Dear friends and neighbours, 

Wednesday’s are ‘Take Out Day’ - a chance to support our local restaurants by ordering take out or delivery. My family and I started a day early, but we couldn’t help it when we found out that South Indian Dosa Mahal, a community favourite, has re-opened (for take out) and is back in Bloordale at 1285 Bloor St. West! Our community supported this family business when bad luck and an eviction shut them down, and we’re so glad to have them back. 

And while we’re on the topic of take away food and the people who are helping keep us fed during social distancing - I want to share my great disappointment that Foodora have decided to leave the Canadian market, despite rising profits, just months after their workers won a landmark victory for gig-workers. Foodora workers led a hard-fought union drive to secure some basic protections that other workers have, and I want to thank them for their tireless efforts. 

So, if you partake in ‘Take Out Day' today, tip your delivery person. Thank them for putting themselves out there. And let’s build an economy where all work is respected, protected and compensated fairly. 

Marit Stiles, MPP
Davenport

Renewing the call for rent relief

With less than two days before May 1, and no federal help forthcoming, the NDP renewed our call today for the provincial government to provide rent relief urgently. Our plan calls for an 80% rent subsidy, delivered to renters, along with a six-month freeze on rent increases and a legal ban on evictions, lockouts and disconnections. Read more here.

Sharing Davenport’s concerns on long-term care

I've heard from so many people in our community who are deeply concerned about the devastating impact COVID-19 is having on our loved ones in long-term care. These issues have been a priority for our NDP caucus, and we have been putting forward proposals throughout based on what we're hearing from advocates, community members, workers and experts. In order to amplify that message and highlight the local concerns I'm hearing, I wrote to the Minister today:

Read the letter here.

I want to thank everyone who has reached out to my office. This is a very difficult time for anyone with family members in long-term care, but I want you to know that we are doing everything we can to make your voice heard with the provincial government.

Here are today’s new developments:

• Ontario is expanding the list of essential workers who are eligible to receive free emergency child care. 

• In Toronto, four staff and an eight-month-old baby have tested positive for COVID-19 at an emergency day care centre run by the city.

• Six weeks into workplace closures and physical distancing measures, Ontario has little understanding of community transmission of COVID-19, which appears to account for about half of the province's cases--the bulk of cases have occurred in long-term care facilities, or among other health care workers--the NDP has been urging the government to better protect seniors and those who care for them.   

• Justin Trudeau said he believes Canadians will be open to providing certain personal information voluntarily, via mobile or digital tracking, to allow the government to do what's known as contact tracing.  

• Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh asked Trudeau to guarantee that Canadian companies registered in foreign tax havens do not receive financial assistance from the government -- meanwhile, many commercial tenants and landlords remain afraid the government's commercial rent program will not help them.

Community Updates

Find out what's open in Fairbank Village

For constituents in the Fairbank Village area, the Fairbank Village BIA has developed a google map of businesses that are operating during the pandemic. Find out what’s open, on their “What’s Open Map” here. 

Know a senior in need of grocery help?

The Red Cross is helping to provide free groceries and delivery of grocery hampers for people 70 and up: 1-833-204-9952
 
Friendly Neighbour Hotline
For seniors living in low-income housing in Toronto
 
-Seniors are connected to a network of volunteers throughout the city who can help with picking up groceries, household essentials and food bank items
-Food will be delivered to lobby, where clients pick up
-No delivery fee, Cash preferred
 
1 855 581 9580
Toll-free, available in 180 languages
Open Monday-Friday, 9am to 5pm
 
*Due to volume, orders must be 8 items or fewer
For online orders: http://uhnopenlab.ca/hotline

For more supports and resources, visit my dedicated help page at maritstiles.ca/help

Public Health Updates

COVID-19 self-assessment tool:
Use this to determine what steps you should take should you exhibit symptoms: https://covid-19.ontario.ca/self-assessment/#q0

Reminder that updates on the pandemic response are available daily on the following websites:

Toronto.ca/coronavirus

Information from Toronto Public Health on local cases, how to protect yourself and where to seek further medical support.

Ontario.ca/coronavirus

Information from Ontario’s Ministry of Health and Long Term Care

Find out how to protect yourself, what to do if you’re sick and how to recognize possible symptoms. Updated twice daily, in 30 languages.

Canada.ca/coronavirus

Information from the Government of Ontario and the Public Health Agency of Canada

Updates on the national response and access to emergency support benefits.