Investing in Ontario

• The government is allocating an additional $695 million across the province to provide financial relief for municipalities and help ensure they do not carry operating deficits into 2021. City of Mississauga will receive an additional $20,968,000 and the Region of Peel will get $20,568,000 in funding.
  
  
• Ontario is investing up to $1.9 billion annually within the next four years to hire 27,000 personal support workers, registered nurses, registered practical nurses, & other health care staff to protect our vulnerable and seniors. The government is also working with residents and families to develop a quality framework that will improve oversight, guidance and medical outcomes in long-term care homes.
  
  
• Peel Region will receive an additional $5,669,000 in social services relief funding. The discretionary funding can be used to improve the delivery of critical services, protect homeless shelter staff and residents, renovate and purchase shelter facilities, add to rent banks, create longer-term housing solutions and support plans to prepare for potential future outbreaks and emergencies.
  
  
• The Ontario government is investing over $47 million to provide supportive housing for individuals with severe mental health and addictions challenges who are either homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. This funding will go towards a Back to Home program that will provide supportive housing for patients in hospitals with mental health and addictions challenges who do not need hospital-level acute care. It will also help patients and individuals in the justice system transition to supportive housing with access to essential services, such as counselling, therapy, and peer support.
  
  
• The government is investing over $147 million to immediately expand access to the provincial mental health and addictions system for people of all ages and address capacity issues in response to COVID-19. This funding will help provide community-based services, interprofessional primary health care teams, support for Indigenous communities, children and youth, services for specific vulnerable populations, and virtual tools. 
  
  
• Ontario is providing nearly $41 million to help 486 non-profit organizations across the province to rebuild and recover from impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  These grants, of up to $150,000 to eligible non-profit organizations, are the first round of funding through the Ontario Trillium Foundation’s new $83-million Resilient Communities Fund.
  
  
  • 9 organizations in Mississauga-Malton have a received a combined $698,300 through this fund: The Malton Women Council, Kalayaan Cultural Community Centre, MBDA, Sawitri Theatre Group, Peel Children’s Aid Foundation, Our Place Peel, Indigenous Sport & Wellness Ontario, FIRST Robotics Canada, Carassauga Festival Inc. 
    
    
• Ontario is investing $46 million in the Anti-Human Trafficking Community Supports and Indigenous-led Initiatives funds. They provide critical supports to children and youth who have experienced sexual exploitation, as well as survivor-led programming and Indigenous-specific services. The funding will be provided to 27 community-based projects and is part of the province’s $307 million Anti-Human Trafficking Strategy, which aims to raise awareness of the issue, protect victims and intervene early, support survivors and hold offenders accountable.
  
  
• The province is investing $50 million so Ontarians have access to high-quality, market-responsive, and globally competitive virtual learning opportunities. Through this funding, students can re-enter the workforce with the skills they need to build a rewarding career.
  
  
• The Ontario government is investing $4.8 million through the Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere (RIDE) grant program to help police services keep impaired drivers off the streets and highways. 171 police services across Ontario will receive funding to carry out important year-round road safety initiatives such as education campaigns and roadside spot checks.

Ontarians can now renew their drivers licenses online at http://ServiceOntario.ca

• If you have a Class G or M licence, you can renew your licence online using your current driver's photo.
• If you're a senior aged 80 or above, the province is temporarily waiving driver’s licence renewal requirements.

The province is now permanently allowing licensed restaurants and bars to include alcohol with food as part of a takeout or delivery order. Additional reforms include:  

• removing restrictive rules to allow for the delivery of alcoholic beverages in food boxes and meal kits;
• allowing eligible alcohol manufacturers to deliver their own products and charge a delivery fee,
• allowing restaurants and bars to offer mixed cocktails and growlers as part of a takeout or delivery order; and,
• permitting eligible manufacturers to sell spirits and 100 per cent Ontario wine at farmers’ markets.

Starting January 1, the government is implementing a 28-day period where electricity consumption will be billed at the lowest price, the off-peak rate of 8.5 cents, 24 hours a day.

• the off-peak price will automatically be applied to bills of all time-of-use and tiered customers.
  
• this includes all residential, small business, and farm customers who pay regulated rates. 
  

