107 municipalities receive funding through the Provincial Gas Tax Program. The Provincial Government cancelled an estimated $364 million per year in promised funding to these municipalities without notice in their 2019 Provincial Budget[1], putting our public transit service at risk[2]. Municipal public transit in Ontario has been underfunded since 1998 when the Harris government cut the fifty per cent subsidy of the net operating costs of municipal transit agencies [3]. Instead agencies have received a much smaller amount of funding through the Province’s gas tax program since 2004 [4]. To make life affordable, we need good public transit. We need more funding for our municipal public transit systems, so we can have lower fares and better service. The Provincial Government has quietly announced that they are going back on their promise to honour the previous government's commitment to double funding for municipal transit [5][6]. This increase in funding is critical in supporting a growing number of municipal transit systems across Ontario, serving over 90% of Ontario’s population [7], that connect our communities. It’s also imperative that long-term stable funding is reinstated for our transit systems to serve our communities well. Together we can hold the new government to their promise to double their contribution to municipalities and urge them to re-instate stable operating funding. Supporting Organizations: ActionKeele - North York Citizens United for a Sustainable Planet (CUSP) - Thunder Bay CodeRedTO - Toronto Environment Hamilton Hamilton Transit Riders Union Friends of Sudbury Transit Healthy Transportation Coalition - Ottawa Keep York Moving - York Region London Transit Riders Alliance London Environmental Network Scarborough Transit Action Network South Etobicoke Transit Action Committee Toronto Environmental Alliance (TEA) Transit Action Alliance of Guelph (TAAG) TTCriders - Toronto [1] https://budget.ontario.ca/pdf/2019/2019-ontario-budget-en.pdf [2] https://news.ontario.ca/mto/en/2019/01/2018-19-gas-tax-funding-by-municipality.html [3] https://www.blogto.com/city/2016/04/the_year_it_all_went_down_the_tubes_for_the_ttc/ [4] http://www.octn.ca/uploads/userfiles/files/Kevin%20Dowling%20-%20Gas%20Tax%20Introduction.pdf [5] https://news.ontario.ca/mto/en/2017/01/enhanced-gas-tax-program.html [6] https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ford-gas-prices-fuel-tax-1.4665386 [7]http://www.octn.ca/uploads/userfiles/files/Questions%20and%20Answers%20on%20the%20Provincial%20Gas%20Tax%20MTO%20March%202017.pdf

As Victoria's housing crisis continues, communities and residents are exploring innovative housing solutions to meet their diverse needs. For many, tiny houses on wheels offer an affordable, sustainable, safe and dignified housing option. However, mobile tiny houses are not legally allowed as residential units in most municipalities across BC, including Victoria. People who want to go tiny are being denied this housing option, or else living illegally and insecurely in mobile units. On October 20 2018, residents will vote for new mayors and councils across BC. This is a perfect time to tell our elected officials that we need access to housing that is truly affordable, sustainable, and conducive to long-term health of our communities. Around the world, tiny houses are gaining in popularity as an alternative model of affordable and sustainable housing for diverse populations. In growing urban centres, vacant, irregular or undeveloped lots could accommodate temporary tiny houses as a means of gentle densification. Tiny houses could also be used as small-scale infill housing to fit within residential neighbourhood contexts, or as laneway alternatives on single-family residentially zoned lots, creating space for intergenerational living. Zoning bylaws and building codes need to be updated to reduce barriers to alternative living. Housing options along the entire housing continuum should be discussed as part of any affordable housing strategy. Including tiny homes in election campaigns and later in zoning regulation changes is an important step towards creating room for innovative and creative solutions driven by the community. If enough people sign this petition, we’ll be able to convince mayoral and council candidates in Victoria to include mobile tiny houses in their election platforms this October and, when elected, to work on legalizing tiny houses by creating municipal zoning for mobile tiny houses and supporting tiny house amendments to the BC building code.

As Vancouver's housing crisis continues, communities and residents are exploring innovative housing solutions to meet their diverse needs. For many, tiny houses on wheels offer an affordable, sustainable, safe and dignified housing option. However, mobile tiny houses are not legally allowed as residential units in most municipalities across BC, including Vancouver. People who want to go tiny are being denied this housing option, or else living illegally and insecurely in mobile units. On October 20 2018, residents will vote for new mayors and councils across BC. This is a perfect time to tell our elected officials that we need access to housing that is truly affordable, sustainable, and conducive to long-term health of our communities. Around the world, tiny houses are gaining in popularity as an alternative model of affordable and sustainable housing for diverse populations. In growing urban centres, vacant, irregular or undeveloped lots could accommodate temporary tiny houses as a means of gentle densification. Tiny houses could also be used as small-scale infill housing to fit within residential neighbourhood contexts, or as laneway alternatives on single-family residentially zoned lots, creating space for intergenerational living. Zoning bylaws and building codes need to be updated to reduce barriers to alternative living. Housing options along the entire housing continuum should be discussed as part of any affordable housing strategy. Including tiny homes in election campaigns and later in zoning regulation changes is an important step towards creating room for innovative and creative solutions driven by the community. If enough people sign this petition, we’ll be able to convince mayoral and council candidates in Vancouver to include mobile tiny houses in their election platforms this October and, when elected, to work on legalizing tiny houses by creating municipal zoning for mobile tiny houses and supporting tiny house amendments to the BC building code.

