Dear Constituents,
This past Saturday, I was honoured to join Premier Ford and Ontario’s Minister for Citizenship and Multiculturalism at the Sunnybrook Veteran Center. The veterans we spoke with reminded us of the how fortunate we are to live in Canada, and that the rights and freedoms we enjoy every day have been defended through their selfless acts of service.
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On Sunday, I joined thousands of members from Toronto’s Jewish community at Christie Pits to demand the release of the hostages abducted from Israel by Hamas. This abhorrent act of terror deserves the attention of all of us, and I will continue to advocate for the safe return of the hostages until this evil is defeated.
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All Ontarians can receive their free flu shot and most recent Covid-19 vaccine at local pharmacies, public health units, and primary health care providers across our province. Click this link to see which health care providers near you are offering vaccines.
Our government is taking unprecedented action to address Ontario’s labour shortage. By implementing new protections and job posting requirements, and supporting training for groups entering or re-entering the workforce, we are ensuring that Ontario and its businesses work for workers. This edition of the Weekly Update has info about how your provincial government has:
- Introduced legislation which, if passed, would support injured workers by indexing Workplace Safety Insurance Board benefits above the annual rate of inflation
- Announced a $4.3 million investment for four projects to help over 300 Canadian Armed Forces members train for in-demand careers and transition to civilian life
- Introduced legislation which would, if passed, establish ground-breaking projections for more than 400,000 people working in Ontario’s restaurant and hospitality industry
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Ontario Taking Action to Support Injured Workers and Firefighters
The Ontario government will soon introduce legislation that would, if passed, support injured workers by enabling “super indexing” increases to Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) benefits above the annual rate of inflation. For an injured worker who earns $70,000 a year, a two per cent increase could mean an additional $900 annually on top of cost-of-living adjustments, which were 6.5 per cent in 2023.
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Ontario is also improving cancer coverage for firefighters and fire investigators by lowering the duration of employment needed to receive presumed (automatic) compensation prior to diagnosis with esophageal cancer from 25 to 15 years. This means a firefighter with 24 years of service would no longer have to contest that their esophageal cancer was work-related, giving them faster access to WSIB benefits and other critical services.
To help workers dealing with a critical illness, the government will be launching consultations on a new, job-protected leave to match the length of federal Employment Insurance sickness benefits, which is 26 weeks. A job-protected leave could ensure employees who receive a diagnosis of cancer or other diseases will have the peace of mind that their job will be waiting for them while they seek treatment. |
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Ontario Training Veterans for In-Demand Careers
The Ontario government is investing $4.3 million in four innovative training projects to help 356 Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members prepare for in-demand jobs and transition to civilian life. Every year, 8,000 Canadian Armed Forces members are released from service. |
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The free programs announced last Friday will prepare veterans for well-paying careers in in-demand sectors like healthcare, skilled trades, software development, cyber security, and others. The first project, led by True Patriot Love Foundation, will help 130 jobseekers land meaningful jobs in healthcare. They will also be partnering with 40 Ontario employers from a variety of sectors to educate and inform them on the benefits of hiring veterans and best practices for reducing barriers to employment.
The other three projects are led by Coding for Veterans, Helmets to Hardhats and the Roland Gossage Foundation, benefitting 226 jobseekers. They will offer a variety of tailored supports, technical training, bootcamps, mentorship, apprenticeship referrals and counselling. These projects will focus on preparing veterans for lucrative careers in industries like software development, IT and construction.
These projects are funded through Ontario’s Skills Development Fund (SDF) Training Stream, which supports ground-breaking programs that connect jobseekers with the skills and training they need to find well-paying careers close to home. To date, the Ontario government has invested over $860 million in the Skills Development Fund Training Stream, helping half a million people take the next step in their careers.
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Ontario Strengthening Wage Protections for Restaurant Workers
The Ontario government is introducing legislation that, if passed, would put in place ground-breaking protections for more than 400,000 people in the restaurant and hospitality industry. The Working for Workers Four Act, 2023, includes updates to the province’s Employment Standards Act, which would ban unpaid trial shifts and make clear that employers can never deduct an employee’s wages in the event of a dine and dash, gas and dash, or any other stolen property.
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Studies have shown as many as one in 20 diners has left a restaurant without paying, while gas thefts cost Ontario businesses over $3 million in 2022. While Ontario’s laws generally require employees to be paid for all hours worked and prohibit pay deductions, unpaid trial shifts and punitive deductions are still common in the restaurant and service industries.
The government is also proposing changes that would require employers to post in the workplace if they have a policy of sharing in pooled tips – something that is only allowed if they perform the same work as their staff. This would help ensure service workers are paid what they are owed, and that they understand how their tips are calculated and distributed.
In response to the rise of digital payment platforms in the service industry, which can include fees for workers to access their funds, as well as technical and security issues, the proposed changes would also require employers who pay tips using direct deposit to allow their employees to select the account tips are to be deposited into. This would help workers avoid fees they didn’t agree to so they may access their tips in full when needed.
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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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