Jill Andrew MPP, Toronto–St. Paul's

Restoring Arts Funding

The Ontario Government has cut funding to the Ontario Arts Council (OAC) and the Indigenous Culture Fund (ICF) for the 2018-2019 fiscal year.

The ICF was established following the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and supports traditional culture, languages, teaching, protocols, knowledge, youth and Elder-led and engaged community cultural projects. The funding cut from $5 million to $2.75 million will mean that the ICF will be losing almost 50% of it's funding. This will have a severe impact on the ICF including laying off Indigenous staff in permanent positions.  

The OAC is also being cut by $5 million, from $69.9 million to $64.9 million. This is going to immediately impact the ability for the OAC to provide services to Ontarians. The arts are an essential part of our society and cultural identity, and we would like to see these cuts reversed. 

Add your name to show support here.

Eating Disorders Awareness Week

On December 6th, MPP Jill Andrew tabled her bill, An Act to Proclaim Eating Disorders Awareness Week, in the legislature. If passed the bill would proclaim the week beginning February 1 in each year as Eating Disorders Awareness Week.

You can read the full bill here.

Add your name to show your support here.

Children and Youth Advocate

Our Government has decided to close the Office of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth. This office offer protections for some of the most vulnerable children in Ontario and it's closure will leave them without a dedicated advocate at Queen's Park. Please help us fight this crass decision. 

Add your name to show support here.

The Government of Ontario has proposed changes to how families covered under the Ontario Autism Program are funded. Many autism services can cost more than $60,000 dollars a year, and under the new plan no family will receive close to that amount. 

Sign to support families with autism here.

The Government of Ontario is planning on moving forward with cuts to library services in rural parts of Ontario. The Ontario Library Service - North and the Southern Ontario Library Services programs ensure that smaller libraries in rural communities have equal access to all of Ontario's library collections - these cuts would take that away.

Add your name to show support for libraries here.

Call on the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to immediately amend the Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Program Directive to include financial support for the cost of on-going internet access.

Click here to sign and download the petition!

The Ford government changed the lawful construction working for all construction projects to be permitted between 6AM and 10PM - seven days a week.

For essential construction - they're now allowed to build around the clock - 24 hours a day. 

These changes were made early on in the COVID-19 pandemic, and while they were excessive then, they are completely unjustifiable now. Allowing commercial and residential construction sites to operate for so long each day has a drastic impact on the local community, who are often not able to sleep and relax because of the non-stop noise. 

It's past the time to reinstate the previous City of Toronto noise by-laws for construction hours for residential and commercial projects immediately without delay and stop the endless construction noise impacting the quality of life of Toronto residents.

Add your name if you agree.

Evelyn Green bought her house on Arlington Avenue in 1972, where she raised her two children Paula and Jason. She made this community her home for over 50 years, and spent countless hours volunteering at Castleview Wychwood Towers, and with St. Clair West Senior Services. She also acted as a Homestay host for international students, and was recognized as a Cultural Ambassador of Canada.

She was a graduate of Ryerson University in 1974, and also worked as a civil servant, where in 1993 she was recognized for 25 years of service by the Canadian Government.

She was a loving mother and grandmother. Her contributions to this community have been immeasurable, and sadly on May 23, 2020 she passed away. As a result of the pandemic, her family was unable to hold the funeral service that she deserved and was only able to have a small number of people in attendance. But we want to make sure that Evelyn Green is honoured for her life, her contributions to this community, and for what she meant to so many.

So today, we are asking that the City of Toronto rename the laneway that runs behind her home parallel to Arlington Ave, “Evelyn Green Lane”. Sign your name here.

There has been an alarming increase of antisemitism impacting Ontario schools, synagogues, and communities. 

Jewish community members have called for Holocaust and genocide education to be made mandatory in school curriculum in order for students, staff, and families to be made aware as to how to actively combat antisemitism in their schools and communities.

Add your name to our petition here.

Call to action to all who want to see Ontario's Arts and Culture communities survive COVID-19.

See our open letter here.

Hairstyling training in Ontario currently only focusses on cutting, designing, permanent waving, chemically relaxing, straightening and colouring hair, but does not have any instruction or practice to ensure every hairstylist can service Black people’s natural hair or the textured hair of many Indigenous and/or racialized community members, whether performers or otherwise. As a result, Black, Indigenous and racialized performers with natural textured hair often arrive in their workplace of film/TV and theatre sets with professional hairstylists who have received insufficient training for working with their hair type.

Learn more here.

We need to better integrate registered psychotherapists (RPs) and the important work they do into the Ontario healthcare system. On the long run, all mental healthcare services should be free of charge. In the meantime, RPs need to be included in provincial health legislation, and their services should be HST exempt and covered by OHIP. See more here and here.

MPP Jill Andrew wrote this letter on behalf of her constituent, 'Denise'. Denise is considering MAiD (Medical Assistance in Dying) due to health conditions that are exacerbated by her current housing situation. She is one of many people desperate for affordable housing in Toronto.