October Enews Letter

Message From Your MPP

Dear Friends,

As autumn paints our surroundings with vibrant hues of red, orange, and gold, I’m thankful for the beauty that change brings. This season heralds not only nature’s spectacular transformation but also marks a fresh start for students immersing themselves in a new school year. As the father of a university-going girl, it’s heartening to witness dedication to learning, socializing, and pursuing passions. I commend our children for their resilience and their collaborative efforts with parents, teachers, and guardians.

October is a month of celebration, recognition, and awareness. It includes Women’s History Month, German Heritage Month, Canadian Islamic History Month, Latin American Heritage Month, and National Disability Employment Awareness, each highlighting significant contributions to Canada.

Our government is committed to helping families offset the rising cost of living and has taken crucial steps to address this issue. Ontario’s minimum wage increased from $15.50 to $16.55 per hour, helping more than 900,000 hard-working men and women across our province earn more take-home pay for themselves and their families.

As Thanksgiving approaches in Ontario, I want to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone for your continuous support. Serving as your Member of Provincial Parliament for five years has been an honor and a blessing. It was heartwarming to celebrate the annual Thanksgiving at Illumi with the residents. Thank you, everyone, for joining me to celebrate the blessings of life.

Wishing you and your family a warm, joyful, and blessed Thanksgiving. May the coming year be filled with even more opportunities for growth, prosperity, and unity.

Warm regards,
MPP Deepak Anand

Deepak Anand

New Track & Field Facility in Mississauga-Malton

With immense joy and gratitude, I want to share that our government is delivering on the promise of the second dedicated track and field facility in Mississauga-Malton, marking a significant milestone for our community and especially for the youth in Mississauga-Malton! It’s a great occasion – a celebration of promises kept, promises delivered, and a brighter future!

In 2018, I was elected as MPP. It surprised me to discover the lack of track and field opportunities at both the high schools in Mississauga-Malton. It saddened me deeply that the youth did not have the resources to unleash their full potential, and there was no facility to nurture and enhance their skills. I was committed to delivering the best for the youth of Mississauga-Malton, ensuring they have what they truly deserve.

The construction of the track and field venue next to the Ascension of Our Lord Secondary School in Malton is a pivotal step toward enhancing the youths’ prospects in the world of athletics and provides them with the opportunity to nurture their aspirations and strive for excellence. Its lasting positive influence on the community will inspire future generations and foster a culture of athleticism.

Our success is the outcome of collective dedication, hard work, and unwavering belief in the power of positive change. Under the leadership of Primer Ford and in collaboration with the City of Mississauga, our government has successfully set this remarkable achievement in motion. With the support of Councillor Carolyn Parrish, Parent Council Chair Flavian, Principal Kylie Richardson, all the staff, and the parents, the youth of Malton have the tools to repeat the history of achieving gold medals in the Olympics. Most importantly, my deepest gratitude goes out to the students who firmly support this initiative.
I want to extend a big sincere thanks for your trust and your support. The people of our community are instrumental in bringing this project to fruition.

Your determination fuels our progress and inspires us to aim higher.

The best is yet to come.

October is Disability Employment Awareness Month

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month!

Did you know that 6.2 Million Canadians live with at least one of the multiple types of disabilities?

The Ontario government is taking action throughout the month by promoting the benefits of hiring people with disabilities and creating inclusive workplaces.

Hiring employees of all abilities helps organizations meet their goals while boosting productivity and innovation. Our government is working with employers, training centres, and hiring agencies to make workspaces more accessible to everyone and create inclusive hiring opportunities.

Supporting 3,770 people with disabilities to find meaningful jobs in their communities by investing $6.5 million in five innovative projects.
Giving businesses the resources to hire and create more inclusive workplaces through the Discover Ability Roadmap.
The EnAbling Change Program to help make sectors more inclusive.
Career planning, skills assessments, and counselling to help job seekers with disabilities through Ontario Employment Assistance Services.
Creating awareness about how employers can access fresh talent and reach new customers by hiring people with disabilities.
Helping organizations ensure their hiring process is accessible with our Accessible Recruitment Process Checklist.
Raising awareness among job seekers and employers about receiving accommodations in the workplace and accommodation requirements.

Investments In Ontario

$34 Million is being invested to expand firefighting capabilities in 47 northern communities.
This funding will go towards trucks and equipment, as well as two mobile training centres in partnership with the Ontario Fire College to ensure that more than 800 volunteer firefighters have the training they need to keep their communities safe.

$25 Million is being invested to create the Peel Black Health & Social Services Hub to connect people to a team of primary care, mental health, and social service professionals.
This new centre will be a full-service location for Black individuals and families to conveniently access culturally sensitive health care and social services in one place, close to home.

$15 Million investment by Cavalier Tool & Manufacturing Ltd. a global manufacturer of mid to large-sized molding.
This investment is supported by $2.25 Million from the Regional Development Program and will help expand manufacturing capabilities to include smaller molds and tools that will help Canadian companies in automotive, agricultural, manufacturing, recreational, and commercial sectors reduce dependence on imports.

$4.3 Million is being invested in up to 80 projects across the province to drive economic growth in rural communities.
The Rural Economic Development (RED) Program supports projects that diversify rural economies, retain skilled workers, and create jobs in local communities, by working with municipalities, Indigenous communities, and not-for-profits.

