#1. Housing Affordability

Housing Affordability is an Urgent Crisis

Ontario’s housing affordability crisis is a fundamental threat to the future of our communities in Etobicoke-Lakeshore. The numbers tell a clear story: over the past decade in Toronto, average rents have gone up by 60% and the average price of a home by 94% - while average wages have grown by only 17%. Young people are priced out of their neighbourhoods. Families are forced into overcrowded living conditions. More and more people spend over half their income on rent. In cities like Toronto, homelessness continues to grow. And this affects everyone, as our broken housing market threatens our overall economic prosperity and living standards. Over-investment in housing speculation instead of business, innovation and technology means lower productivity and poorer prospects for all Ontarians. We cannot afford more of the same. We must do more to build affordable homes, strengthen rent protections and create opportunities for hardworking Ontarians to own their own homes.

Years of Failures & False Promises from Doug Ford

Governments at multiple levels have failed us time and time again on the critical issue of housing affordability. When it comes to this provincial government, this failure is obvious - after years of policies designed to pad developer pockets disguised as building “more homes faster” and false promises of “1.5 million net new homes by 2030”, the housing shortage in Ontario is worse than ever, housing starts are down and new home construction has slowed to 2018 levels. This Conservative government is simply not taking this housing crisis seriously - we deserve leadership that will fight for real solutions for ordinary people who have been unfairly crushed by the rapid rise in housing prices. Ontario’s housing market needs structural changes to prioritize affordability and access over speculative profits.

We Need to Build More Affordable Homes

For too many people, finding an affordable place to live is far too difficult in Toronto’s rental market dominated by for-profit private landlords. Meanwhile, a decades-long lack of investment in the construction of publicly-owned affordable housing has created a deep and severe shortage that is fuelling a worsening cycle of homelessness and poverty in our communities. It’s time for serious investment in housing that meets the needs of all - that’s why the Ontario NDP has committed to the largest home-building program in Ontario’s history, Homes Ontario, which will double the supply of permanently affordable homes, provide funding for non-profit and co-op housing providers and convert privately-owned rental units to permanently affordable public, non-profit housing. Our plan doesn’t rely on for-profit developers and guarantees that shovels get in the ground to build truly affordable housing in our communities. The Ontario NDP has also committed to bringing our Homes Ontario plan to Etobicoke-Lakeshore - by building affordable homes like co-ops where developers have failed to deliver housing (priority target locations include the area surrounding Mimico GO, the failed Grand Central Mimico project).

We Will Bring Back Real Rent Control

Ontario’s current rent control system is ripe with loopholes that have led to rents rising three times higher than guidelines over the past decade. An Ontario NDP government will protect renters by immediately closing Doug Ford’s loophole that exempts units built after 2018 from any rent control protections and banning above guideline rent increases. We will also implement vacancy rent control attached to the unit, not the tenant (that means landlords can’t push out existing tenants so that they can charge higher rents to the next tenant). We will act to ensure renters have a safe, comfortable home with enhanced protections against delayed repairs, poor maintenance, outages and renovictions/demovictions.

You Shouldn’t Need Generational Wealth to Own a Home

Young people in this province have been unfairly locked out of the opportunity to achieve homeownership without generational wealth. As housing has primarily become a profit-generating asset for investors and speculators, rather than a place to live and grow, many younger or less affluent Ontarians have been disproportionately burdened by unaffordable housing prices and long-term debt. This constitutes a generational theft - younger generations are deprived of the same opportunities that previous generations had, creating a long-term inequality gap. Meanwhile, investors own over 2 in 5 Ontario condos and most newly built units. For example, in Toronto, over 70% of newly built condos are investor-owned. This drives housing prices higher and locks more average families out of home ownership - all in favour of speculative profits. We must do more to counter the influence of investors on the market and curb speculators.