I am a mother, a wife, and a daughter. I am a recipient of basic income. We are not statistics to be dismissed, we are humans. Doug Ford made an explicit campaign promise to protect this pilot project through to its completion in 2020. A guaranteed unconditional income has proven to provide security, stability, and human dignity, and the government made a commitment to me and 4,000 Ontarians to deliver that security. Yet less than a month into his term, Doug Ford has already violated that trust and destroyed a program that was restoring hope to us and gathering evidence that could give hope to many more Ontarians and Canadians. Promises broken in an instant and with no warning will change our lives, and not for the better. Basic income has allowed me to go back to school, afford hospital parking passes each month for my special needs child. Across the pilot sites, people who were previously struggling and often desperate are now starting businesses, getting educations, and providing for their families. [1] It has given us a moment where life was a little easier and a glimmer of hope that we will be ok! Doug Ford and Lisa MacLeod are ripping that away. Even a Conservative former Senator is calling Ford and MacLeod out for the heartless and deceptive move. [2] This is an outright betrayal not only of our core Canadian values of compassion and care, but also of a promise this government made and the people to whom they made it. This is unfair and unjust, and we deserve better. Sign the petition telling Doug Ford and Minister MacLeod to keep their promise and complete the pilot - and get ready to help us to keep up the heat until we win this back. SOURCE: [1] http://lindsayadvocate.ca/basic-income-gone-fords-abrupt-cancellation-of-program-devastates-lindsay/ [2] https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-doug-ford-speaks-for-the-people-just-not-low-income-people/

The people of Ontario are deeply concerned by Premier Ford's stated intention to divert mental health funding towards policing, in light of a mass shooting carried out by a mentally troubled person. From the beginning of Ford's premiership, his promised investment of $1.9 billion in mental health investments over 10 years already represented a $335 million annual cut in proposed funding to mental health. [1] From this already small proposed investment, Ford proposed shifting some of this mental health funding to policing. [2] This shift in policy perpetuates the long-standing problem of using reactionary measures like criminalization to address mental health issues, when instead, proactive measures like mental health support are needed. [3] The proposed shift in funding will harm the people of Ontario who depend on already scarce mental health resources, while signalling to the public that state force is an appropriate substitute for accessible care. [1] https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2018/07/26/tories-blasted-for-335m-cut-in-planned-spending-on-mental-health.html [2] https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ford-to-use-mental-health-money-for-policing-1.4759578 [3] https://www.researchgate.net/profile/J_Wormith/publication/19251180_The_Criminalization_of_Psychiatrically_Ill_People_A_Review_with_a_Canadian_Perspective/links/55b946f108ae092e965b313a/The-Criminalization-of-Psychiatrically-Ill-People-A-Review-with-a-Canadian-Perspective.pdf ---------- Public Advocates in support of strengthening mental health funding: Bhutila Karpoche, MPP for Parkdale-High Park Community Organizations in support of strengthening mental health funding: Warrior Women of Quinte

This pilot project is extremely important to all Ontarians, regardless of disability or any other individual or family life circumstance. There is still far too much poverty in this province as it is, and I applaud Miss Wynne for her efforts regarding this invaluable financial plan, one of very few good ideas she proposed during her party's long leadership tenure. As prices continue to rise on everything in our daily lives, this file's urgency is key.

Vancouver City Council delayed their decision to refer the new Chinatown zoning policies to public hearing by three weeks and will be reconsidering the referral on June 5. If the new policies do not get referred to public hearing, this means they will die on the vine and Chinatown will be continue to be open season for real estate developers and speculators. A newly formed group call "Chinatown Voices" made up of developers and property owners, like 105 Keefer's Beedie, are trying to derail the public hearing process and stop the necessary zoning protections for Chinatown. They already managed to get City Council to delay the referral for public hearing by three weeks. We can't let them win again. --- Why are the new zoning policies important? The new Chinatown zoning policies contains new policies that will potentially help alleviate the intense real estate pressures and protect the historic built character of the neighbourhood. If some of these measures to do not get put in place as soon as possible, the door is wide open for more proposals similar to the 105 Keefer rezoning and make it impossible for us to move forward with a UNESCO bid to designate Chinatown as a World Heritage Site. Major policy improvements include: - Rescinding of rezoning policy that allowed for higher heights (so we don't get another 105 Keefer proposal) - Restoration of the historic heights of the neighbourhood - Addition of density, site width, and retail width limits that were never in place before Full report here: http://council.vancouver.ca/20180515/documents/p8.pdf Although the zoning policies can have even stronger protections that what the City has currently proposed, we need to first get the new policies to public hearing to stop more 105 Keefer's from getting into the City development application process as soon as possible. --- How can you help? 1. Sign this petition to urge City Council to refer the new Chinatown zoning policies to public hearing. 2. Share it with you friends and family to sign. The more people, the more pressure. We need to outnumber the "Chinatown Voices" group. 3. Subscribe to the #SaveChinatownYVR mailing list to keep updated on the next steps of this campaign: http://www.savechinatownheritage.org/join-mailing-list We can do this!

