Dear Neighbour,
On Tuesday, I was proud to host the Premier and Minister of Education at Loretto Abbey Catholic Secondary School where we announced the Ontario Government will be investing $550 million in 2020-21 to build 20 new schools and eight permanent school additions across the province.
One of those projects is at Loretto Abbey, which will receive $24 million in funding for infrastructure improvements. When completed, 620 new student spaces will be available through upgrades to the existing building infrastructure.
This investment will support the needs of our growing community here in Eglinton-Lawrence while preserving the historic legacy of this school, which is one of the oldest educational institutions in the City of Toronto.
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Halloween is quickly approaching and I know many of you have had questions regarding the health and safety guidelines that surround this yearly event. This week, Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH) released guidance specifically for Halloween. As you know, the City of Toronto, Ottawa, and the Regions of York and Peel are all currently under modified Stage 2.
Given the high transmission of COVID-19 in the modified Stage 2 public health unit regions above, traditional door-to-door trick or treating is not recommended. It's important to follow these health recommendations in order to ensure our children and families will be safe. People should and can consider alternative ways to celebrate.This can include, but is not limited to:
- Encouraging kids to dress up and participate in virtual activities and parties;
- Organizing a Halloween candy hunt with people living in their own household;
- Carving pumpkins;
- Having a movie night or sharing scary stories; and
- Decorating front lawns.
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This week is #SmallBusinessWeek in Ontario. It has never been more important to be celebrating and supporting the backbone of Ontario's economy. Many small businesses have faced signfiicant challenges due to COVID-19.
But we can help.
I encourage you all to shop local. When you purchase your groceries, buy gifts for the upcoming holiday season, or even order take-out, consider purchasing from a local small business to help keep our main streets vibrant.
I want to take this opportunity and congratulate all the small business owners in Eglinton-Lawrence, this week is your week. Thank you for contributing to Ontario's economy. I know times are tough, I truly do, but together, we will get through this, collectively, with the help of our community as well.
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With the onset of COVID-19, many services and businesses have had no choice but to digitize. The Ontario Government has had to adapt many of the services we most rely on.
Going forward, the Government wants to improve these services as well as consult and innovate new ideas that will help make the public sector more efficient, effective and swift, overall affecting the operations and decisions of the government as well as Ontarians.
Some of these services include: → Making government services more digitally accessible → Reducing red tape and simplifying policies, while protecting public health and safety → Improving government purchasing → Creating more responsive and flexible public services
To read the entire action plan click here.
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We are in a second wave. So it is extremely important that we continue to play our part to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Wash your hands, wear a mask when in public spaces, physical distance, stay home if you're sick, even if they're mild symptoms - together we will get through this. My constituency office continues to be open by appointment only. If you are in need of any assistance, you can make an appointment by calling my constituency office at (416) 781-2395 or email me at [email protected].
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Stay safe, stay healthy,
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My second children's drawing contest continues! All drawings will be displayed once again in my constituency office, with some displayed in my 2021 Calendar!
You can submit original drawings by mail at 2882 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario, M6B 3S6. Please ensure that the contact information including the address and the artist's first name is sent in the mail. The deadline to submit drawings is November 15th, 2020.
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HIGHLIGHTS PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT
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- The Ontario Government is providing $24.3 million in targeted investments to hire additional staff, increase access to counselling and therapy, create new programs to help manage stress, depression and anxiety, and address eating disorders and other challenges facing children and youth.
- The Ontario government is investing $410,000 in surveillance technology to help Peel Regional Police deter aggressive driving and gun and gang violence along two of Canada's busiest highways, the 410 and the 403.
- The Ontario government is introducing the Supporting Ontario's Recovery Act, 2020, that if passed, will provide liability protection for workers, volunteers and organizations that make an honest effort to follow public health guidelines and laws relating to exposure to COVID-19.
- The Ontario government, in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, has extended most orders currently in force under the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, 2020 (ROA).
- The Ontario government released an action plan to make government services simpler, easier to use, and more convenient and accessible during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Ontario Onwards: Ontario's COVID-19 Action Plan for a People-Focused Government includes more than 30 projects that will improve the way people and businesses interact with government, saving them both time and money.
- The Ontario government is investing $550 million to build 20 new schools and eight permanent school additions across the province in 2020-21. These new projects will create nearly 16,000 new student learning spaces and 870 new licensed child care spaces as part of the government's ongoing efforts to improve and build modern schools.
- The Ontario government is introducing a package of legislative and policy measures that would, if passed, accelerate the building of key infrastructure projects to create jobs and lay the foundation for a strong economic recovery.
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HIGHLIGHTS FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
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HIGHLIGHTS MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT
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