The Green Plan New solutions to old problems - Authorized by the CFO of the GPO
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The Green Plan
New solutions to old problems.
Authorized by the CFO of the GPO
2 THE
THE
GREEN
GREEN
PLAN
PLAN
| GREEN
| GREEN
PARTY
PARTY
OFOF
ONTARIO
ONTARIO
Table of contents
CONTENTS
The Green Plan Priorities 2
A Caring Society 5
Mental health is health 6
Increase access to publicly funded mental health care 7
Create an accessible system with around-the-clock access 7
Improve access to care for children, youth, and students 7
Treat mental health and addiction as a public health issue 8
Expand support for addiction care 8
Expand care options for people with complex needs 8
Health through a preventative lens 9
Prioritise prevention in our healthcare system 10
Create a robust system of primary care 10
Invest in healthcare workers 10
Support strong hospitals 11
Protect Public Health 11
Fulfill remote and rural healthcare needs 11
Build a more equitable healthcare system 12
Care for elders 13
Build more non-profit long-term care beds 14
Create an accountable, nonprofit long-term care system 14
Improve resident care 14
Prepare for future infectious disease outbreaks 14
Expand options for holistic care 15
Improve home care 15
Expand options to age in place 15
Lifelong learning 16
Improve funding models for education 17
Strengthen in-school learning 17
Make equity a pillar of public education 17
Support children with disabilities 18
Improve access to and equity in post-secondary education 18
GREEN PARTY OF ONTARIO | THE GREEN PLAN
Truth and Reconciliation 19
Work in partnership with Indigenous communities 20
Address the legacy of colonialism and residential schools 20
Fix the healthcare gap 20
Fund an Indigenous-led housing strategy 21
Support community rights to a healthy environment 21
An equitable Ontario 22
Improve quality of life for people living with a disability 23
Prioritise gender equity 23
Fight to eradicate systemic racism 23
Support and improve rights for 2SLGBTQIA+ communities 24
Address discrimination in our justice system 24
Equity through language access 24
Respect workers and increase economic security 25
Improve workers’ rights and wages 26
Strengthen rights and protections for gig and temp workers 26
Measure economic progress and wellbeing with evidence-based data 26
Implement a Basic Income and end poverty 27
Connected Communities 29
Address the Housing Crisis 30
Build affordable housing & protect our existing affordable supply 31
Create more pathways to ownership 31
Provide security and support for renters 31
Address speculation and corruption in the housing market 32
Take a Housing First approach and end homelessness 32
Expand housing options for people in crisis and transition 32
Strong neighbourhoods 33
Champion smart growth 34
Build infill housing near transit 34
Ensure community consultation is inclusive 34
Strengthen community hubs 36
Create vibrant neighbourhoods 36
Help small neighbourhood businesses recover and thrive 36
Create a new regulatory framework for small business 37
Support local arts and social enterprises 37
Getting from A to B 38
Connect communities with clean, efficient transit options 38
Increase transit connections outside of the GTHA 39
Connect neighbourhoods with people-powered transportation 39
Connect people with better broadband 39
THE GREEN PLAN | GREEN PARTY OF ONTARIO
Inclusive and accessible communities 40
Prioritise the implementation of the Accessibility for Ontarians with
Disabilities Act (AODA) 41
Build accessible homes and businesses 41
People-powered government 42
Support and strengthen municipal governments 43
Democratic reform 43
Make politics more inclusive and collaborative 43
Protect voter rights and empower citizens 43
New Climate Economy 45
Real net zero by 2045 46
Phase out fossil fuels 46
Move to renewable, clean energy sources 47
Increase access to electric vehicles and charging infrastructure 47
Make buildings energy efficient 48
Lead by example 48
Support municipalities to be climate leaders 48
Build our New Climate Economy 49
Ensure a just and equitable transition 50
Train today for the jobs of tomorrow 50
Support and grow green businesses 50
Prepare Ontario industries for the new climate economy 51
Make Ontario safe and resilient 51
Protect our natural ecosystems 52
Protect natural spaces 53
Safeguard our source water 53
Use water sustainably 53
Reduce waste 54
Stand strong for environmental justice 54
Strengthen environmental oversight and public consultation 54
Protect biodiversity 55
Strengthen animal welfare rules 55
Help local food systems to thrive 56
Protect farmland 57
Increase access and support for local, nutritious food 57
Support local sustainable farming 57
Invest in the next generation of farmers 57
Make family farming more profitable 58
GREEN PARTY OF ONTARIO | THE GREEN PLAN
THE GREEN PLAN | GREEN PARTY OF ONTARIO
The Green Plan
The Ontario you want.
The Leadership we need.
A Message from Mike:
In my four years as an MPP in Queen’s Park, I have learned a lot about working together to en-
sure Ontario is ready for the challenges ahead. I’ve also learned that the old-line parties have
tried and failed to tackle the issues that matter most.
In a province as rich as ours, we should not have a province where a person working fulltime cannot
find an affordable place to call home. We should not see patients lingering in hospital corridors
waiting for care. We need to be climate leaders for a future that is already here.
Ontario Greens have listened and learned from people across our province. Our housing plan
has been called a master class in delivering affordable housing solutions with connected com-
munities where we live, work, play, and shop locally.
We’re committed to ending the mindless development that is paving over the valuable farm-
land that feeds us and the wetlands that clean our drinking water and protect us from flooding.
We will double the Greenbelt by creating a Bluebelt to protect our wetlands, keeping clean
water in our rivers and lakes and out of our basements.
We are leading the way with Ontario’s first stand-alone policy paper on mental health. We will
expand OHIP to include access to more professional services and allow people to get the ser-
vices they need when and where they need them.
Successive governments have not prepared us to succeed in the new climate economy. They
may see climate change as just another election issue. We know that as the climate goes, so
goes the economy and our children’s future. We can’t afford to wait. We need action now.
When it comes to climate solutions, I’m proud to say that Ontario Green policy is the gold standard
for a new way forward. With plans for more renewable energy, electrification of transit, and pro-
grams like our green home retrofit incentive, we can create thousands of new careers and better
jobs, help people save money by saving energy, and protect the people and places we love.
