November 21st Weekly Update

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Dear Constituents,

Like you, I was appalled at the vandalism of the Starbucks at Eglinton and Hilltop last Thursday. These acts of hate and intimidation have no place in Eglinton-Lawrence or anywhere in Canada. My colleagues and I will continue to condemn antisemitism whenever and wherever it occurs.

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On behalf of the Fairbank Village BIA, I am sharing this invitation to their free Light Up the Holidays event on Shortt Street at Eglinton Avenue West from 1:00 to 6:00 PM on December 2nd. The event will feature a tree-lighting ceremony at 5:45 PM as well as hot chocolate, hot dogs, toy giveaways, and live entertainment.

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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 working hard to deliver on items that matter to Ontarians. In this edition of the Weekly Update, you can find the latest news on how our government is:

Increasing the amount of nurse practitioners that can be educated and trained in Ontario
Increasing funding for child care accessibility and safety
Expanding PRESTO and making transit more affordable

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Ontario Helping More Students Become Nurse Practitioners

Working together with Ontario universities across the province, 121 additional training positions have been added to the Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner Program this year, helping to grow the nurse practitioner workforce for years to come. Nurse practitioners are registered nurses with advanced university education that can provide primary care in nurse practitioner-led clinics, long-term care homes, hospitals, and other community settings.

Since September 2023, additional nurse practitioner positions include up to:

24 new positions at University of Windsor
20 new positions at University of Toronto
17 new positions at Toronto Metropolitan University
16 new positions at Western University
15 new positions at Queen’s University
11 new positions at York University
8 new positions at McMaster University
6 new positions at Laurentian University of Sudbury
4 new positions at Lakehead University

This expansion, which is part of the government’s Your Health Plan, brings the total number of nurse practitioner training positions up to 321 at schools across the province, and brings the province closer to its goal of 350. Growing the pipeline of talent for Ontario’s health care workforce is one more way the province is ensuring Ontarians can access convenient and connected care, closer to home, now and for years to come.

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Ontario Announces Comprehensive Strategy to Boost Child Care Workforce and Protect Children

The Ontario government is launching the most significant and comprehensive Child Care Workforce Strategy in the province’s history. Supported by funding through the Canada-Ontario Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, Ontario’s plan will deliver increased wages to Registered Early Childhood Educators (RECEs) and a multipronged strategy to recruit and retain qualified educators.

The government of Ontario is also taking action to further protect the safety of children by requiring all licensed child care operators to implement a Safe Arrival and Dismissal Policy by January 1, 2024. This will ensure that when a child does not arrive at the licensed child care program or is not picked up as expected, parents will be informed in line with existing protocols within Ontario’s publicly funded schools. This closes a gap that will protect children from exceptional and preventable tragedies.

After extensive consultation, the province has developed a workforce strategy that responds to the issues and priorities of the sector. Starting in 2024, initiatives in the strategy include:

Increasing the starting wage for RECEs employed by child care operators enrolled in the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) system to $23.86/hour in 2024 from the planned $20/hour
Extending the eligibility ceiling for a $1/hour increase so more RECEs can benefit
Supporting entry into the profession and career development
Cutting red tape for employers and providing more flexibility in staffing their programs
Launching a promotional campaign to bolster awareness and value of the child care profession

This wage enhancement builds on actions taken by the province through the introduction in 2022 of a new wage floor for RECEs working in settings participating in the CWELCC system which includes annual $1/hour wage increases beginning in 2023.

The announcement builds on Ontario’s leadership having already delivered on a multitude of commitments to Ontario families under the CWELCC system, including a 50 per cent reduction on average in child care fees representing $6,000 to $10,000 in savings per child, the ongoing creation of 86,000 new licensed spaces, and support for parental choice in child care.

Investments from the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada in the child care and early years system for 2024 will total nearly $4 billion. Funding will support the implementation of previously announced fee reductions, workforce supports, and other measures. This investment represents a significant increase of $42 million over 2023 and will ensure Ontario is providing competitive starting wages for RECEs in Canada, demonstrating an ongoing commitment to further valuing and ultimately retaining this critical workforce.

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Making it easier for transit riders to travel across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area

Transit riders using PRESTO on their Google Wallet can now enjoy new card features such as loading funds instantly from anywhere, and setting up multiple fare discounts for youth, students, and seniors. PRESTO on Google Wallet can be used to ride on GO Transit, the UP Express, and local public transit systems throughout the GTHA. By offering additional ways to pay, we’re making it more convenient to take transit.

By using PRESTO in Google Wallet, you can tap your phone or Wear OS watch to pay for transit! When using a phone just wake up your phone and hold it near the PRESTO reader until you see a checkmark. To learn more, visit https://www.prestocard.ca/en/about/presto-in-mobile-wallet/google.

The province has also eliminated double fares across most local transit systems, making it easier and more convenient to take transit across the GTHA. By eliminating double fares across different transit systems, the government is saving commuters up to $1,600 a year.

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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.

Warmest Wishes,

Robin Martin, MPP
Eglinton-Lawrence

For the most up-to-date COVID-19 information from the Government of Ontario visit ontario.ca/coronavirus

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Authorized by the CFO for the Eglinton-Lawrence PC Association