Oakville North-Burlington Newsletter November 1st, 2024

“Ontario is thriving under a plan that’s delivering real progress. Since 2018, we’ve cut red tape, kept taxes low, and attracted billions in investment, making Ontario a leader in EV manufacturing and adding over 860,000 new jobs. Our economy is growing fast, and we’re focused on ensuring all families benefit from that growth.

To get there, we’re investing in the largest infrastructure projects in Ontario’s history, building highways, transit, and expanding health care facilities. We’re also securing affordable and reliable energy by expanding nuclear power and other sustainable sources to fuel Ontario’s future growth.

At the same time, we’re committed to affordability. By extending gas tax cuts, freezing tuition, and proposing new rebates, we’re easing the financial burden for families and businesses across Ontario. 

This week, Minister of Finance Peter Bethlenfalvy released Ontario’s Fall Economic Statement, outlining the next steps in our plan to drive economic growth, build essential infrastructure, and keep life affordable for all Ontarians. I encourage you to explore the full details and see how we’re delivering on our commitments to a prosperous Ontario” – MPP Effie Triantafilopoulos



Building Ontario

• Increasing the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund (OMPF) — the province’s main general assistance grant to municipalities — by $100 million over the next two years, bringing total funding provided through this program to $600 million by 2026. In 2025, municipalities will benefit from an immediate $50 million increase to the OMPF
• Launching the Advancing Ontario Made Manufacturing Plan, a 10-year roadmap for growing the sector’s workforce and production capacity. The plan is a roadmap to help grow the sector’s output to over $120 billion and expand Ontario’s manufacturing workforce to one million people by 2035.
• Growing the life sciences sector by delivering on Ontario’s Life Sciences Strategy, Taking Life Sciences to the Next Level. The government is investing $146 million to launch Phase 2 of the strategy to help secure the province as a global biomanufacturing and life sciences hub.
• Launching the largest competitive energy procurement in the province’s history, which will provide affordable electricity for families and businesses. This initiative will secure at least 5,000 MW of electricity resources to meet growing demand for clean and reliable power.
• Investing $27.8 billion over 10 years in roads and highway projects to help reduce gridlock and connect communities and investing $68.2 billion over 10 years to build the largest public transit expansion in North America, vital to supporting the province’s economy and connecting more people to jobs and homes.
• Investing nearly $50 billion over the next 10 years in hospitals and health infrastructure, including $36 billion in capital grants. This will support over 50 hospital projects and deliver approximately 3,000 new hospital beds to enhance access to quality care and build a connected, people-first health care system.
• Investing about $23 billion over the next 10 years, including $16 billion in capital grants, to build new schools, create child care spaces and modernize school infrastructure.
• Investing nearly $2 billion in housing-enabling infrastructure to help build more homes across Ontario. This funding includes $1.22 billion for the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund and $725 million for the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program.

Working for You

• Providing a $200 taxpayer rebate early next year, which would give immediate relief for Ontario families in the face of high interest rates and the federal carbon tax. This proposed $200 taxpayer rebate would be sent to all eligible adults in Ontario who have filed their 2023 Income Tax and Benefit Return by December 31, 2024. Eligible families would receive an additional $200 for each child under 18.
• Proposing to further extend the temporary gas and fuel tax rate cuts so that the rate of tax on gasoline and fuel (diesel) would remain at 9 cents per litre until June 30, 2025. This would save Ontario households $380, on average, over the three years since July 2022. This relief is especially important as the federal carbon tax is set to increase again on April 1, 2025.
• Starting in 2026, the government is investing an estimated $88 million over three years to expand Learn and Stay grants for 1,360 eligible undergraduate students that commit to practise family medicine with a full roster of patients once they graduate. This includes $17.7 million for the 2026–27 academic year. It is estimated the total investment will enable the connection of an additional 1.36 million people to primary care based on average attachment rates for family doctors. The funding will cover all tuition and other direct educational costs like books, supplies and equipment in exchange for a term of service as a physician in any community across Ontario.
• Expanding access for families who are seeking fertility treatment. Beginning in 2025–26, the government will invest an additional $150 million over two years to expand the Ontario Fertility Program. This funding will nearly triple the number of individuals who are able to receive a government-funded in vitro fertilization cycle (IVF), increasing the capacity of fertility clinics and reducing waitlists in hospitals and community settings.
• Delivering the largest expansion of consumer choice and convenience to the province’s beverage alcohol marketplace since the end of prohibition, earlier than planned. Up to 8,500 eligible convenience, grocery and big-box grocery stores in Ontario could be licensed to sell beer, cider, wine and ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages.
• Connecting job seekers with employers in in-demand sectors like manufacturing, construction and health care by increasing investment in the Skills Development Fund Training Stream by up to an additional $260 million in the current fifth round of the fund.
• Supporting patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) by committing more than $13 million over three years, starting in 2024–25, to support patient care at Ontario’s five regional multidisciplinary ALS clinics. Funding will also support the ALS Society of Canada’s Community Leads program and Equipment Program, and enable the expansion of regional multidisciplinary ALS services into Northern Ontario for improved access to care.

To read the 2024 Fall Economic Statement in full, and for additional resources, follow this link: 2024 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review: Building Ontario for You 






Celebrating OXI Day on the Danforth

I was honoured to participate this past weekend at the annual Oxi Day parade on the Danforth known as ‘Greek Town’!

Hundreds of people marched to commemorate the courage and resilience of the Greek people. In the midst of World War II, despite the fact that the Axis powers had rolled through Europe and had not lost a battle, on October 28, 1940, Greece stood firmly against fascism, rejecting the ultimatum to surrender.

This historic “No” (or “Oxi” in Greek) became a defining moment of resistance and a symbol of bravery.