Our vision is for the Ontario we all want - caring, connected, and ready for the new
climate economy.
Thank you,
Mike Schreiner
Leader, Ontario Greens
GREEN PARTY OF ONTARIO | THE GREEN PLAN 1
The Green Plan Priorities
1. Homes not highways
° Freeze urban boundaries, build 1.5M homes and provide people with
more choices such as triplexes, fourplexes, and walk up apartments.
° Clamp down on speculation because homes are for people, not speculators.
° Invest $1B/year to build 182,000 affordable community rental homes, in-
cluding 60,000 supportive homes over the next decade.
2. Mental health is health
° Increase mental health spending to 10% of our health budget to include
mental health care under OHIP
° Increase funding for children’s mental health to reduce wait times to less
than 30 days.
° Decriminalise drug use to improve lives, lower costs and treat mental
health as a public health issue.
3. New Climate Economy
° Establish a transparent annual carbon budget to reach net zero by 2045.
° Electrify transportation, buildings and industry to crush pollution and lower
energy costs.
° Provide up to $15,000 in incentives for homeowners for energy retrofits
to help people save money by saving energy.
2 THE GREEN PLAN | GREEN PARTY OF ONTARIO
4. Respect for People
° Repeal Bill 124, pay PSWs, nurses and ECEs a fair wage and hire 33,000
nurses.
° Double the rates for Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP).
° Implement UNDRIP and act on the recommendations of the Truth and
Reconciliation Commission.
5. Reinvest in health and education
° Help people age in place with a $1.6B investment in home care.
° Support in-person learning and oppose any move toward mandatory
e-learning or hybrid learning models.
° Enhance affordability and access to post-secondary by converting loans
to grants for low and middle income post-secondary students.
6. Protect nature
° Permanently protect prime farmland, wetlands and conserve 30% of
nature by 2030.
° Provide $1B in funding for Indigenous climate leadership including Indige-
nous protected and conserved areas.
° Make infrastructure climate ready with a $2B adaptation fund for munic-
ipalities.
GREEN PARTY OF ONTARIO | THE GREEN PLAN 3
4 THE GREEN PLAN | GREEN PARTY OF ONTARIO
A Caring Society
Our plan emphasises the connections we all share.
It values the quality of life of all Ontarians.”
– Mike Schreiner, GPO Leader
The past two years have shown us just heroes, then let’s pay them that way. If we want
how much we rely on caring professions in to keep our hospitals stable, then let’s treat ill-
healthcare, education, and social services nesses before they become an emergency.
to get us through.
We offer solutions to make it easier for our el-
But neglect and half-measures from years of ders to age in place, with dignity and real sup-
successive governments have strained ser- port. Solutions that will replace the profit mo-
vices we rely on every day. tive in long-term care, with a real commitment
to give each resident the care they need.
Getting help when you need it should not
be this hard. Whether you’re a senior citizen And after two chaotic years inside and out-
waiting two years for a knee replacement or side of the classroom, students and teachers
a person with a disability trying to survive off need stability in the school system. We need
$1169 per month, the system is broken. to properly invest in our education systems –
from child care through post secondary.
The pandemic exposed the giant chasms in
our healthcare system, leaving our ICUs over- We have a lot of work ahead of us if we want
run and our elders dying alone. Stopping the to create a common future that is fair, just
bleeding will take more than a band-aid. and caring.
Our vision for Ontario is one that clearly states Ontario Greens offer a leadership approach
that mental health is health. Bringing mental that plans for the future by putting people
health services under OHIP will mean that and the planet above profit.
people can afford and can access the care
they need. Ontarians care for one another. Our vision
for Ontario is one where the government
Our vision puts the dignity of people ahead of does too.
private profits or government red tape. If we
are going to call nurses, PSWs and educators
GREEN PARTY OF ONTARIO | THE GREEN PLAN 5MENTAL HEALTH IS HEALTH
Mental health is such a critical issue that all parties
should be talking about. It was a crisis situation
before COVID-19, and the pandemic has only
made things worse.”
– Abhijeet Manay, GPO Deputy Leader
Almost half of Ontarians said their mental mental health plan, “Building a More Caring
health has worsened since the pandemic Ontario,” that lays out a strategy to make men-
began, and one in four Ontarians is current- tal health care more affordable, accessible
ly seeking help. The greatest barriers peo- and comprehensive so anyone in this prov-
ple face in receiving treatment are access ince can get the care they need when they
and affordability. need it.
But mental health is not a “nice to have,” it is We intend to expand OHIP to include regu-
a “need to have.” Decades of neglect from lated mental health care providers who are
successive governments has led to long wait presently out of reach for so many Ontarians.
times and inadequate funding and support. We will treat addiction as a mental health is-
Mental health touches all of our lives, and sue and expand treatment options for people
proper care should be available for everyone. with complex needs. We will create a mental
healthcare system that is affordable, accessi-
Ontario Greens introduced a comprehensive ble, comprehensive, and easy to navigate.
6 THE GREEN PLAN | GREEN PARTY OF ONTARIOIncrease access to publicly funded mental health care
• Make the investments needed to increase • Expand access to publicly funded mental
mental health spending to 10% of Ontario’s health and addiction treatment beds to
healthcare budget. reduce or eliminate the need for expen-
sive private care.
• Include mental health and addiction care
under OHIP by offering services provided • Fully integrate mental health and ad-
by psychotherapists, psychologists, social dictions services into expanded Family
workers, and other regulated professionals. Health Teams and walk-in clinics to im-
prove early intervention. Include mental
• Provide an immediate base budget in- health and substance use as part of reg-
crease of 8% to the community mental ular check-ups.
health sector to increase access to public-
ly funded care.
