I hope this letter finds you in good health and spirits as we begin 2024, the year of the Dragon, which I believe traditionally brings good fortune!
Unfortunately, in our community the end of 2023 and the beginning of 2024, saw highly disruptive protests at a local mall and particularly on the Avenue Rd overpass at Highway 401. Those protests went on everyday for almost the entire first week of the year and had a significant impact on community members. The road closures and disruptions caused by the protests have undoubtedly taken a toll on all of us, affecting our daily lives, businesses, and overall well-being. I want to express my gratitude for your patience, understanding, and resilience throughout this challenging period.
To be clear, while I fully support our fundamental freedoms including the right to freedom of expression, no one has a right to do whatever they want, whenever they want and wherever they want, without consideration for the impact that has on other people. Since we live in a society with others, together, the rights we have must take into account the rights of others. This is actually explicitly recognized in section 1 of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms which states that rights are subject to reasonable limits justifiable in a free and democratic society.
During the protests, despite the holiday season, I was in the community and in constant contact with members of our government, other local members at other levels of government, and members of the community about how to resolve the situation. Specifically, I reached out to the Solicitor General of Ontario who has the policing file for the province and represents the community on the other side of the Avenue Rd overpass and I wrote to Chief Demkiw of the Toronto Police Services expressing the concerns that the community had shared with me. I should note that neither I, nor Solicitor General Kerzner, nor the Government of Ontario, direct policing operations. Operational policing decisions, including the handling of protests in Toronto, fall under the purview of the Toronto Police Services board and the Toronto Police Chief.
That is why I was delighted to see the statement issued by Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw on X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday January 7. Chief Demkiw indicated at that time, that he was going to review policing on the overpass and that he was going to ensure that the most effective operational planning and responses are in place to deal with the ongoing issues. Shortly thereafter, Toronto Police warned protestors that they would be arrested if they protested on the overpass again, and indeed started to arrest protestors on January 9. In addition, there was a news that a protestor waiving the flag of a terrorist entity was charged with a hate crime.
Our government has been actively addressing issues of antisemitism through various measures. For instance, we’ve taken significant steps such as making Holocaust education mandatory in public schools and increasing funding for anti-hate security grants. Additionally, the police have expanded their hate crimes unit and have maintained a consistent presence in the Bathurst corridor since October 15, among other initiatives. My colleagues and I are continuously exploring further actions to combat antisemitism and all forms of hate in our community. We remain open to considering any specific suggestions that may contribute positively to this endeavor.
I want to assure you that your voices were heard, and your concerns were not taken lightly. This outcome reflects the collaborative efforts of the community, and I am proud to represent such an engaged and passionate group of individuals.
As we move forward, I remain committed to fostering an environment where open dialogue, understanding, and cooperation prevail. It is my sincere hope that this resolution marks the beginning of a renewed sense of unity and shared purpose within our community.
Please feel free to reach out if you have any further concerns or if there are specific issues you would like to discuss. Your input is invaluable, and I am here to represent this community to the best of my ability.
Thank you once again for your resilience and understanding. Together, we can continue to build a community where everyone is free to go about their lives safely and securely and where even those with differing opinions can have respectful discussions.
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Our government is working hard to deliver on items that matter to Ontarians. In this edition of the Weekly Update, you can find the latest news on what the Province is doing to:
- Expand Accessibility of Service Ontario while Saving Tax Dollars
- Connect Long-Term Care Residents to Specialized Care
- Strengthen Oversight and Resident Safety Support for Those in Long-Term Care
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Expanding Accessibility of Service Ontario while Saving Tax Dollars
In light of several expiring contracts with existing private Service Ontario providers, the government actively sought new partnership opportunities with retail entities to sustain services in affected communities. As part of this initiative, all ServiceOntario locations undergoing relocation will find a new home within Staples Canada stores, ensuring uninterrupted service with no gaps or reduction in services within impacted communities. This collaboration extends the existing partnership agreements with individual Canadian Tire, Home Hardware, and IDA locations.
Currently, the majority (71 percent or 195/275) of Service Ontario locations operate under private service providers on a contractual basis, a practice initiated under the previous Liberal government. The remaining locations, publicly operated, will remain unaffected by the introduction of new service models.
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Over the next three years, this partnership is expected to yield nearly $1 million in savings for taxpayers compared to the existing private service providers being replaced. These savings account for the one-time government expenditure required to retrofit the nine Staples locations.