#2. Complete Communities

We Need Housing for the Community, Not Developers & Investors

The communities of Etobicoke-Lakeshore are seeing more and more real estate developments in their neighbourhoods - in fact, this area has the second highest number of development applications in the entire province. Unfortunately, these developments are often poorly planned, with little to no consideration for the quality of life of existing and new residents. We are seeing this unfold right now in Etobicoke-Lakeshore, where nearly all development applications are for high-rise luxury condos clearly made for investors and with mostly small studio and 1-bedroom units, often with no accompanying plan on how increasing density will be accommodated for in the area. Instead of creating complete communities for people to live, work, learn, shop and play without tedious travel, we have allowed developers to exploit our communities for profit without even delivering the housing that the community needs.

Luxury Condos Shouldn’t Be All That We Build

A healthy, vibrant community needs a mix of housing types for different needs - for example, affordable housing, rental units, single-family homes, mid-rise apartments and condos. However, in Etobicoke-Lakeshore, we are seeing an almost singular focus on high-rise condominiums, due to their profitability for developers and desirability by investors. Meanwhile, our communities face a massive shortage of family-sized homes. We need a better balance between high-rise condominiums and other housing types. Ontario can and should do more to promote the construction of mid-rise “missing middle” housing such as duplexes, triplexes, and townhouses. That’s why the Ontario NDP plan includes zoning reforms to encourage this type of housing and increased funding for non-profit and co-op housing providers.

We Need to Invest in Infrastructure to Accompany Density

Too often, new housing builds in our communities are not accompanied by matching investment in the appropriate infrastructure and amenities to ensure that quality of life is maintained. Instead of coordinating increased housing density with new transit, groceries, parks, schools, healthcare services, community spaces, etc., we have poorly designed communities that are making our neighbourhoods less livable. We need a full reset at the provincial level on how we plan for thriving communities and put those plans into action in a way that creates sustainable, inclusive and prosperous communities. A clear, illustrative example of this is the proposal to replace the Cineplex on the Queensway with 12 new buildings (mostly high-rises) in an area with no higher-order transit nearby, no plan for traffic congestion, no nearby parkland and no new schools being built. Meanwhile, demolition of the Cineplex on this site removes one of the few entertainment establishments in the South Etobicoke community.

It’s Time to Derail Doug Ford’s Developer Gravy Train

These issues are happening because Doug Ford’s government has chosen to abandon the needs of our communities in order to serve the interests of developers. This government has repeatedly acted to empower developers with a blank cheque, remove community voices from the process and handcuff municipalities when it comes to planning. For example, the Ontario Land Tribunal established by Ford government is a quasi-judicial body that decides what gets built in Ontario and it's supposed to be independent - yet it rules in favour of developers 97% of the time. This has allowed developers to push through poorly planned proposals without community benefits, and often without community consultation (such as in the case of the 220 Lake Promenade application in Long Branch and the 2405-2411 Lakeshore Blvd application in Mimico). Then there’s Doug Ford’s Bill 23 (the More Homes Built Faster Act) - a brazen handout to developers that erodes responsible municipal planning, prevents more affordable housing and removes environmental protections. We must reverse these policies and stop putting developer profits ahead of community needs.

We Need Real Solutions To Congestion - Not Gimmicks

The City of Toronto has long been recognized as one of the worst cities in the world for traffic congestion, a problem that is now spiraling out of control as congestion is now worse than it was before the pandemic. In Etobicoke-Lakeshore, this is further amplified as more housing density has been added to an area designed for car-centric, suburban living. Unfortunately, rather than investing in the sorely needed transit projects and infrastructure investments to actually alleviate brutal traffic congestion, our current Conservative MPP is much more focused on ripping up bike lanes on Bloor St. We need real leadership - as your next MPP, I have secured tangible commitments to improving rapid transit from your Ontario NDP government. I will ensure that Metrolinx is held accountable for delivering on the promises made to this community with timelines you can count on.