Create an accessible system with around-the-clock access
• Make investments to ensure core mental formation available to the public.
health and addiction services are avail-
able in all regions of Ontario so people • Invest in a 3 digit, 24/7 province-wide
can access care where they live. mental health crisis response line so call-
ers can be diverted from 911 and con-
• Establish clear pathways to navigate our nected to a more appropriate service.
mental health care system and trained
system navigators to connect people to • Invest in the creation and expansion of
appropriate treatment and services. 24/7 mental health focused mobile crisis
response teams, crisis centres, rapid access
• Implement a wait time reduction strategy addiction medicine clinics, and short-term
for mental health services that sets tar- residential beds across the province.
gets, tracks wait times, and makes the in-
Improve access to care for children, youth, and students
• Reduce wait times to 30 days or less for issues such as mental wellness, coping
children and youth by investing in front- skills, and stress management.
line mental health care workers.
• Replicate networks such as the Guelph
• Invest in expanding services for youth and Wellington County ACEs Coalition
who face service gaps as they age out of province-wide to increase programming
the youth system of care. available to prevent the effects of adverse
childhood experiences.
• Make the appropriate investments so stu-
dents can easily connect to community • Invest in Youth Wellness Hubs province-wide
mental health professionals at or near pri- as a one-stop shop for employment, health,
mary and secondary schools. education, recreation and housing support.
Our goal should be to have at least one in
• Ensure that mental health, wellness and each community across Ontario.
resiliency training are included across
the entire education system. Implement • Expand the Centre for Innovation in Cam-
a comprehensive curriculum that covers pus Mental Health and increase funding for
GREEN PARTY OF ONTARIO | THE GREEN PLAN 7peer-to-peer programming, frontline coun- to support well-being and resilience.
selling, harm reduction tools, and training
Treat mental health and addiction as a public health issue
• Work with the federal government to fast- are experiencing a mental health or sub-
track the decriminalisation of drugs and stance related crisis.
reallocate funding from the justice system
to mental health care services. • Coordinate with public health units to col-
lect and release data on the overdose ep-
• Establish mental health-focused crisis idemic, including detailed data on non-fa-
response teams in communities across tal and fatal drug poisonings.
Ontario to be deployed when people
Expand support for addiction care
• Take a Housing First approach and build people with lived experience as part of
60,000 permanent supportive housing the Mental Health and Addictions Centre
spaces with wrap-around services, and of Excellence.
dedicate 10% of those homes to people
with complex care needs. • Declare the opioid crisis a public health
emergency to free up funds and provide
• Increase the number of consumption and focused, coordinated government lead-
treatment sites throughout the province ership to combat the crisis.
and expand the availability of harm re-
duction programs, including safe supply. • Expand the distribution of naloxone kits.
• Integrate paid peer support workers with • Reboot the Ontario Emergency Opioid
lived experience into the planning and or- Task Force to address the urgency and
ganisation of all substance use program- complexity of the drug poisoning crisis.
ming, and create a significant role for
Expand care options for people with complex needs
• Define standards of care for common and • Recognize suicide as a public health prior-
complex mental health and addiction ser- ity and invest in evidence-based preven-
vices to be used across the province. tion strategies that support the individual
needs of people, including Indigenous
• Conduct a needs assessment for acute and and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.
community-based mental health and ad-
diction services by region, and make invest- • Support programs and services that
ments in acute care beds as needed. take an intersectional approach to meet
the needs of all people, including those
• Expand specialist community mental with disabilities, the 2SLGBTQIA+ com-
health services and acute care capacity munity, women, Black, Indigenous, and
for people with eating disorders. racialized people, and those with hous-
ing insecurity.
8 THE GREEN PLAN | GREEN PARTY OF ONTARIOHEALTH THROUGH A PREVENTATIVE LENS
A focus on preventing illness will provide healthy
outcomes and quality care at the lowest cost to the
public purse. “
– Marlene Spruyt, GPO candidate and retired Medical Officer of Health
As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is We are now facing a backlog for care, with
worth a pound of cure. thousands of people still waiting for health
care, support and services. It’s even more
While other parties wait for every crisis to challenging for rural, remote and Northern
reach a boiling point, our vision is to try to communities, where there were staffing short-
solve problems at their source. ages even before the pandemic.
When it comes to healthcare, this means help- With surgery backlogs and an understaffed
ing people to access healthy food and a place sector, now is the time to expand a publicly
to call home. It’s also about early detection and funded, publicly delivered healthcare system
treatment of illnesses in community clinics rath- that is equitable, accessible, and comprehen-
er than the hallway of a hospital. Most impor- sive – for all Ontarians.
tantly, it’s a plan to respect nurses, PSWs and
other healthcare workers to retain these profes-
sionals rather than burning them out.
GREEN PARTY OF ONTARIO | THE GREEN PLAN 9Prioritise prevention in our healthcare system
• Partner with the federal government to im- • Support and promote healthy behaviours
plement a universal dental care program. to prevent disease and reduce risk fac-
tors such as poor nutrition and smoking.
• Partner with the federal government to im- These early investments will lead to better
plement a universal pharmacare program. long-term health outcomes and reduce
As an interim measure, publicly fund take- stress on the system.
home cancer and rare disease medications.
• Improve environmental determinants of
• Increase upstream investments in the so- health by prioritising clean air, clean wa-
cial determinants of health, such as social ter, and access to healthy local food in
isolation, housing insecurity, and poverty all communities.
to prevent substantial, long-term health-
care costs and severe disease.
Create a robust system of primary care
• Support a publicly funded, publicly deliv- non-urgent 24/7 care.
ered healthcare system and oppose fur-
ther privatisation of care. • Improve integration and connectivi-
ty across healthcare service providers
• Expand access to family health teams in through the use of digital data sharing
communities across the province and and patient health coordinators.
increase opportunities for physicians to
join team-based models of care. Include • Improve diagnosis and OHIP-covered
a diverse array of healthcare providers in care for rare diseases, including but not
the teams to ensure a holistic, connected, limited to lyme disease, long-COVID, and
comprehensive approach to health. chronic pain disorders.
• Increase options for primary care, such as • Increase funding for and access to mid-
community health centres and nurse-prac- wives and other community perinatal care
titioner-led clinics, to ensure access to services across Ontario.
