Kevin Flynn. What s Inside: Stay Up to Date A MESSAGE FROM KEVIN FLYNN. Member of Provincial Parliament Oakville COMMUNITY UPDATE SPRING 2018

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1 Kevin Flynn Member of Provincial Parliament Oakville COMMUNITY UPDATE SPRING 2018 A MESSAGE FROM KEVIN FLYNN As your provincial representative, my purpose is to ensure that residents voices are heard and that our government s policies support Oakville s well-being and prosperity. During the recession of , we chose to keep Ontario working by building infrastructure to support growth. Last year we were proud to announce that, as a result of responsible fiscal management, the budget had been balanced. In order to continue on our path of success as Canada s leading economy, our government has continued to strategically invest in hospitals, schools, roads, public transit and build community partnerships. By investing in full-day kindergarten for over 260,000 children, granting free tuition for eligible college and university students, providing free prescription drugs for those 24 years old and under, expanding mental health services and investing $50 billion in clean energy to drastically reduce childhood asthma and smog, we have achieved a great deal. Ontario continues to lead the G7 in economic growth, and unemployment is the lowest it has been in nearly two decades. Ontario is as compassionate as we are competitive; we are as fair as we are prosperous. We will continue to build a brighter future and a stronger, healthier place to live for every resident of Oakville and Ontario. Kevin Flynn, MPP Oakville What s Inside: Ontario on the GO... 2 Continuing to Empower Ontario s Seniors... 3 Strengthening Small Business and Protecting Workers... 4 Helping Children and Youth Get Ahead... 5 Enhancing Oakville Through Local Investments... 6 In Our Neighbourhood... 7 Strategically Building Sustainable Housing... 8 Connect With Us... 8 Stay Up to Date Sign up for my Enewsletter and receive regular updates and feature stories on what s going on in our community and province. Visit and click on Enewsletter in the top right corner and submit your address to sign up.

2 Kevin Flynn MPP Oakville Ontario on the GO Our government is developing the GO Regional Express Rail to help reduce commute times. Local investments in transit projects include grade separations at Kerr Street and Burloak Drive to separate rail traffic from vehicle traffic and reduce commute times. To encourage cycling in Oakville, Ontario is building secure bike rooms at 28 GO stations over the next few years, including Bronte and Oakville, as well as bike lockers, which should be available at the Oakville GO Station by this spring. GO Transit is increasing efficiency and convenience with two-way, all day service every 15 minutes or less between Toronto and Aldershot and new hourly service to and from Hamilton. We have reduced the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) fare to $1.50 for those transferring between GO Transit or the Union Pearson Express and the TTC and using a PRESTO card. Learn more by visiting Ontario.ca/Transportation and GOTransit.com. Did you know? Ontario is investing $21.3 billion to transform GO Transit from a commuter transit service to a regional rapid transit system. Announcing a $2.6 million investment for Oakville Transit with Mayor Rob Burton as part of Ontario s Gas Tax Program. Gas Tax uses profits from gas consumption to encourage public transit ridership and allows us to cut down traffic congestion and reduce air pollution through long-term, sustainable solutions. 2 bmppkevinflynn

3 Spring 2018 Community Update Continuing to Empower Ontario s Seniors Seniors are Ontario s fastest growing population segment. As such, it is imperative that they are properly supported to lead healthy and active lives. Through the Ontario Seniors Public Transit Tax Credit, eligible seniors are granted a 15 per cent refundable tax credit on public transit services including local buses, subways, or streetcars as well as GO buses and trains. Ontario s Aging with Confidence Plan includes the promise of 5,000 new long-term care beds by 2022 and more than 30,000 beds in the next decade. Efforts are also being made to reduce wait times and ensure more staffing and support is available for long-term care. Our province is also increasing access to house-calls, geriatric care services and resources for caregivers. Ontario is also enhancing education about powers of attorney, expanding consumer protection programs, strengthening elder abuse prevention and investing in community engagement opportunities such as providing recreational activities, supporting arts programs and launching projects to increase technological awareness and senioryouth mentorship. Learn more by visiting Ontario.ca/AgingWell or calling Did you know? Since 2003, our province has increased long-term care from $2.1 billion to more than $4.1 billion and has more than doubled home-care funding from $1.2 billion to almost $3 billion. Visiting the Oakville Seniors Centre to discuss Ontario s Aging with Confidence action plan. Spending time with Yong Too Hou, Canadian-Korean veteran, at the Evergreen Seniors Centre. Discussing issues with local constituents Esther and Fred Wieler

4 Kevin Flynn MPP Oakville Strengthening Small Business and Protecting Workers Ontario continues to be a great place to work, invest, and do business. In 2017, over 180,000 jobs were created in our province and unemployment dropped to a seventeen year low. We also continue to lead all G7 countries in real GDP growth. Nevertheless not everyone is sharing in the prosperity, so we have introduced changes to promote fairness for small businesses and workers. Our province is supporting small businesses by providing more than $500 million over three years in new initiatives that will lower costs and support growth. This includes a proposed 22 per cent cut in the Corporate Income Tax rate for small businesses. We are also advocating for workers protection. As of January 1st of this year, Ontario has provided: A minimum wage increase to $14/hour Hourly equal pay for casual, part-time, temporary and seasonal employees More fair scheduling practices More vacation time, including three weeks paid vacation after five years on the job An elimination of mandatory doctors notes Improving paid leave to care for an ill loved one, for pregnancy leave, for victims of domestic or sexual abuse and for personal emergencies. Learn more by visiting Ontario.ca/SmallBusiness and Ontario.ca/Labour. Did you know? Almost one-third of Ontario workers currently earn less than $15/hour, over half of those working people are adults between the ages of 25 and 64. Discussing opportunities in the skilled trades sector with residents. With the Professional Engineers Ontario - Oakville Chapter at Promation Inc., an automation manufacturer based in Oakville. 4 bmppkevinflynn