My Transit Commitments to You

People in Etobicoke-Lakeshore are fed up with the slow, delayed or poorly managed GO projects in our communities. For example, the Humber Bay Shores neighbourhood has experienced rapid densification without efficient, higher-order transit, leading to a major traffic congestion problem. The new Park Lawn GO station in this community has been promised for years, without any progress (now this community is being told that it may take another 10 years). The Ontario NDP will work with the City and the developers of the Christie site on getting Park Lawn GO built by 2028. In Mimico, a “Transit Oriented Community” around a new, upgraded station with additional parking has been promised for over a decade but progress has actually gone backwards after 7 years of a PC government. Ford didn't deliver. We will. An NDP government will commit to making Mimico GO accessible by 2026 and work with the City to immediately add more parking spaces to this site, as early as this year. Lastly, Metrolinx's decision to reduce rush hour GO service in Etobicoke-Lakeshore has led to dangerous overcrowding and safety issues, in addition to making transit even less convenient. Enough is enough. The Ontario NDP will immediately restore 15 minute GO service in this community during rush hour, while we work to expand service even further.

We Will Hold Metrolinx Accountable

Metrolinx’s repeated failures to deliver for the Etobicoke-Lakeshore community have made it harder for people to get around, created a worsening congestion problem and hampered the growth of a strong local economy. Poor management by Metrolinx at Long Branch station has even created safety issues that recently led to a woman being struck by a train. We need a provincial leader that will hold Metrolinx accountable for these failures. An Ontario NDP government will restore public accountability for stalled projects like the Mimico GO. We will end the use of wasteful and risky transit privatization schemes that cost more, deliver less, take longer and keep the public in the dark. Finally, we will ensure appropriate oversight on Metrolinx’s projects, including deadline enforcement and audited project budgets.

Supporting Transit Users & Drivers

Getting around without a car in many of our communities is slow, ineffective and exhausting. For those who don’t live within walking distance of a GO station, relying on a patchwork of buses and streetcars can often take twice as long (or more) as driving. In addition to my commitments to improve GO service in Etobicoke-Lakeshore, an Ontario NDP government will also invest in transit by restoring 50% provincial funding for the TTC - that means more reliable, frequent and affordable service. Prioritizing fast and convenient transit options is the best way to relieve traffic congestion, by providing viable alternatives to driving. At the same time, we will directly support drivers navigating Toronto’s brutal traffic congestion by removing tolls on Highway 407.

#3. Traffic & Transit

Let’s Get to the Root of High Costs and Low Wages

Life in Ontario has gotten brutally expensive - food, transportation, utilities, childcare and everyday bills have far outstripped wages. People are forced into making tough choices everyday and it shouldn’t be this way. We must move beyond short-term fixes and hollow gestures (like one-time $200 handouts) to address the root causes of Ontario’s cost of living crisis - stagnant wages, corporate greed and a provincial government that is more concerned with serving corporations, wealthy donors and developers than ordinary Ontarians.

Ontario’s Workers Deserve More

It’s no secret that wages in Ontario have not kept up with the cost of living and full-time minimum wage falls well short of a livable pay. Hard-working people should not need 2 or 3 jobs just to get by - wages must rise to match the reality of today’s cost of living. This will require meaningfully increasing the minimum wage, protecting gig workers and strengthening critical labour protections. The Ontario NDP’s platform includes real reforms for workers: 10 days paid leave, a living wage, anti-scab legislation and enforcement against workplace law violations. We will also enhance protections for gig workers and crack down on wage theft. Ontario’s workers also deserve more than the bare minimum needed to survive, and this includes the right to a full, balanced life beyond their jobs. That means we must build towards a future where fair wages and labour protections are accompanied by benefits like adequate paid time off, and a transition to fewer hours of full-time work (e.g. a four day work week).

We Need Leaders That Will Protect Consumers

People in Ontario pay some of the highest prices for everyday goods and services compared to other parts of Canada and the rest of the world. For instance, Ontario’s grocery prices are some of the highest in North America and have risen more than inflation, because just a few major corporations control the entire market. We also face some of the highest prices in Canada when it comes to gas, electricity, car insurance, childcare and more. These realities, combined with the high inflation rate of the last several years, have made life harder for ordinary people and left many struggling to survive. It doesn’t have to be this way - Ontario needs to strengthen provincial consumer laws to protect Ontarians from unfair pricing practices and invest in local and cooperative models for essential goods. The Ontario NDP plan includes the creation of a new consumer protection watchdog to hold large corporations accountable for price fixing, and other unfair practices.