Invest in healthcare workers
• Establish a nurse-led task force to make rec- ber of trained nurse practitioners by 50%
ommendations on matters related to the by 2030 to enable us to meet our target of
recruitment, retention and safety of nurses. at least 30,000 additional nurses.
• Immediately repeal Bill 124 and the prob- • Support certification upgrades for health-
lematic sections of Bill 106 and allow all care workers through expanded bridging
healthcare workers to bargain collectively programs at publicly funded post-sec-
for fair wages. Until then, provide a min- ondary institutions.
imum hourly wage of $35 to registered
practical nurses and $25 to personal sup- • Fast-track credential approvals for 15,000
port workers. international healthcare workers, including
nurses and personal support workers.
• Increase nursing program enrollments by
10% every year for 7 years and the num- • Guarantee access to the most appropri-
10 THE GREEN PLAN | GREEN PARTY OF ONTARIOate safety equipment in all healthcare fa- nous healthcare workers through great-
cilities, and use the precautionary princi- er mentorship opportunities, partner-
ple when protecting workers. ships with allies, and equitable human
resources processes.
• Provide support for Black and Indige-
Support strong hospitals
• Increase year-over-year hospital base op- growth areas.
erating funding to a minimum of 5%.
• Expand funding to build additional hos-
• Work with the federal government to pro- pice residences and fund all critical costs
vide surge funding to reduce the backlog related to palliative care, including sup-
in surgeries, imaging, and other services. port for grief and bereavement services.
• Invest in new and expanded hospi- • Increase annual in-home palliative care
tals as needed to meet demand in high funding.
Protect Public Health
• Conduct an independent public inqui- • Enhance the ability of Public Health On-
ry into the Government of Ontario’s re- tario to carry out its mandate by ensuring
sponse to the COVID-19 pandemic that robust public health science and labora-
will offer recommendations on preventa- tory support.
tive measures to reduce harm in the case
of future health crises. • Provide adequate and predictable funding
to ensure future pandemic preparedness.
• Designate the Chief Medical Officer of
Health as an independent officer of the • Stockpile three months’ supply of person-
legislature in a watchdog role compara- al protective equipment for all healthcare
ble to that of provincial auditors, with an- facilities in the province.
nual publicly available reporting.
Fulfill remote and rural healthcare needs
• Rebalance the healthcare funding formu- titioners as primary health care providers,
la to ensure better access in rural and re- especially in areas that lack primary care
mote areas. options.
• Make permanent the 50 community well- • Use incentives to bring physicians and al-
ness nursing positions supporting First lied health professionals to Northern and
Nations communities. rural communities.
• Invest in increasing the number of Indige- • Create opportunities for specialist and
nous-led health clinics. subspecialist trainees to undertake elec-
tives and core rotations in the North.
• Expand the roles and scope of nurse prac-
GREEN PARTY OF ONTARIO | THE GREEN PLAN 11Build a more equitable healthcare system
• Immediately strike a task force to devel- • Improve the availability of supports and
op policies and initiatives that address services in other languages, including
the adverse effects of racism, homopho- French and Indigenous languages, and
bia, and transphobia on peoples’ mental encourage service providers and pro-
health and the barriers they face to ac- grams to reflect the experiences and per-
cessing healthcare. spectives of the populations they serve.
• Provide cultural responsiveness training • Mandate and fund the collection and
for all healthcare professionals across our meaningful use of socio-demograph-
system that is trauma-informed and root- ic and race-based data to identify and
ed in equity and anti-racism. correct inequities in provided care and
health outcomes.
• Increase core funding for communi-
ty-based, grassroots mental and physical • Expand the number of and fully fund wom-
health supports in racialized, newcomer, en’s health clinics and abortion clinics
and other communities that have tradi- in Ontario.
tionally been underserved.
12 THE GREEN PLAN | GREEN PARTY OF ONTARIOCARE FOR ELDERS
The government failed to keep long-term care
residents safe during the pandemic. A bad
situation was made worse by a government that
failed to act.”
– Carla Johnson, GPO candidate
The recent census showed that, in the next to shareholders in the first three quarters of
few years, one in five people in this country 2020 while receiving $138.5 million in pan-
will be over the age of sixty-five. Many of us demic funding.2
will live into our eighties. We need to bring
support and care into our communities where Those who built this province deserve to age
the majority of people prefer to age in place – with dignity. Let’s replace the profit motive
enjoying daily life within our homes. with a real commitment to give each resident
the care they need.
In Canada, long-term care residents made up
81% of all reported COVID-19 deaths com- We have a plan to improve care in long term
pared to an average of 38% in other coun- care and ensure that our elders are not treat-
tries.1 The Toronto Star reported in December ed as just another revenue stream by private
2021 that for-profit long-term care opera- investors. We must do better.
tors paid nearly $171 million in dividends
1 https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0262807
2 https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2020/12/26/big-for-profit-long-term-care-companies-paid-out-more-than-170-mil-
lion-to-investors-through-ontarios-deadly-first-wave.html
GREEN PARTY OF ONTARIO | THE GREEN PLAN 13Build more non-profit long-term care beds
• Build 55,000 long-term care beds by • Create more Indigenous-led long-term
2033 and at least 96,000 by 2041 to meet care homes and allocate a portion of the
growing demand. new beds to these homes.
Create an accountable, nonprofit long-term care system
• Increase base funding for long-term care vance notice, and ensure homes with infrac-
by 10% tions face the legislated consequences.
• Phase out for-profit long-term care and • Transfer regulatory oversight of retirement
stop licensing new for-profit homes. homes to the Ministry of Long-Term Care.
• Repeal Bill 218, which shields long-term • Create a system of formal oversight for long-
care owners and operators from liability term care Medical Directors working with
for negligence. the Ontario College of Physicians and Sur-
geons and the Ontario Medical Association.