The newly established Staples-operated Service Ontario locations will offer a 30 percent increase in operating hours (approximately 60 hours per week) compared to the existing private providers being replaced (approximately 46 hours per week). Operating hours at some Staples sites will commence as early as 7 am and extend as late as 9 pm, surpassing the conventional 9 am-5 pm schedule of most current sites. The selection of these specific locations was based on their ability to provide uninterrupted service to communities where private agreements were expiring, as well as their accessibility and parking availability.
The government engaged with over a dozen retail partners, including Staples, First Nation-operated service centers, public libraries, integrated service delivery service centers (e.g., partnering with Employment Ontario), municipal co-location, and mobile service centers to enhance convenience for the public. Despite the involvement of various entities, most interest stemmed from retailers, while several municipalities declined participation due to the associated complexity and costs. Notably, a partnership with the Township of Pickle Lake was announced last November. The first Indigenous Service Ontario is now operational, operated by Serpent River First Nation. Additionally, to serve the Robinson Huron Treaty area, the North Shore Tribal Council operates a mobile Service Ontario unit.
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Connecting Long-Term Care Residents to Specialized Care
The Ontario government is investing an additional $15 million this year through the Local Priorities Fund to invest a total of $35 million in 2023-24, to help long-term care homes support residents with complex needs like dementia and bariatric care. The funding will ensure residents can connect to the right care in the right place and help reduce avoidable emergency department visits and hospital stays.
Launched in 2022, the Local Priorities Fund invested $20 million in 2022-23 to help long-term care homes purchase specialized equipment and train staff to provide more specialized care, so that more homes can welcome residents who have complex needs but no longer require acute care in hospital. The fund also helped current residents avoid hospital admissions who have new, or increasingly complex medical or specialized equipment needs which could not be previously accommodated in their long-term care home.
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Some examples of the 173 successful projects invested in last year include:
- 15 long-term care homes in central Ontario purchased bladder scanners to quickly assess and treat residents, avoiding unnecessary trips to the hospital
- In Toronto, $1.3 million was used to create four new nurse-led outreach teams and expand three existing teams to provide staff training and time-sensitive medical supports to help reduce avoidable emergency department transfers
- A $1.7 million investment in Royal Ottawa Place to hire specially trained staff that can connect residents to mental health and behavioural care
- In the North East and North West regions, close to $3 million supported a range of projects, including training staff on dementia, wound care, and how to use specialized equipment such as bariatric lifts and bladder scanners. Long-term care residents also received support from a speech language pathologist, personal support workers and a Cree translator/interpreter.
The ministry is currently working with Ontario Health to review this year’s proposals and successful applicants will begin to be notified and receive their additional funding in the coming weeks.
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Strengthening Oversight and Resident Safety Support for Those in Long-Term Care
The Ontario government has created a new Investigations Unit to ensure every long-term care resident lives with dignity and experiences the quality of care they deserve. Supported by an investment of $72.3 million, the new 10-person unit will be an effective deterrent and tool when escalated enforcement is needed to improve compliance and ensure resident safety.
The new unit is now active and will investigate allegations such as:
- failing to protect a resident from abuse or neglect,
- repeated and ongoing non-compliance,
- failing to comply with ministry inspector’s orders,
- suppressing and/or falsifying mandatory reports, and
- negligence of corporate directors.
The newly appointed investigators completed comprehensive training over 19 weeks which consisted of in-class training, self-study modules and field experience. The training covered all aspects of the inspections program, the relevant legislation and regulation, investigative techniques such as interviewing, search warrant and report writing, as well as court procedures.
The new unit’s investigators are designated as Provincial Offences Officers under the Provincial Offences Act and will investigate allegations of offenses under the Fixing Long-Term Care Act. While inspectors identify and address non-compliance under the Act, investigators determine if there are grounds that an offence under the Act has been committed, which if prosecuted could result in fines and/or imprisonment.
The work of the Investigations Unit will complement Ontario’s existing robust inspections program and is in addition to a wider suite of changes the government introduced over the last two years to strengthen compliance and enforcement in the long-term care sector. These new measures include doubling the number of inspectors in the field, implementing a new and more efficient IT system for inspectors to track their work, and introducing new compliance and enforcement tools like administrative monetary penalties and re-inspection fees.
The government is fixing long-term care to ensure Ontario’s seniors get the quality of care and quality of life they need and deserve. The plan is built on four pillars: staffing and care; quality and enforcement; building modern, safe and comfortable homes; and connecting seniors with faster, more convenient access to the services they need.
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My constituency office is open Monday to Friday from 10AM to 4PM.
If you have any questions or concerns we’re readily available to assist you.
You can also reach us by phone at (416) 781-2395
or by email at robin.martin@pc.ola.org.
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Warmest Wishes,
 Robin Martin, MPP
Eglinton-Lawrence
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