Loblaw Companies Ltd owns hundreds of grocery stores across the country: their stores include Loblaws Market, Real Canadian Superstore, No Frills, Shoppers Drugmart, Loblaws Market, Joe Fresh and more. Last year Loblaws enjoyed $11 Billion in revenue and gave $19 Million to their shareholders in the last quarter alone. [1] In 2016 CEO Galen Weston took home $7.5 Million. [2] It takes Galen Weston just one day to earn the annual salary of a starting cashier at one if his stores, while the the people who work for Loblaws are struggling to make ends meet making minimum wage, and are often only given part time work. [3] Vancity Investment Management Ltd. submitted a shareholder proposal at Loblaw’s annual general meeting of shareholders on Thursday asking them to review the feasibility, cost and benefits of implementing a living wage policy for their employees -- but CEO Galen Weston and Loblaw’s board of directors told shareholders to vote against it and the proposal was rejected. [4] Loblaws touts their high level of social responsibility with their President's Choice Children's Charity that gives "support to children with disabilities [and ensures] hungry tummies are filled with nutritious food" but their own employees' children are suffering. [5] Loblaws should be a leader. Canadians should not stand for this and protest with their dollars until they turn their greedy ship around. Sign the petition now if you think Loblaws should pay the people who work for them a living wage. Sources: [1]https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/loblaw-reports-2017-fourth-quarter-and-fiscal-year-ended-december-30-2017-results1-674813803.html [2]https://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/National%20Office/2018/01/Climbing%20Up%20and%20Kicking%20Down.pdf) [3]https://ca.indeed.com/cmp/Loblaw/jobs/Cashier-59274c43308a7674?vjs=3 [4]https://www.thestar.com/business/2018/05/03/loblaw-shareholders-reject-proposal-on-living-wage-for-employees.html [5] http://www.presidentschoice.ca/en_CA/community/pccc/do-it-all-again.html

Leamington was just hit by the worst storm in decades. Unprecedented flooding swept away roads, 14-foot-high waves knocked over trees, gutted homes and caused record damage. [1] Our community is reeling. Residents are facing tens of thousands of dollars in property damage and the city will need to fix its infrastructure. We need financial support from the provincial government to rebuild, prevent future destruction and keep us safe from fallout when the next storm hits. The mayor of Leamington is already asking for funding from Ontario, but a huge petition teeming with signatures backing him up could push decision makers over the edge and get them to provide funding. Especially now in this election cycle, when the Liberals are more susceptible to public pressure. All signs are pointing to more and more extreme weather systems, and Leamington needs to ready. Add your name to demand the provincial government provide funding to the municipality of Leamington as well as the residents affected by the storm to fix and prevent damage to our roads, homes and public spaces, and keep us safe, before another storm hits. Source: [1] http://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/leamington-residents-clean-up-after-extensive-flood-damage

Humber College rejected my proposal to use a payment plan to allow me to pay for my tuition in monthly installments, instead of in a one lump sum. This is because of a rule they have just put in place which allows them to expel anyone who can’t pay outright. In 2017, Humber posted a net revenue of $23 million. [1] They can afford to allow students struggling financially, in an economy set up for them to fail, to use a payment plan to finish their accreditation. The semester ends this month. We need to seize this moment while students are still in school to add pressure to the college to reverse this unfair rule. Will you add your name to demand Humber reverse unfair rules allowing them to expel students who need payment extensions? College is a place where people go to make their lives better, so they can compete in an ever-more demanding workforce. But rising costs of living and tuition are squeezing students out. Humber is a leading Canadian college, and they should be setting an example by helping to solve these problems, not making them worse. They have more than enough money to support students who need it. Will you add your name now so we can turn up the heat to reverse these unfair rules before the semester ends this month? Source: [1] https://humber.ca/about-humber/corporate-info/publications/files/humber-annual-report-16-17.pdf

It is a cultural icon of this city that is being destroyed by rampant gentrification and the lack of any will by the city to stop it.

With the huge trade, we already do with the Chinese government we simply back their repressive regime, provide funds for them to become a world leader and create even more environmental damage.