• Reinstate annual comprehensive inspec-
tions of long-term care homes without ad-
Improve resident care
• Legislate staffing in long-term care facilities to allied health professionals, such as di-
to include a minimum of one nurse prac- eticians, physiotherapists, occupational
titioner for every 120 residents and a staff therapists, and social workers, to a mini-
composition that includes 20% registered mum of one hour per day.
nurses, 25% registered practical nurses,
and 55% personal support workers. • Mandate continued professional devel-
opment for staff on geriatric care, practic-
• Mandate a minimum of four hours of nurs- es for caring for residents with dementia,
ing and personal care per resident per and palliative and end-of-life care.
day, including a minimum of 48 minutes
of care provided by a registered nurse • Fast-track updated staffing plans and en-
and 60 minutes provided by a registered sure consistency of care by requiring full-
practical nurse. time personal support workers and nurs-
ing positions.
• Increase long-term care resident access
Prepare for future infectious disease outbreaks
• Prioritise licence proposals for small, com- • Recognise that essential caregivers play a
munity-based long-term care homes. critical role in residents’ health and well-
being, and ensure they can safely access
• Update design standards to improve out- their loved ones during prolonged infec-
break management of infectious diseases. tious disease emergencies.
• Stop contracting out food, housekeeping • Define the respective roles of the Ministry
and laundry services. of Health and the Ministry of Long-Term
14 THE GREEN PLAN | GREEN PARTY OF ONTARIOCare in addressing health emergencies, residents is reflected in any provincial
and ensure the safety of long-term care emergency plan.
Expand options for holistic care
• Better integrate long-term care, home- • Amend the Residents’ Bill of Rights to align
care, and caregiver services within the with the prohibited grounds for discrimina-
healthcare system to properly provide for tion in the Ontario Human Rights Code.
the complex needs of residents.
• Amend the Residents’ Bill of Rights by add-
• Implement an expanded choice, pa- ing the right of residents to have accom-
tient-centred long-term care framework that modations made for themselves and their
focuses on a continuum of care for seniors. spouse or life partner so they can continue
to live together in long-term care.
• Strengthen obligations for long-term care
licensees to respect and recognise resi- • Prioritise healthy, quality local food as an im-
dents’ gender identity, as well as their social, portant component of resident wellbeing.
cultural, spiritual, and language care needs.
Improve home care
• Increase funding to home care services are paid a minimum of $25 an hour and for
by 20% so that people can safely stay in their travel time between visits.
their homes longer.
• Increase high-quality homecare options
• Create a standard basket of core homecare for those experiencing frailty, dementia,
services that providers must make consis- and disability.
tently available across the province.
• Collect meaningful quality indicators to
• Shift to entirely nonprofit homecare pro- hold homecare organisations account-
viders within the public system. able and to promote quality improve-
ments.
• Provide team coordinators as a single ac-
cess point within family health teams to en- • Pilot a support program as part of a basic
sure care is consistent with patient needs. income phase-in for those doing unpaid
caregiving in families and communities.
• Mandate that personal support workers
Expand options to age in place
• Make it easier for seniors to live togeth- play an important role in encouraging
er by streamlining and simplifying the community connections and reducing
approvals process for cohousing and isolation for elders.
coliving developments. Repeal laws that
would prohibit or create barriers to co- • Create incentives for retrofitting homes to
housing and coliving. make them safer and easier to age in place.
• Increase support for community centres
and neighbourhood coalitions, which
GREEN PARTY OF ONTARIO | THE GREEN PLAN 15LIFELONG LEARNING
After two chaotic years inside and outside of
the classroom, students and teachers need the
government to bring stability to the school system
and get back to high-quality, in-person education.”
– Matt Richter, GPO candidate
Learning is one of the great joys of living. For the Green Party, building a modern, more
We should all have access to education and equitable education system is a must. Prop-
training that suits our abilities and interests. erly funding our educational support workers
Our lifelong learning curve should not be cut and retaining strong and committed teachers
short by unnecessary obstacles. A 21st cen- is paramount.
tury educational system needs to keep pace
with the changes and requirements of a soci- Investments in education are important for
ety in transition. the health, wellbeing, and success of kids and
young people now and for the future.
We need new funding models and clear, af-
fordable pathways to higher education.
16 THE GREEN PLAN | GREEN PARTY OF ONTARIOImprove funding models for education
• Establish an independent review of On- • Address the repair backlog for Ontario
tario’s education funding formula so it public schools.
adequately reflects student needs, and
review the formula every five years. • Allocate funds to ensure schools are able
to comply with the Accessibility for Ontar-
• Ensure the updated formula includes ad- ians with Disabilities Act (AODA).
equate funding for ESL grants, special ed-
ucation assistants, counsellors, and other • Provide funding for schools to make energy
specific supports to provide equitable ac- efficiency and ventilation improvements.
cess to learning and school activities for • Make funding available so that schools
all students. can buy zero emission electric school
• Ensure the updated funding formula takes buses to replace retired diesel buses.
into account the unique needs of remote
and rural schools.
Strengthen in-school learning
• Support in-person learning and oppose reduce prescribed student outcomes.
any move toward mandatory e-learning
or hybrid learning models. • Increase funding for enhanced outdoor
education, greenspace in school yards,
• Cap grades 4 to 8 class sizes at 24 stu- and enhanced curriculum content on crit-
dents at most and kindergarten at 26 stu- ical environmental topics such as food lit-
dents at most. eracy and climate change.
• Eliminate the EQAO standardised testing • Implement a province-wide nutritious
and update the elementary curriculum to school lunch program.
Make equity a pillar of public education
• Address racism in schools with mandato- • Establish clearly visible all-gender wash-
ry collection and reporting of race-based rooms and update school communications
data for student, teacher and staff popu- to become more gender inclusive, recog-
lations, as well as implementing standard nising that gender exists on a spectrum.
procedures around the reporting of inci-
dents of racism. • Update the curriculum to include in-
formed discussions of anti-Black racism,
• Work with school boards to ensure re- 2SLGBTQIA+ prejudice, and all forms of
cruitment and retention practices for staff discrimination across subject areas.
are transparent and reflect the diversity of
Ontario’s population and ensure cultural- • Restore funding for the Indigenous curricu-
ly relevant and responsive programming lum program and work with Indigenous ed-
is included in mandatory staff training. ucators and community leaders to develop
a mandatory curriculum on colonialism and
• End streaming in our education system to residential schools, treaties, and Indigenous
ensure equity for all students. histories and experiences.