End Poverty For Those On ODSP & OW

The reality of Ontario’s high cost of living is that it disproportionately affects low-income and vulnerable families. We have a significant problem of worsening wage and income inequality, such thatlower income earners have actually seen their wages decline in real terms (i.e. adjusted for inflation). Meanwhile, worsening poverty has left 1 in 10 Torontonians reliant on a food bank and Toronto is now the child poverty capital of Canada. We must do more to combat this growing epidemic and protect the most vulnerable people in our communities. The Ontario NDP has committed to doubling the social assistance rate for ODSP and OW - to get people out of deep poverty and boost the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit program to help more people move out of shelters into homes.

#4. Cost of Living

#5. Healthcare

Our Healthcare System is Crumbling

Ontario’s healthcare system crisis has reached catastrophic levels under Doug Ford’s leadership - entire emergency departments have closed, our hallway healthcare problem is worse than ever, doctors and nurses are dangerously burnt out, and people are waiting longer and longer to receive care. Ontarians deserve to get the basic healthcare services that we pay for. Instead, we have paramedic services that are so scarce that wait times can take hours. More than 2.5 million Ontarians are without a family doctor (a number that is expected to double in the next few years). Wait times for specialist care, surgery and diagnostics often exceed the standard of care. And we have fallen behind when it comes to digital health and innovation that could create a more efficient healthcare system that better serves patients.

We Need to Reverse Cuts & Invest in Our Public System

This healthcare crisis was not inevitable, nor an accident - it was manufactured by this Conservative government through years of underfunding. Doug Ford has even gone so far as violating the Constitution to cut healthcare workers’ wages in the middle of a pandemic staffing crisis - all while his donors have benefited from his push to privatize healthcare. Enough is enough. The Ontario NDP will fight to ensure that our healthcare system is not for sale. We will fund hospitals to keep operating rooms running on evenings and weekends instead of redirecting funds to private, for-profit surgical centres. We will ensure every Ontarian has a family doctor with our Family Health Guarantee by adding 3,500 more doctors to the primary care system. And we will train, hire and retain more nurses to ensure safe and appropriate nurse-patient ratios.

Let’s Expand and Improve Healthcare Instead of Cutting It

Ontario’s healthcare system has long been characterized by what many experts call “sick care” - waiting until problems escalate to treat patients, often resulting in higher costs, preventable suffering and poorer health outcomes. Physician shortages and long wait times are a core part of the problem. But we also know that our healthcare system is plagued by inefficiency, lack of care coordination and a complete absence of whole-person care that puts patient needs at the center. This is at the heart of the Ontario NDP’s plan to invest $4.1 billion over four years to connect people to team-based care like family health teams, and provide additional funding for community health centres, nurse practitioner-led clinics and Indigenous primary care. Whole-person care must also include mental healthcare - one of the leading contributors to disability, diminished quality of life and poorer physical health in Ontario. Yet, access to timely and adequate care remains a luxury for many. Under an NDP government led by Marit Stiles, mental healthcare will become universal healthcare, for everyone.

It’s Time to Invest in Digital Health & Innovation

It’s time to modernize our healthcare system by taking advantage of cutting-edge tools and technologies to reduce costs, lower wait times and improve access to care. Ontario is lagging when it comes to investing in digitization and innovation compared to other countries and even other provinces like British Columbia and Quebec. For example, health tech and AI tools to reduce the administrative burden on physicians and hospitals, reduce wait times and improve clinical decision-making already exist and are successfully in use in other places. Yet, Ontario has yet to fully embrace them. And during the pandemic, we saw how telemedicine and virtual care was transformative in improving access to a doctor, yet the Ford government slashed funding to these services in 2022. By investing in digital health and innovation, we can create a more accessible, efficient, and sustainable healthcare system that meets the needs of our growing and aging population.