A Look at Legislation 

Protect, Support, and Recover from COVID-19 (Budget Measures) Act, 2020 On December 8, Ontario’s 2020 budget received royal assent. The budget is a comprehensive annual plan outlining where and how the government will be spending money. This budget contains a total of $45 billion in support for families, communities, and small businesses, including: $380 Million in cash transfers to parents ($200-$250 per young child) $100 Million for skills training programs for Ontarians impacted by COVID-19 A Seniors’ Home Safety Tax Credit to make homes safer and more accessible for seniors $2.6 Billion in infrastructure funding for highways and bridges An additional $2.5 Billion for the hospital sector to fight the pandemic.

Supporting Local Restaurants Act, 2020 On December 2, the government’s Supporting Local Restaurants Act, 2020 received royal assent. This act provides a financial break to many restaurants providing food delivery services by capping food delivery service fees to 15% and all delivery fees to 20%. In turn, the act will: Help local restaurants stay in business Protect food delivery drivers’ wages Protect customer rates for restaurant food

On December 16, I had the pleasure to virtually meet the Chair of Peel Region for a very special and important announcement. The City of Mississauga will receive an additional $20.9 million and the Peel Region $20.5 million under the province's Safe Restart Agreement. The discretionary funding will be used to offset operating costs for critical services and help ensure that Mississauga and Peel do not carry an operating deficit into 2021. 

The Ontario government is allocating an additional $695 million across the province to provide financial relief for municipalities.This investment builds upon the first phase of the federal-provincial Safe Restart Agreement announced this summer.

On December 15, Ontario concluded it's 2020 virtual mission to India. It is always a pleasure to take part in Ontario’s business mission to India. This is an opportunity for our business leaders from Ontario's tech, AI, and advanced manufacturing industry to sit down and build mutual partnerships with many competitive sectors from India.

Through this year’s virtual mission, Indian companies like Pack Universe and PCI have invested in our valuable expertise and will expand their business operations in the province. The mutual partnership will promote employment, sustainable development and economic growth in Ontario as we recover from COVID-19. This will translate into domestic trade and jobs right here in Mississauga and across the province.

The 2020 holiday season was different than past years, as we celebrated festivals such as Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa while maintaining social distancing with people outside of our immediate household. Despite the unique circumstances brought forward by the pandemic it did not stop Ontarians from practicing yearly traditions in safe and innovative ways. 

The most important part about the festival and holiday season is the moments we share with our loved ones, whether its in-person or virtually. I was glad come together with my family and create our own Christmas village at home, to ring in the most wonderful time of the year! I hope you also had a joyous and safe celebration with your family and loved ones. 

December 5th marks International Volunteer's Day, a global celebration of volunteers and their selfless service. Volunteers are leading social change around the world and especially during COVID-19. I would like to give a shout-out to everyone who has volunteered to help their communities during this time whether it's through delivering food supplies, fundraising for charities, donating blood or personal protective equipment. 

Special mention goes to the volunteers at our community office who have stepped forward this year by packing and delivering care packages for our residents. Thank you for your time and efforts. I'm reminded of a famous quote by Winston Churchill, "we make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give". 

• Elementary school students will return to in person learning on January 11
  
  
• Secondary school students will continue learning remotely until January 25 and resume in-person learning on that date

• During the applicable period, schools will be closed, except for staff who are unable to deliver quality remote teaching, instruction or support to students from home and to provide access for child care centres in school

Child Care Operations 

• From January 4-8, 2021, when elementary students move to remote learning, before and after school programs will be closed and emergency child care will be provided at no cost for health care and frontline workers
  
  
• Operators of before and after school programs that are required to close are prohibited from charging fees or otherwise penalizing parents during this time period (e.g., parents must not lose their respective child care spaces

Businesses Permitted to be Open

Ontario’s heritage, sport, tourism and culture industries were among the first and hardest hit by the pandemic and are expected to take the longest to recover. To support their recovery, our government is calling all partners in the heritage, tourism, sports, and arts and culture sectors for their feedback on a White Paper that will inform the development of a strategic five-year plan – to be released in spring 2021. Do send in your suggestions to MHSTCIRoadmapforRecovery@ontario.ca  

Ontario has released a survey to gather feedback from the public on their experiences with the towing industry. The survey will remain open for five weeks until January 15, 2021. Input from the survey will be used to help inform the development of a provincial oversight model that will increase safety, outline protections for consumers, improve towing industry standards and consider tougher penalties for violators. The survey will remain open until January 15, 2021, click here to participate in the conversation.