5 Spring 2018 Community Update Visiting Grade 5 students at Joshua Creek Public School. Discussing the benefits of OSAP at White Oaks Secondary School. Students at The Centre for Skills Development &Training learning valuable workplace skills. Helping Children and Youth Get Ahead The first step to building a strong population is investing in its health. This January our province launched OHIP+: Children and Youth Pharmacare, a new benefit that covers the cost of 4,400 prescription medications for everyone 24 years old and under for conditions including asthma, infections, diabetes and anxiety. We are also helping parents by ensuring that 24,000 more children aged four and under access licensed child care this year as part of our commitment to provide 100,000 new child care spaces over the next five years. Our province is providing free tuition to more than 225,000 college and university students by transforming the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP). As of this year, graduates only begin repaying their loans once they start earning $35,000 a year, up from $25,000 in Ontario is investing in skills and training through programs like the Graduated Apprenticeship Grant for Employers to provide incentives to encourage apprentices to complete training and encouraging youth employment by providing hiring and retention incentives to small businesses. Ontario is also providing new measures to allow students to plan and budget easier, including introducing online estimated tuition costs, paying tuition up front to colleges and universities and sending any eligible remaining funds directly to students to cover additional fees such as living expenses and textbooks. Learn more by visiting Ontario.ca/OHIPPlus, Ontario. ca/child, Ontario.ca/Education, and Ontario.ca/ OSAP. Did you know? Ontario plans to increase the number of post-secondary students graduating in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines by 25 per cent over the next five years to 50,000 per year. This will position Ontario as having the highest number per capita of postsecondary STEM graduates in North America

6 Kevin Flynn MPP Oakville Enhancing Oakville Through Local Investments Breaking ground at the ErinoakKids construction site with Indira Naidoo-Harris, MPP Halton. Helping Children with Disabilities Thrive ErinoakKids is now up and running in Oakville. Ontario s largest treatment centre for children and youth with disabilities and special needs has been granted $200 million in major capital funding to support the agency s redevelopment project into three new locations. ErinoakKids new Oakville-based centre helps children reach their full potential through services for infant hearing screening, autism, physiotherapy and much more. Eliminating Human Trafficking As part of Ontario s Strategy to End Human Trafficking, the Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention Services (SAVIS) of Halton was recently awarded nearly $1 million for human trafficking crisis response and services and an additional $400,000 towards housing support for survivors. Discussing the positive impact of Ontario s investment to end human trafficking at SAVIS of Halton Celebrating a $316,000 OTF grant to HIPPY Oakville, which works to support early childhood development, with my colleagues MPP Naidoo-Harris and MPP McMahon. Funding Public Benefit Programs in Oakville The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the Government of Ontario and serves as one of Canada s largest granting foundations, investing in over 1,000 projects every year to ensure that Ontario s communities stay healthy, active and creative. In , organizations in Oakville benefitted from over $1.3 million in OTF funding. Learn more at otf.ca. Did you know? The culture sector contributes approximately $25 billion to Ontario s economy and nearly 280,000 jobs. 6 bmppkevinflynn

7 Spring 2018 Community Update In Our Neighbourhood With Anna from Girls Inc. at my annual Community BBQ. Catching up with Oakville s brave firefighters. Commemorating the Oakville Public Library s 50th anniversary with John Oliver, MP Oakville (left) and Mayor Rob Burton (centre). Receiving the Canadian Mental Health Association Halton Branch s Marlene Longdon Award from Melanie McGregor for contributions to end stigma around mental health. Visiting Kerr Street Mission, which offers food and support for families and individuals in need. Kicking off Hometown Hockey in Oakville, celebrating community involvement through sport

8 Kevin Flynn MPP Oakville Strategically Building Sustainable Housing Through Ontario s Cap and Trade Program, we have successfully encouraged companies to cut carbon emissions and have transparently invested revenues. One of these initiatives, the Social Housing Apartment Improvement Program (SHAIP), was given $8.5 million over the next five years to improve social housing conditions in the Halton Region. The Home for Good Program to end chronic homelessness in Halton was given an investment of over $3 million towards counselling, addictions services and skills training. Ontario is helping more people find affordable homes by encouraging increased housing supply, protecting buyers and renters and bringing stability to the real estate market through the Fair Housing Plan. Learn more by visiting Ontario.ca/Housing. Did you know? The Green Ontario Fund (GreenON.ca) provides rebates and offers homeowners and businesses tips on how to reduce energy consumption and costs. Connect With Us You can always see what my team and I are working on by visiting my website, Facebook page or by following me on Twitter and Instagram. You can also sign up to receive my Enewsletter by subscribing via my website or ing my office directly. At a Halton Region announcement celebrating significant funding for the SHAIP and Home for Good Programs that offer sustainable, long-term housing support. STAY UP TO DATE Subscribe to my Enewsletter my community office kflynn.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org Like my Facebook Page facebook.com/mppkevinflynn Follow me on Follow me on Kevin Flynn MPP Oakville 2318 Lakeshore Road West, Unit 2, Oakville, ON L6L 1H3 T bmppkevinflynn E kflynn.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org