Canada is battling deadly heat waves, volatile weather, intense humidity, epic storms that threaten to overwhelm our city infrastructure, and catastrophic forest fires that are making our air so unhealthy to breathe. Yet we still have leaders who are failing to take the bold steps necessary to lead humanity out of this environmental crisis.

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Bill 108 cements opposition to inclusionary zoning

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Since becoming premier, the Doug Ford government has rewritten many of the laws and regulations that decide how we build and what we build. These developer-friendly changes help Doug Ford’s donor base reap record profits, but their impact on people, the environment, democracy and our affordable housing goals is mixed. And I’m being nice here.

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Seven percent of Ontario tenants, or 98,000 families, can’t pay their full rent because of pandemic-related job loss. They are accumulating rent arrears that many will never be able to repay, according to the Federation of Rental Providers of Ontario (FRPO). In the Annex alone, 16 eviction applications have been made since November.

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As lawmakers, we have a responsibility to listen, consult and collaborate to make good decisions for the people of Ontario. This is not a part of Premier Ford’s playbook. Despite the significance of the budget, the government did not organize traditional pre-budget public consultations, and only allowed about 20 people to give testimony in committee.

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While vaccines dominate the news, at Queen’s Park, the government is introducing legislation that has nothing to do with health. Here are three bills that we’re debating that you should know about.

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Require employers to provide workers with seven paid sick days a year, and an extra 14 days if there is a pandemic. Doug Ford needs to stop abdicating his responsibility to provide protection to workers and say yes to the bill immediately.

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For-proft LTC home in University-Rosedale has Ontario’s largest COVID-19 outbreak By Jessica Bell St. George Community Living, which is located  in my riding of University-Rosedale, now has the largest COVID-19 outbreak in Ontario. As of January 5, 84 residents and 51 staff have COVID-19, and 6 residents have died. The staff and residents need help […]

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Environment, evictions, schools dominate final days of Queen’s Park 2020 Session By Jessica Bell Queen’s Park closed for the year on December 8. Here are the legislative highlights from the final few weeks: The Ford government continued trampling on Ontario’s natural environment. Government Bill 229 stripped the power of local conservation authorities to protect water […]

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The government’s Scrooge-like plan is not what we need By Jessica Bell It’s easy to make bold and lofty promises at a press conference, but a budget reveals a government’s true priorities.  The Ford government’s  2020-2021 budget on November 5 comes at a time when Ontario is facing huge social, health and economic challenges.  COVID-19 […]

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ANNEX GLEANER FORUM (Oct. 2020): Waiting on a second-wave plan from Mr. Ford, from MPP Jessica Bell

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Premier’s plan creates chaos, sows division By Jessica Bell Since school closed in March, our family has been struggling with the impossible job of full-time work and full-time parenting our two school-aged children. I, along with the parents of Ontario’s other two million school-age children, have been waiting for the Ontario government to release its […]

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