• Immediately remove all Resource Officers
from Ontario schools.
GREEN PARTY OF ONTARIO | THE GREEN PLAN 17Support children with disabilities
• Address the growing waitlist for Ontario dards and a funding model to provide
Autism Program (OAP) core services by supports and services for autistic people
building the capacity of autism providers, of all ages.
and fund the OAP to bring families into
the program as rapidly as possible. • Provide educators multi-discipline train-
ing to help them address student sensory
• Fund OAP increases every year as inflation and behavioural issues and adopt teach-
and the number of children registered in ing strategies that support students with a
the program increases. wide spectrum of accommodation needs.
• Establish an ultimate wait time benchmark • Build on the work done with the OAP to-
for diagnosis and access to core services ward a new Ontario Disability Support
once registered in the program. Program that would provide funding for
therapeutic and respite services and sup-
• Work with the federal Government and ports for people with all disabilities, be-
other provinces in the development of a ginning with children and youth.
National Autism Strategy to develop stan-
Improve access to and equity in post-secondary education
• Immediately reverse the Ford govern- • Ensure consistent and fair labour stan-
ment’s cuts to OSAP by converting loans dards and working conditions for all fac-
to grants for low and middle income stu- ulty, including contract faculty. Remove
dents and eliminating interest charges on wage constraints and pay equal wages for
student debt. equal work.
• Index the base operating grant for On- • Develop province-wide, culturally rel-
tario’s post-secondary institutions to the evant, trauma-informed and survi-
weighted national average, followed by vor-centric standards for sexual and gen-
inflationary increases year toyear. der-based violence on post-secondary
campuses in consultation with experts,
• Replace the faulty performance-based frontline workers, students and survivors.
university funding model and restore
the more stable and equitable enrol-
ment-based funding model.
18 THE GREEN PLAN | GREEN PARTY OF ONTARIOSarah Chaudhary Canoeing on Biggar Lake
TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION
As Leader of the Ontario Greens, I commit to
upholding Indigenous rights to self-determination,
and to act with real respect for treaty obligations.”
– Mike Schreiner, Leader, Green Party of Ontario
We need meaningful action toward reconciliation. Our plan seeks to acknowledge the reality of
Indigenous people in Ontario, including the
The government has a legal and moral obli- understanding that centuries of colonialism
gation to work with Indigenous communities – and broken promises have made building
with full partnership, participation, and respect. trust difficult.
Reconciliation with Indigenous communities is We want to see the province come to the table
essential and includes acknowledging the role with funding for Indigenous-led initiatives in cli-
of traditional knowledge and systems. A key mate leadership, healthcare and housing.
step in this direction will be to implement the
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of In-
digenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
GREEN PARTY OF ONTARIO | THE GREEN PLAN 19Work in partnership with Indigenous communities
• Implement UNDRIP to ensure equity for • Recognise and integrate Indigenous laws
Indigenous peoples. and legal traditions in the negotiation and
implementation processes involving trea-
• Establish true nation-to-nation relation- ties, land claims, and other constructive
ships with Indigenous peoples. agreements.
• Recognise First Nations’ right to self-de- • Support Indigenous land defenders in as-
termination and establish a co-manage- serting their treaty rights and actions taken
ment stewardship model for the devel- to confront threats to their traditional lands.
opment of provincial resources with fair
revenue sharing.
Address the legacy of colonialism and residential schools
• Work with the federal government to and Reconciliation to identify, collect, and
implement the recommendations of the provide copies of all records relevant to
Truth and Reconciliation Commission. the history and legacy of the residential
school system in Ontario.
• Make the National Day for Truth and Rec-
onciliation a statutory holiday. • Reform child welfare and protection ser-
vices to address the overrepresentation
• Restore funding for the Indigenous curric- of Indigenous children in provincial care
ulum program and work with Indigenous by ensuring Indigenous communities are
educators and community leaders to de- served by Indigenous-led providers. Pro-
velop a mandatory curriculum on colo- duce annual reports on the number and
nialism and residential schools, treaties, proportion of Indigenous children who
and Indigenous histories and experiences. are in care.
• Work with the National Centre for Truth
Fix the healthcare gap
• Work with the federal government and support teams, and support suicide-pre-
Indigenous communities to identify and vention training.
close the gap in health outcomes be-
tween Indigenous and non-Indigenous • Provide properly funded Indigenous-led
communities. supports for survivors of residential
school trauma.
• Increase the number of Indigenous pro-
fessionals working in healthcare through • Publish annual progress reports and as-
training and mentorship opportunities sess long-term trends and indicators in ar-
and ensure their retention in Indigenous eas such as suicide, mental health, chron-
communities, particularly in northern and ic diseases, and availability of appropriate
remote communities. health services to ensure equity in access
to care.
• Increase the number of Indigenous-led
health centres, youth programming, crisis
20 THE GREEN PLAN | GREEN PARTY OF ONTARIOFund an Indigenous-led housing strategy
• Fund 22,000 Indigenous-owned and op- be led by Indigenous communities to cre-
erated permanent homes under an Urban ate homes for Indigenous peoples living
and Rural Indigenous Housing Strategy. in Ontario.
The strategy and implementation would
Support community rights to a healthy environment
• Work with the federal government to im- • Restore provincial funding for source wa-
mediately end all boil water advisories. ter protection and expand drinking water
source protection to Northern, remote
• Work to repair the damage at Grassy Nar- and Indigenous communities.
rows and Wabaseemoong;
• Provide adequate funding and training
° Pursue government commitments opportunities for a First Nations Water
to clean up mercury contamination Authority to own and operate their own
and ensure free, informed and prior water and wastewater utilities to work to-
consent for Grassy Narrows, Waba- ward finally ending boil water advisories.
seemoong communities, and all other
Indigenous communities for future in- • Recognize and provide $1B in fund-
dustrial decisions; ing for Indigenous-protected and con-
served areas, in which Indigenous
° Provide evidence-based assessments governments play the primary role in
in line with the recommendations protecting and conserving ecosystems
from the Mercury Disability Board Ex- through Indigenous laws, governance
pert Panel to ensure fair compensa- and knowledge systems.
tion is received by those who qualify.
