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Government of Canada provides funding to Hamilton to ease temporary housing pressures

The Government of Canada is providing the City of Hamilton with $220,000 as a result of recent costs incurred by the city in providing interim housing to asylum claimants.

Like many other countries, Canada is experiencing a rise in the number of people claiming asylum. Temporary housing has been a key challenge for many provinces and municipalities, as the demand for shelter space has increased, due to asylum claimants seeking Canada’s protection.

Ontario to seek input on improving the child welfare system

Ontario wants every child and young person to be supported to succeed, and to thrive. The child welfare system is facing challenges - not all children, youth and families are getting the quality of support they deserve, and some children are struggling once they leave care.

Today the Associate Minister of Children and Women’s Issues, announced the launch of an engagement with youth, families, caregivers, frontline workers and child welfare sector leaders to strengthen the child welfare system for children and youth.

Challenges the system is facing include:

No Fundamental Changes to Average Class Sizes for 2019-20 School Year

Ontario's government is taking action to provide students and their families with predictability for the upcoming school year by introducing modest changes to current class sizes. The Minister of Education, was joined by the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Education, the MPP for Scarborough-Rouge Park, and the MPP for Scarborough Centre today to host a parent and educator roundtable ahead of the new school year.

Amendments to Ontario's class size regulation are being made for the 2019-20 school year to reflect up to:

The Ontario government has released the revised elementary Health and Physical Education (HPE) curriculum

The Ontario government has released the revised elementary Health and Physical Education (HPE) curriculum. It is now available online, along with a parent-friendly resource on what children will learn in each grade.

Following the province's largest consultation on education, the elementary Health and Physical Education curriculum has been updated to reflect public feedback, research and advice from experts.

Ontario Bringing Key Health Services Together Under One Roof in the Ottawa Region

The Government of Ontario is investing in new, innovative models to create a better care experience for patients and to build more capacity within the health care system to help end hallway health care.

Canada recognizes the extension of validity of Venezuelan passports

Canada recognizes the decree published by the Venezuelan National Assembly on June 7, 2019, regarding the validity of expired Venezuelan passports.

Venezuelan passport holders wanting to travel to or stay in Canada can now continue to use their passport if it expired less than 5 years ago or will soon expire.

Venezuelans can use these passports to apply for a visitor visa, a study or work permit, or permanent residence or to extend their stay in Canada.

Applicants must meet all eligibility and entry requirements to travel to and stay in Canada.

Ontario Protecting Access to Affordable Legal Representation

The Ontario government is proactively working with the Law Society of Ontario to establish a program that will ensure the federal government's Bill C-75 does not restrict paralegals, lawyer licensing candidates or law students from providing legal representation to people charged with summary conviction offences.

Ontario to consult on regulation of behavioural clinicians who provide autism therapy

Ontario is putting children, youth and vulnerable people first by strengthening the oversight of behavioural clinicians who provide Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), a therapy that primarily supports people with autism. As recommended by experts and supported by families, regulation of ABA behavioural clinicians will set standard expectations for quality therapy across the province. Consultations on how best to implement regulation are set to begin this fall.

Ontario Improving Access to Timely Care for Patients in Crisis

In emergency departments across the province, people in crisis are placed under police supervision, often for up to eight hours, until they are admitted under the guidelines set out by the Mental Health Act. Not only can police presence in a hospital be distressing for some patients, police officers are frontline resources that can be better used in their communities, serving the public and not waiting in hospitals. That's why Ontario is encouraging police services and hospitals to work together to improve transitions for patients.

Ontario Launching Program to Fund Out-of-Country Dialysis Services

Every Ontarian deserves the opportunity to safely travel abroad. That's why Ontario is launching a new program to fund out-of-country dialysis services, ensuring that Ontarians living with kidney failure can continue to have access to the care they need when travelling outside of Canada.