Members of Provincial Parliament have returned to Queen’s Park and three weeks are left before rising for winter recess after December 8.
WELOME NEW AND RETURNING TRUSTEES!
OPSBA extends a warm welcome to all new and returning trustees with many member boards having held their inaugural and organizational meetings. The Association welcomes everyone to the world of public education advocacy and thanks you for your commitment to Ontario’s children and families and for stepping up to a four-year commitment to helping shape and support our public education system.
The Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) has posted updated post-election results. To see them, visit Preliminary Analysis of Municipal Post Election Data. Of note, AMO is stating that “Average voter turnout was 36.3% (based on 385 municipalities that conducted direct elections and provided voter turnout information). In 2018 it was 38.3%.”
Recent Legislation
Bill 39, Better Municipal Governance Act, 2022
This legislation was introduced by Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark on November 16, 2022. The bill proposes to allow the province to appoint the chairs of the regional municipal councils of Niagara, Peel and York, while giving more new powers to the mayors of Toronto and Ottawa.
Current Status: Second Reading
Bill 36, Progress on the Plan to Build Act (Budget Measures), 2022
This legislation was introduced by Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy on November 14, 2022. The legislation implements measures contained in the Fall Economic Statement which can be found here: 2022 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review.
Current Status: Referred to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs
Education items noted included:
- Investing an additional $40 million in 2022–23, for a total of $145 million for the latest round of funding in the Skills Development Fund.
- Investing an additional $4.8 million over two years, beginning in 2023–24, to expand the Dual Credit program, which is meant to help more secondary school students enter a career in the skilled trades or early childhood education.
The government also issued a news release, Ontario Delivers Progress Report and Advances its Plan to Build
Bill 35, Keeping Students in Class Repeal Act, 2022
This legislation was introduced on November 14, 2022, by Paul Calandra, Minister of Legislative Affairs. The Act repeals the Keeping Students in Class Act, 2022 and deems it to have never been in force. Calandra sought unanimous consent to speed Bill 35 through second and third readings without debate.
Status: Royal Assent received November 14, 2022
Bill 26, Strengthening Post-secondary Institutions and Students Act
This legislation was introduced on October 27, 2022, by the Minister of Colleges and Universities, Jill Dunlop. The bill aims to protect college and university students from sexual misconduct by faculty members. It would require publicly funded post-secondary schools to make sexual abuse of a student a cause for dismissal and forbid the use of non-disclosure agreements that may prevent a past incident from being disclosed if the fired faculty member seeks a job elsewhere.
Current Status: Referred to the Standing Committee on Social Policy
Please see the November 17 memo sent to school boards, Labour Disruptions – Continued Contingency Planning and Memo SB34, Costs Not Incurred as a Result of Strikes and Eligible Expenses Resulting from Labour Disruptions.
FAO Analysis of Ministry of Education Spending
The Financial Accountability Office has released a report analyzing the Ministry of Education’s spending plan. To view the report, a briefing deck, and the news release, visit Ministry of Education: Spending Plan Review.
Respiratory Illnesses
Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore, joined by Dr. Chris Simpson, Executive Vice-President (Medical) at Ontario Health, are urgingd Ontarians to once again wear face coverings to help in “protecting our most vulnerable.” As the Toronto Star reported, Dr. Moore is asking “for mask wearing in indoor social settings as well as indoor public spaces to slow the spread of respiratory viruses like flu, RSV and COVID-19 that are sending young children to hospital emergency rooms at double or triple the usual rate. Pediatric intensive care units are swamped to overflowing, forcing the health care system to reallocate resources such as postponing surgeries already delayed by the pandemic.”
Other News Releases and Information
- November 17, 2022 News Release: Ontario Building Better, More Modern Health Care Facilities
- November 17, 2022 News Release: Ontario Helping More Young People Train for In-Demand Careers in Construction
- November 16, 2022 Statement: Ontario Joins the Métis People Commemorating the Legacy of Louis Riel
- Novmeber 16, 2022: Memo SB33, School Level Data Verification for 2022-23 Financial Statements and 2023-2024 Estimates/Revised Estimates and Updates on ECIS Business Rules and Procedures
- November 15, 2022: Memo SB32, 2021-22 Audit Committee Annual Report
