2026-2027
Protecting Workers, Businesses & the Economy
- Removing the provincial portion of the HST on new homes up to $1M (phased to $1.5M), delivering up to $130K in savings and ~$2.2B in joint federal-provincial relief.
- Cutting the small business tax rate from 3.2% to 2.2% (July 2026), providing $1.1B in relief to 375,000+ businesses.
- Lowering investment costs through accelerated depreciation (aligned with federal changes).
- Launching a $4B Protect Ontario Account Investment Fund to attract private capital.
- Investing $107M in critical technologies and $12.4M to support small business entrepreneurship programs.
Building Ontario’s Future
- $210B capital plan over 10 years (including $37B in 2026–27) for infrastructure like highways, hospitals, and transit.
- Additional $300M for community sport and recreation infrastructure (total $500M).
- Supporting municipalities that reduce development charges to boost housing supply.
- Advancing expansion of Billy Bishop Airport to support jobs, tourism, and economic growth.
Strengthening Public Services
- Increasing Ontario Autism Program funding to nearly $1B annually.
- Expanding the Primary Care Action Plan to $3.4B to connect all Ontarians to primary care.
- Investing $66M annually for classroom supplies for teachers.
- Providing $6.4B over four years to strengthen postsecondary education.
- Investing $30B in schools/child care and $64B in health infrastructure (including 50+ hospital projects and ~3,000 beds).
- Adding $139.4M annually for long-term care, maintaining 4 hours of daily care.
Keeping Costs Down
- Extending the One Fare transit program (saving commuters up to $1,600/year).
- Capping ticket resale prices to prevent price gouging.
Protecting Communities & Borders
- $32.5M for border security and policing tools (Operation Deterrence 2.0).
- Expanding correctional capacity and hiring 700 additional staff.
- $41M for School Resource Officer programs.
- $8.3M to strengthen bail compliance and enforcement.
Celebrating Hellenic Heritage Month at Queen’s Park
What a truly special evening at Queen’s Park celebrating Hellenic Heritage Month alongside Ontario’s vibrant Hellenic community.
This occasion holds deep personal meaning for me. I was proud to introduce the legislation that made Ontario the first, and still the only, jurisdiction in the world to formally recognize March as Hellenic Heritage Month in law. It stands as a powerful reminder of the enduring contributions Greek Canadians have made to our province’s history, culture, and public life.
I extend my sincere thanks to Premier Doug Ford, Consul General of Greece in Toronto Ioannis Chatzantonakis, Minister Graham McGregor, and the many leaders of Hellenic community organizations who joined us to mark this important occasion.
I would also like to offer special appreciation to our supporters. The young dancers from the Greek Community of Toronto brought remarkable energy and spirit to the evening. Asteria generously provided the wine, Andania supplied the water, and Select Bakery delighted guests with exceptional desserts.
From the music and traditions to the strong sense of community, the evening was a meaningful and memorable celebration of Hellenic culture.
Investing in Local Transit in Oakville and Burlington
Our government is delivering $2,892,944 in gas tax funding to support public transit in Oakville, along with $2,674,780 for Burlington.
This funding will help expand service, improve routes, purchase new vehicles and improve accessibility, making it easier for people to get where they need to go.
Ontario Expanding HST Rebate to Lower the Cost of New Homes in Partnership with the Federal Government
In the face of tariffs and economic uncertainty, our government is working closely with the federal government to do everything we can to lower costs for families, keep workers on the job and build the most competitive, resilient and self-reliant economy in the G7,” said Premier Doug Ford. “Today’s announcement will provide meaningful and significant relief to the people of Ontario, helping thousands more families realize the dream of homeownership and boosting Ontario’s economy by $2.7 billion.
Learn more: Ontario Expanding HST Rebate to Lower the Cost of New Homes in Partnership with the Federal Government
A Plan to Protect Ontario
Ontario is navigating economic challenges with a pragmatic and prudent fiscal plan,” said Minister Bethlenfalvy. “To help the province navigate these times and come out stronger, we are investing in strategic priorities such as energy, critical minerals, key infrastructure and critical technologies that will make our economy stronger, while cutting red tape and creating the conditions for businesses to grow, supporting workers and strengthening Ontario’s economy.
Learn more: A Plan to Protect Ontario
Ontario Building More Accessible Communities
Our government is continuing to make critical investments to ensure people of all ages and abilities stay active, engaged and connected to their communities,” said Raymond Cho, Minister for Seniors and Accessibility. “As we open applications for the EASE Grant, I encourage organizations across Ontario to come forward with projects that create accessible, welcoming and inclusive spaces.
Learn more: Ontario Building More Accessible Communities