Sir Winston Churchill famously stated: “Hence, we will not say that Greeks fight like heroes, but that heroes fight like Greeks.” Thank you to everyone who came together to remember this legacy.






Celebrating Small Business Week

Last week was Small Business Week, and it was an opportunity to celebrate the entrepreneurs who are driving Ontario’s economy. These small businesses do more than just provide goods and services—they create jobs and strengthen our vibrant communities.

I rose in the Legislature to recognize the wonderful small businesses; I had the opportunity to visit and see first-hand the contributions they are making to our community and Ontario’s economy.

Our government will always support entrepreneurs as they work to build their businesses, because when entrepreneurs succeed, Ontario succeeds!

Click here to watch the video

Welcoming the Sikh Youth Motorcycle Club to Queen’s Park

I had the pleasure of meeting the Sikh Youth Motorcycle Club Canada at Queen’s Park! Their passion for community and charity is inspiring, as they continue to break boundaries while supporting meaningful causes across our province.

Thank you for all that you do and for representing the strength and unity of Ontario’s Sikh community on the road and beyond.








Ontario Calls for Immediate Federal Action on Bail Reform

The Ontario government is calling on the federal government to urgently amend the Criminal Code by introducing concrete changes that will tighten bail legislation to protect public safety and keep repeat and violent offenders off the streets.
While the provincial government has taken significant steps to combat auto theft and reform bail, including investing $29 million earlier this year to appoint new judges and hire new Crown prosecutors and staff to reduce the backlog of criminal cases in the courts, the province’s ability to take further action to address serious crime and repeat offenders is limited by the federal Criminal Code. For that reason, the provincial government is calling on the federal government to immediately adopt the following measures to enhance public safety:

• Restore mandatory minimum sentencing for serious crimes, which this federal government removed, to ensure appropriate penalties and justice for victims.
• Remove bail availability for offenders charged with murder, terrorism, human trafficking, intimate partner violence, drug trafficking, criminal possession or use of restricted or prohibited firearms, and robbery (for example, carjackings and home invasions).
• Mandate a three-strike rule requiring pre-trial detention for repeat offenders so they are not allowed back on the street to commit more crimes before their day in court.
• Bring back restrictions on who can get conditional sentences for serious crimes so dangerous criminals receive sentences that match their actions.
• Require ankle monitors as a condition of bail for serious crimes.
• Remove credits that can be applied to sentences for time an accused spends in jail before trial for repeat and violent offenders.

These measures, which are within federal jurisdiction, are essential to keeping the people and communities in our province safe. The government urges the federal government to immediately implement these measures and looks forward to discussing other ways to protect the people of Ontario.

Learn More: Ontario Calls for Immediate Federal Action on Bail Reform



All Ontario Grocery and Big-Box Stores Now Able to Sell Alcoholic Beverages

As the final step in the government’s plan to give people in Ontario more choice and convenience, all licensed grocery stores and big-box grocery stores are now able to sell beer, wine, cider and ready-to-drink beverages, including in large pack sizes.

The Ontario government has delivered on its commitment to expand the province’s alcohol beverage marketplace earlier than planned. Now, every licensed convenience, grocery and big-box grocery store in Ontario is able to sell beer, cider, wine and ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages if they choose to do so. The phased expansion began in the summer:

• As of July 18, 2024, up to 450 grocery stores licensed to sell beer, cider or wine are able to sell ready-to-drink beverages, including in large pack sizes.
• As of September 5, 2024, all eligible convenience stores are able to sell beer, cider, wine and ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages.
• As of October 31, 2024, all eligible grocery and big-box grocery stores are able to sell beer, cider, wine and ready-to-drink beverages, including in large pack sizes.

With this rollout, the government has made Ontario’s alcohol beverage marketplace more convenient for consumers. Retailers and businesses have more control over if, how and when they want to sell these kinds of beverages.

To help consumers find local retailers and producers, the province launched an interactive map that allows users to search for open retailers. This includes over 1,000 local Ontario breweries, wineries, wine shops and distilleries, as well as other outlets like LCBO Convenience Outlets, The Beer Store and licensed grocery stores offering a variety of Ontario-made and imported products. The map also includes locations where they can return empty alcoholic beverage containers in exchange for a deposit.

Along with permitting the sale of ready-to-drink beverages and large pack sizes of beer in licensed grocery stores, the government has permanently provided more flexibility for how alcohol can be displayed, subject to certain limits. Additionally, to assist bars and restaurants with inventory management, the government has permanently allowed the transfer of wine and spirits between locations owned by the same entity or affiliated licensees.

The government will maintain close collaboration with the LCBO, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and The Beer Store, while also consulting with industry partners, local beverage alcohol producers and other stakeholders as it implements this new marketplace.

Learn More: All Ontario Grocery and Big-Box Stores Now Able to Sell Alcoholic Beverages

Happy Diwali!

I hope everyone had a bright and joyful Diwali filled with light, love, and laughter! From gathering with family to enjoying delicious treats and watching the beautiful glow of diyas, I hope the festival brought warmth and happiness to your homes and hearts.

Thank you for sharing the spirit of Diwali across our community. Here’s to peace, prosperity, and even more celebrations together in the future!





I Hope You Had a Spook-tacular Halloween!

I hope everyone enjoyed a spooktacular Halloween in Oakville North-Burlington! From trick-or-treating to creative costumes and festive treats, I hope it was a night full of fun, laughter, and cherished memories.

Thank you for celebrating safely, and here’s to more fang-tastic Halloweens to come!

Oakville North-Burlington Spirit Awards

It’s truly an honour to shine a light on the dedicated volunteers who have contributed to making our community better. Thank you for your community spirit. If you would like to nominate a member of our community who has gone above and beyond to contribute to our community, please contact my office and let me know at Effie.triantafilopoulos@pc.ola.org

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