Last Session Update:

This past session saw the passage and debate of several significant pieces of legislation that will have real impacts on families here in Nepean and across Ontario. Bill 33, the Supporting Children and Students Act, introduced major changes to how school boards are overseen in Ontario. The legislation gives the Minister of Education expanded authority to investigate school boards and issue binding directives. In certain circumstances, it also allows the Minister to remove elected trustees and assume control of a board’s governance functions.

While accountability is important, these changes raise concerns about the concentration of decision-making power at the provincial level. School board trustees are locally elected to represent parents and communities. When their authority can be overridden, decisions that affect classrooms and curriculum risk becoming more centralized and less community driven. Parents deserve confidence that their children’s education is shaped through transparent, locally accountable processes.

Bill 60 - Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act - was presented as legislation to accelerate housing development, but it also introduced significant changes affecting renters. Amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act shortened appeal timelines for eviction decision and limited tenants’ ability to raise new concerns during landlord and tenant Board hearings. In Ottawa, where more than one-third of households are renters, including young people and seniors, these changes carry serious implications. While building more housing is essential, it is equally important that tenant protections remain strong, and that procedural fairness is not weakened in the name of speed.

The Skills Development Fund was designed to help businesses train workers and address labor shortages in Ontario. However, this session saw increased scrutiny over how some of those funds were distributed. Concerns were raised about transparency and whether funding decisions consistently met clear eligibility criteria. When workforce programs lack accountability, public trust is undermined, and the goal of strengthening Ontario’s labor force becomes harder to achieve. Families across Ontario expect their tax dollars to be spent responsibly and in ways that create real training opportunities and stable jobs. I will continue to call for better oversight to ensure these investments actually help Ontarians gain skills, fill in-demand roles, and strengthen our economy.

During this past session, the government padded themselves on the back on their handling of the healthcare system. However, frontline workers continue to report serious capacity challenges. Hospitals across Ontario are facing long emergency room waiting times, high patient-to-nurse ratios, and persistent staffing shortages. At Queensway Carleton Hospital here in Nepean, many emergency room visits are linked to residents who do not have access to a family doctor or a nurse practitioner. When primary care is unavailable, emergency departments become the default entry point into the system. Without sustained investment in primary care and workforce retention, patients will continue to experience delays in attaining the healthcare they deserve - and have the right - to access.

Engagement:

During this session at Queen’s Park, I met with stakeholders from across the healthcare and education sectors to better understand how this government’s policies are affecting frontline services and the people who rely on them. I find these conversations to be extremely valuable, and they help inform how to advocate on behalf of Nthe people of Nepean for the issues they care about. 

In my capacity as the Ontario Liberal critic for Long-Term Care, I met with representatives from the Ontario Nurses’ Association, AdvantageOntario, and the Canadian Mental Health Association. Although each organization represents a different part of the healthcare system, they shared similar concerns: ongoing staffing shortages, nurse burnout, and funding pressures that make it difficult to recruit and retain qualified professionals. When staffing levels are stretched, workloads increase and continuity of care suffers, affecting seniors and families across our province. Hearing these concerns firsthand strengthens my commitment to advocate for stable funding and financial workforce support to protect the quality care our loved ones receive and deserve. 

As critic for Colleges and Universities, I also met with the College Student Alliance, Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance, and the Ontario Principals’ Council. Students and administrators spoke about rising housing costs, food insecurity, limited mental health resources, and concern about proposed changes to OSAP. Essentially, many students are afraid that a primarily loan-based OSAP program will put higher education out of reach for many who deserve it.  

Worse still, these changes – when coupled with ongoing pressures – are making it hard for Ontario post-secondary students to focus on their studies out of fear they’ll no longer be able to afford to finish their program. This reality threatens equitable access to post-secondary education across Ontario. It’s clear that more needs to be done to ensure Ontario’s colleges and universities remain accessible, affordable, and equipped to support student success.

Ongoing Advocacy:

Although this session has been short, we’ve made meaningful progress on issues that matter to families here in Nepean. Two initiatives I am especially proud of are launching a petition to reserve the government’s changes to OSAP.

Following the Ford government’s decision to reduce OSAP grants and shift students toward greater reliance on loans, I heard from many students and parents who are worried about rising debt and whether post-secondary education will remain affordable. In response, I launched a petition calling on the government to repeal these changes and commit to proper consultations with students, institutions, and financial aid offices before making further reforms. Access to college or university should not depend on your family’s income, and I will continue pushing to protect affordability and opportunity for all students.

Beyond this work, I have continued meeting with residents in Nepean and conducting my critic tour across Ontario. As the Ontario Liberal critic for Colleges and Universities and Long-Term Care, I spent valuable time with students, faculty, and staff on campuses to discuss important issues like healthcare access, post-secondary education funding, rising grocery prices, and housing affordability. 

Your willingness to share your concerns and insights continue to inspire and guide my team’s work at Queen’s Park and in Nepean. I remain committed to ensuring your voices are heard and represented; so, I welcome you to contact our office anytime if you have a great idea, question, concern, or just need some help accessing a government service. You will always be welcomed with open arms and a smile.