GREEN PARTY OF ONTARIO | THE GREEN PLAN 21AN EQUITABLE ONTARIO
We have a lot of work to do to build the Ontario
we want, where your gender or the colour of your
skin does not create barriers to the quality of life
you want to live.”
– Nira Dookeran, GPO candidate
We’ve made tremendous strides, but there is scious bias and overt racism, gender based
still work to be done to make Ontario a place gaps in pay and opportunity, and neglect of
where everyone belongs. Still today, racial- those that must deal with physical and neuro-
ized communities, women, 2SLGBTQIA+ in- diverse challenges.
dividuals, and people with disabilities face
disproportionately more barriers in accessing Ontario Greens are committed to building a
quality health care, economic opportunities, more accessible and equitable Ontario. We have
and within the justice system. Inequity has a lot of work ahead of us if we want to create a
many faces. It comes in the form of uncon- common future that is fair, just and caring.
22 THE GREEN PLAN | GREEN PARTY OF ONTARIOImprove quality of life for people living with a disability
• Double Ontario Disability Support Pro- is accessible, and require affordable hous-
gram (ODSP) rates as a first step to im- ing retrofits to meet the same standards.
plementing a Basic Income, and tie future
increases to inflation. • Review all Ontario laws for accessibility
barriers and ensure that all future funding
• Evaluate and improve the Assistive Devic- and policy choices are made through an
es Program to better meet the needs of accessibility lens.
those requiring assistive tools, including
more up-to-date devices, training, and • Update, improve and implement the Ac-
fewer barriers to access. cessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities
Act as quickly as possible.
• Ensure that new affordable housing stock
Prioritise gender equity
• Work with the federal government to en- • Require that public corporations’ boards
sure continued funding for universal ac- and executive level positions have an ad-
cess to high-quality, $10-a-day childcare equate proportion of women represent-
in all communities so women have more ed, with a goal to achieve gender parity.
opportunity to re-enter the workforce.
• Apply a gender-based analysis to all gov-
• Provide Early Childcare Educators, more ernment legislation and programming to
than 95% of whom are women, with a fair advise on how gender equity can be bet-
wage of at least $25 per hour. ter achieved.
• Immediately revoke Bill 124 to allow • Support survivors of gender-based vio-
healthcare workers, including nurses lence by increasing funding for Sexual As-
(91% of whom are women), to negotiate sault Centres, emergency shelters, transi-
fairly for the wage increases they deserve. tional housing, and legal supports.
• Implement the Pay Transparency Act.
Fight to eradicate systemic racism
• Fully fund the Anti-Racism Directorate, re- the way we address Islamophobia in Ontario.
versing the recent cuts.
• Ensure Indigenous communities are
• Require anti-racism and anti-oppression served by Indigenous-led child welfare
training for all public sector employees providers to address the overrepresen-
and legislators. tation of Indigenous children in provin-
cial care.
• Require the Ontario Public Service to
commit to eliminate racism and discrim- • Address the overrepresentation of Black
ination, conduct random external audits, children in provincial care by the devel-
data collection and reporting, and estab- opment of frameworks to provide cul-
lish a safe harassment and discrimination turally appropriate services to Black chil-
reporting system for staff. dren, youth and families. Identify and
address existing standards and structures
• Pass the Our London Family Act to change that continue to harm Black families.
GREEN PARTY OF ONTARIO | THE GREEN PLAN 23• Provide annual reports on the number independent office to investigate claims
and proportion of Black and Indigenous of unfair treatment by case workers called
children who are in care, and establish an in to assess a child’s circumstances.
Support and improve rights for 2SLGBTQIA+ communities
• Create a comprehensive strategy to der affirming procedures and transition
ensure equitable, inclusive and affirm- medications.
ing access to care and treatment for
2SLGBTQIA+ communities within our • Dedicate resources and funding to direct-
healthcare system and long-term care. ly support 2SLGBTQIA+ youth groups.
• Expand and improve access to provin- • Mandate standards to have safe, acces-
cially funded healthcare services for sible, all-gender washrooms in all public
2SLGBTQIA+ Ontarians, including gen- spaces in Ontario.
Address discrimination in our justice system
• Ban the practice of carding and delete ex- line and health-focused crisis response
isting data that has been collected from teams to respond to mental health and sub-
carding in the past. stance related calls.
• Reform the Special Investigation Unit to • Ensure that court mental health workers
ensure transparency and justice for ra- are available in all regions of Ontario to
cialised individuals who are victims of vi- divert more individuals living with a men-
olence and discrimination at the hands of tal health issue and/or substance use con-
law enforcement. cern out of the justice system and into
mental health and addictions services
• Acknowledge and commit to address- and supports.
ing the disproportionately violent and
discriminatory law enforcement ex- • Restore adequate funding to Legal Aid by
perienced by Indigenous, Black and boosting their base budget and develop
racialised people. a long-term, structurally stable funding
plan.
• Decriminalise drug use, expand safe con-
sumption sites, and shift funding from the • Immediately appoint more full-time, qual-
justice system to healthcare. ified, and competent adjudicators to the
Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario to en-
• Develop a 3 digit dedicated crisis response sure timely and effective case hearings.
Equity through language access
• Ensure that interpreters, translators, or • Provide tools for nonprofits to have french
multilingual written materials are avail- language resources.
able in publicly funded services. Improve
awareness of their availability. • Create incentives to increase the number
of french-speaking individuals in teachers
• Ensure all government announcements college programs.
are signed in both ASL and LSQ.
24 THE GREEN PLAN | GREEN PARTY OF ONTARIORESPECT WORKERS AND INCREASE
ECONOMIC SECURITY
We can’t afford to wait to treat workers with the
respect they deserve, including paid sick days and
fair wages.”