$4 Million is being invested across the province to help support victims and survivors of intimate partner violence, domestic violence, human trafficking, and child exploitation.
The Rural Economic Development (RED) Program supports projects that diversify rural economies, retain skilled workers, and create jobs in local communities, by working with municipalities, Indigenous communities, and not-for-profits.

$2.8 Million is being invested in local police forces across the province to help protect against gun and gang violence.
We are taking a stance against crime and giving police the tools they need to apprehend criminals and bring them to justice through the Ontario Closed Circuit Television Grant.

$1 Million in funding is being invested to help maple syrup producers upgrade production equipment.
This cost-sharing initiative will help producers increase efficiency and production capabilities while keeping Canadian traditions alive and adding to our export economy.

Updates from Queen’s Park

New Women’s & Children’s Hospital Coming to Mississauga

I was proud to join Premier Ford in announcing the Women’s and Children’s Hospital coming to Mississauga. This dedicated unit will offer a variety of one-of-a-kind services and integrated care to help improve the generational health of women and their children, as part of the new Peter Gilgan Mississauga Hospital which is expected to start construction in 2025.

The new hospital will be a full replacement of the current Trillium Health Partners hospital located at Queensway and Hurontario, at nearly triple its size. It will feature:

More than 950 new beds
9 New operating rooms, from 14-23
100% Private patient rooms
One of the largest Emergency Rooms in Canada
Advanced diagnostic imaging
New pharmacy and clinical laboratory

Strengthening Competitiveness & Attracting Investments

Last month Statistics Canada released Ontario’s job numbers for the first quarter of 2023 which showed an increase of 17,000 jobs in August alone, and 200,000 total jobs in 2022. More than half of all employment gains until August were in the construction industry, helping us get closer to our goal of building more homes.

To achieve this we have been working hard to secure investments from companies foreign and local, that bring with them more jobs and strengthen our Ontario economy. We have been named the most competitive to invest in for 5 of the last 6 years, which has helped our government attract investments totaling over $25 billion in auto and EV manufacturing, $3 billion in Life Sciences, and billions more technologies investments across the province.

Increasing the Minimum Wage

As part of the recently passed Working for Workers Act 2023, effective October 1, Ontario’s minimum wage has been increased from $15.50 to $16.55 per hour. This raise of 6.8% will mean up to $2,200 more per year for the province’s more than 900,000 minimum wage workers.

Our mission of common sense changes to protect workers and prepare them for the future of work also includes:

Increased fines for health & safety violations
Banning of unfair and discriminatory Canadian work experience requirements
Protections for temporary foreign workers, military reservists & remote workers
Requiring proper equipment & washrooms for women in construction
Expanding cancer healthcare coverage for firefighters

Stay tuned to our newsletter to stay informed on more changes coming this year.

Back to School!

Our government is working hard to keep kids in school and ensure they have the math and literacy skills required to succeed in the modern work environment.

Last month, the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) released its annual student assessment results that demonstrate encouraging progress in outcomes for students in grades 3, 6, 9, and 10.

This improvement comes as a result of kids being back in classrooms without interruption as well as curriculum changes and targeted supports designed to increase math and literacy skills to prepare students for the future.

For the 2023-24 school year, our government is investing over $27 billion in school boards. This increase of $700 million in base funding will help hire 2,000 more educators across the province.

Get Ready for Flu Season

Did you know that each year in Canada 5-10% of adults and 20-30% contract the flu in the fall/winter?

Our government is taking steps to ensure Ontarians have the tools they need to keep themselves and their families safe. Everyone is encouraged to get their flu shots as soon as they are available to them.

Starting this month, shots will be available to vulnerable and high-risk populations such as hospital patients and staff, as well as residents and staff at long-term care homes.

Free flu shots will be available to the public starting October 30th at doctor and nurse practitioner offices, some public health units, and participating pharmacies. To learn more about the flu shot, visit Ontario.ca/flu.

Visit Health811 online or call 811 (TTY: 1-866-797-0007 toll-free) for health advice and information 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Addressing the Housing Crisis

Ontario needs more housing fast! We are working with the federal government, municipalities, and other organizations across the province through a variety of programs designed to build Ontario the houses we need.

In September alone, partnership projects have invested over $93 million to create 335 affordable housing units across the province.

We are also working hard with municipalities across the province to find permanent housing solutions for our province’s most vulnerable residents and those experiencing homelessness, as well as the current influx of refugees and asylum claimants.

Over 72,000 asylum claimants are expected to enter the province this year who do not have official refugee status and do not qualify for most federally funded support programs. This investment will help local governments cover the costs of housing the increasing numbers of asylum claimants being let into the country, freeing up shelter space for those in need.

Dine Ontario – October 1-8

As Ontario gears up for the 25th Ontario Agriculture Week from October 1-8, 2023. Our government is thrilled to announce the launch of the new Dine Ontario initiative, promoting local restaurants that support Ontario-made food and beverages.

Let’s savour the flavours of our local food in local restaurants, support farmers & boost our culinary senses!

To mark the 25th Ontario Agriculture Week we are celebrating local businesses, selling locally-produced food and drinks with the new Dine Ontario initiative.
Stay tuned for details coming soon on participating restaurants near you.
Register your restaurant today to: