News from Queen's Park
Children of low-income families receive FREE dental care: In April of 2014 Ontario will be expanding eligibility for free dental care to 70,000 more children and youth in low-income families, to help break down barriers and provide them with more opportunities for success. Services such as cleanings, diagnostic services and basic treatment will be administered by the Healthy Smiles Ontario program. Providing free dental care and helping to break down barriers for low-income children and youth is part of Ontario’s Poverty Reduction Strategy and delivers on Ontario’s Action Plan for Health Care, by providing the right care, at the right time, in the right place.
Improving access to routine health procedures: Ontario is improving access to routine health procedures by establishing non-profit community-based specialty clinics in communities across the province. These specialty clinics will offer select OHIP-insured, low-risk routine procedures. The focus of these specialty clinics will be on providing high-volume services, such as cataract and colonoscopy procedures. Moving low-risk routine procedures from hospitals to community-based specialty clinics will help improve the overall patient experience and will result in better value for taxpayers.
Healthy people, healthy environment: Ontario is helping the Evergreen Brick Works protect the lower Don River with a $25,000 grant from the Great Lakes Guardian Community Fund. This financing will support community plantings, shoreline clean-ups and invasive species pulls to help protect habitats, fish and water quality in the lower Don River which flows into Lake Ontario. The Great Lakes Basin ecosystem is one of the most biologically rich regions in Canada.
Eating healthy and local: The Government will be releasing the Foodland Ontario Winter Recipe Book in early February. These recipes are all locally sourced, nutritious and delicious. Copies will be available for distribution, free of charge, from our office at 514 Parliament st.
Supporting Midwifery: The Toronto Birth Centre located on Dundas and Parliament will be opening its doors to give moms-to-be with low-risk pregnancies a new option for natural childbirth. This will support women should they choose to have their babies with midwives in a more community oriented environment. This Birth Centre is one of two pilot programs the Ontario Ministry of Health is supporting with $6-million financing. Should this pilot program be successful, it could pave the way for similar centres across the province.
Better medical access for refugees: The Ontario Government is stepping in to fill the gap left by the federal government’s cuts to Canada’s Interim Federal Health Program by reinstating access to essential and urgent health care for refugee claimants. The Ontario Temporary Health Program (OTHP) protects refugee claimants who are not eligible for health care under the new federal rules or through other government programs and gives them access to primary care, medications and urgent hospital services. Caring for refugee claimants is a federal responsibility, and Ontario opposes their decision to abdicate their responsibility. The fact remains that refugee claimants are in our country, and until the federal government determines their status, someone has to pay for their care.
Improving access to routine health procedures: Ontario is improving access to routine health procedures by establishing non-profit community-based specialty clinics in communities across the province. These specialty clinics will offer select OHIP-insured, low-risk routine procedures. The focus of these specialty clinics will be on providing high-volume services, such as cataract and colonoscopy procedures. Moving low-risk routine procedures from hospitals to community-based specialty clinics will help improve the overall patient experience and will result in better value for taxpayers.
Healthy people, healthy environment: Ontario is helping the Evergreen Brick Works protect the lower Don River with a $25,000 grant from the Great Lakes Guardian Community Fund. This financing will support community plantings, shoreline clean-ups and invasive species pulls to help protect habitats, fish and water quality in the lower Don River which flows into Lake Ontario. The Great Lakes Basin ecosystem is one of the most biologically rich regions in Canada.
Eating healthy and local: The Government will be releasing the Foodland Ontario Winter Recipe Book in early February. These recipes are all locally sourced, nutritious and delicious. Copies will be available for distribution, free of charge, from our office at 514 Parliament st.
Supporting Midwifery: The Toronto Birth Centre located on Dundas and Parliament will be opening its doors to give moms-to-be with low-risk pregnancies a new option for natural childbirth. This will support women should they choose to have their babies with midwives in a more community oriented environment. This Birth Centre is one of two pilot programs the Ontario Ministry of Health is supporting with $6-million financing. Should this pilot program be successful, it could pave the way for similar centres across the province.
Better medical access for refugees: The Ontario Government is stepping in to fill the gap left by the federal government’s cuts to Canada’s Interim Federal Health Program by reinstating access to essential and urgent health care for refugee claimants. The Ontario Temporary Health Program (OTHP) protects refugee claimants who are not eligible for health care under the new federal rules or through other government programs and gives them access to primary care, medications and urgent hospital services. Caring for refugee claimants is a federal responsibility, and Ontario opposes their decision to abdicate their responsibility. The fact remains that refugee claimants are in our country, and until the federal government determines their status, someone has to pay for their care.
Upcoming Events and Holidays
Community Meeting: Reviewing the Land Use and Planning Appeals Process
Date: To be determined (February/March)
Details: After a series of community meetings in Toronto Centre soliciting your opinions on the land use appeals process, Glen Murray has submitted his report of findings to the reviewing committee. This committee will devise a plan to re-conceptualize the current appeals process and table legislation soon thereafter. When this legislation is devised, Glen Murray will be holding a meeting to review the community consultations and present the new direction for appeals in Toronto.
Holiday: Chinese New Year
Date: January 31, 2014
Location: Various
Details: Celebrate the Year of the Horse by attending one of the various cultural events organized by the Chinese community. The Royal Ontario Museum will be hosting a party from 11am to 4pm on January 25 including performances and arts and crafts. To find out more about the events coming up visit the ROM websiteor www.chinatownbia.com
Event: Free Concert Series with the Canadian Opera Company
Date: January 21 and 23, 2014, 12-1pm
Location: Four Seasons Centre for Performing Arts, 145 Queen St
Details: Welcome to the 2013/2014 season of the Free Concert Series in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, one of Toronto's most breathtaking and intimate spaces. The diverse city that inspires and unites us is the ever-changing backdrop seen from the beautiful Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, where artists from around the world share their talent and passion in six series:vocal, piano, jazz, dance, chamber and world music
Event: Free Family Skating organized by Glen Murray
Date: Every Tuesday from now until March 18, 2014, 4-5 pm. (March 18th is 3-5 pm with a pizza party)
Location: Moss Park Arena, 140 Sherbourne St
Details: Enjoy a free public skate at Moss Park Arena for all your friends and family. Some skates will be available to rent for free on the day. Skates are rented on a first come first serve basis.
Date: To be determined (February/March)
Details: After a series of community meetings in Toronto Centre soliciting your opinions on the land use appeals process, Glen Murray has submitted his report of findings to the reviewing committee. This committee will devise a plan to re-conceptualize the current appeals process and table legislation soon thereafter. When this legislation is devised, Glen Murray will be holding a meeting to review the community consultations and present the new direction for appeals in Toronto.
Holiday: Chinese New Year
Date: January 31, 2014
Location: Various
Details: Celebrate the Year of the Horse by attending one of the various cultural events organized by the Chinese community. The Royal Ontario Museum will be hosting a party from 11am to 4pm on January 25 including performances and arts and crafts. To find out more about the events coming up visit the ROM websiteor www.chinatownbia.com
Event: Free Concert Series with the Canadian Opera Company
Date: January 21 and 23, 2014, 12-1pm
Location: Four Seasons Centre for Performing Arts, 145 Queen St
Details: Welcome to the 2013/2014 season of the Free Concert Series in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, one of Toronto's most breathtaking and intimate spaces. The diverse city that inspires and unites us is the ever-changing backdrop seen from the beautiful Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, where artists from around the world share their talent and passion in six series:vocal, piano, jazz, dance, chamber and world music
Event: Free Family Skating organized by Glen Murray
Date: Every Tuesday from now until March 18, 2014, 4-5 pm. (March 18th is 3-5 pm with a pizza party)
Location: Moss Park Arena, 140 Sherbourne St
Details: Enjoy a free public skate at Moss Park Arena for all your friends and family. Some skates will be available to rent for free on the day. Skates are rented on a first come first serve basis.
Your Government - Moving Forward on Healthcare
Since 2002 the Ontario Government delivered:
- 2.1 million more Ontarians have family doctors
- 23 Hospitals have been built
- St. Michael's Hospital expansion serves people more efficiently at the new and improved state of the art facility
- More than $300 million supporting the expansion of home care service for seniors - serving 46,000 more seniors each year
- Expansion of Health Sciences at Ryerson University with an investment of $57 million towards construction
- Base funding of $17.3 million towards the Grace Hospital - an increase of 23%
- $61.5 Million in funding towards the George Brown Health Sciences Campus
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