– Syam Chandra, GPO candidate
The pandemic has reminded us who keeps We’re also on the cusp of a major transforma-
our cities running during dark times. De- tion in the world of work. The rising number
cent wages, paid sick days and safe work- of people in the gig economy deserve the
places must be the standard, especially as same rights and protections as other workers.
life is getting less and less affordable for
people in Ontario. Ontario Greens believe in treating people
with dignity and fairness. This is one reason
We can’t afford to wait to treat workers with we support immediate increases in social as-
the respect they deserve, including paid sick sistance as the first step towards a Basic In-
days and fair wages. come Guarantee that will provide economic
security and resilience.
GREEN PARTY OF ONTARIO | THE GREEN PLAN 25Improve workers’ rights and wages
• Increase the floor of the minimum wage • Provide all workers with full and equal ac-
each year by $1, starting at $16 in 2022, cess to employment rights and benefits
with a top-up in cities where the cost of programs like EI, CPP, and WSIB, as well
living is higher. as equal pay for equal work, regardless
of whether the employee is permanent,
• Increase the number of provincially-legis- part-time, temporary, or casual.
lated paid sick days from three to ten, and
provide small businesses financial sup- • Immediately end the practice of deeming
port to fund the program. whereby the Workplace Safety and Insur-
ance Board (WSIB) unfairly cuts benefits
• Ban employers from requiring a sick note for workers.
from a medical practitioner when an em-
ployee is ill. • Review the Pension Benefits Act to ensure
100% coverage of defined benefit pensions
• Restore and improve workers’ rights to by the Pension Benefit Guarantee Fund in
collective bargaining and immediately re- an involuntary pension plan wind up.
peal Bill 124 and the problematic sections
of Bill 106.
Strengthen rights and protections for gig and temp workers
• Implement a “Gig Workers’ Bill of Rights,” ° Make gig work count towards Perma-
including, but not limited to, the following: nent Residency applications.
° To protect gig workers and end the • Close the loopholes that can lead to pre-
misclassification of employees, enact carious work, including stricter regula-
a presumption of employee status tions relating to the temp agency industry.
and the ABC test under the Employ-
ment Standards Act. ° Mandate that temp agency workers
earn the same as directly hired work-
° Ensure payment for all hours of work, ers when they do the same work, and
from app sign-in until sign-out, with a that temp workers must become full
clear and concise breakdown of how hired employees after three months.
pay is calculated.
• Develop a program of portable extended
° Ensure gig workers real wages are not health benefits for workers in the gig econ-
reduced below the minimum wage by omy, retail and hospitality sectors that is
compensating for necessary work re- tied to the employee even if they were to
lated expenses. change employment.
Measure economic progress and wellbeing with evidence-based data
• Replace the GDP as the key metric of gov- and people’s quality of life. This system
ernment success with an Index of Wellbe- will help to inform government spending
ing to better measure societal progress, and programming.
economic and environmental wellbeing,
26 THE GREEN PLAN | GREEN PARTY OF ONTARIOImplement a Basic Income and end poverty
• Phase in a Basic Income, with the first step and services aimed at client-centred ap-
being to double ODSP and OW rates and proaches for reducing poverty.
reduce aggressive clawbacks.
• Annually report disaggregated data on
° Eliminate any unnecessary red tape, the proportion of the population that ex-
reporting requirements, and other periences chronic homelessness, unmet
barriers typically faced by those need- health needs, food insecurity, lack of liter-
ing financial support. acy, and low-paid work.
° Maintain all existing supplementary • Prohibit “payday” lending that takes
supports that are available with cur- advantage of those facing financial
rent income assistance programs. hardship as a violation of anti-rack-
eteering laws, and work with credit
• Include meaningful consultation with
unions to develop a low-cost, small
people who have lived experience with
poverty and existing social assistance
loan alternative to help people get out
programs in the design of all programs of debt.
GREEN PARTY OF ONTARIO | THE GREEN PLAN 2728 THE GREEN PLAN | GREEN PARTY OF ONTARIO
Connected Communities
We believe in creating vibrant neighbourhoods
where we can live, work and play. It’s time to stop
Ontario’s expensive pro-sprawl, anti-climate agenda.”
– Mike Schreiner, Leader, Green Party of Ontario
Thriving communities are places where there within 15 minutes of home, because less
are a mix of homes people can afford near time commuting means more time for family
transit, amenities and parks. and friends.
Unfortunately, the affordability crisis means It just so happens that building dense, mixed-
that finding an affordable home to rent or use connected communities is also the best
buy is pushing us further and further away thing we can do for the environment, as it
and forcing us into long, soul-crushing com- cuts down on car pollution and spares our
mutes. It’s also turning homeownership into a natural areas from more urban sprawl. Our
pipedream for most Ontarians. Greens have vision is one of bustling main streets, bike
a bold plan that the Toronto Star called a lanes, urban gardens, electric buses, conve-
“master class in housing policy,” and it begins nient EV charging spots, walkable streets, and
with cracking down on land speculators driv- so much more.
ing up housing prices.
We’ll also deliver on the urgent needs that
Past governments watched the problem get rural and Northern communities have been
worse, but we have a plan to unlock solutions waiting for - like high-speed Internet across
like triplexes, fourplexes and midrise apart- rural Ontario and passenger rail service to
ments, and to restore protections for renters. Northern Ontario.
We will work with nonprofits to build 182,000
affordable community housing rental homes Where we live, work, and play all combine to
because everybody deserves a roof over affect quality of life. Our vision is to create liv-
their head. able, affordable and connected communities.
Community is more than a home - it’s the And we have a plan to do this that won’t sacri-
streets, parks, workplaces, schools, and shops fice our environment or our health, and won’t
that give communities their spirit and iden- create policies that line the pockets of land
tity. Our goal is to build communities where speculators at the expense of building great
we can access work, services and recreation housing and communities for people.
GREEN PARTY OF ONTARIO | THE GREEN PLAN 29You can also read
