Press Releases

Wilson provides information on government programs and services available to help during COVID-19

(April 5, 2020) Dear Friends: I hope you are all keeping well. It’s been three weeks since we were told to self-isolate and the good news is that projections released by the government on Friday, although stark, tell us that our efforts are working. You can read the full report HERE.

Governments are acting quickly and decisively to protect the health and wellbeing of all Ontarians, in addition to ensuring that support is readily available. They are taking advice from various sectors and associations to best help those impacted. Please know that it’s likely that more help will become available as the situation evolves.

Below, I have put together a list of some of the government programs and services that are currently available in an effort to help you get through this difficult time. I have also included information that my offices are often asked about. Additionally, I urge you to refer to both the provincial and federal government websites for all up-to-date information, www.Ontario.ca/coronavirus  and www.Canada.ca/coronavirus. My offices are also open for phone call and email inquiries if you’re not able to find help online. They can be reached at 705-446-1090 (Collingwood) or 705-435-4087 (Alliston).

Nobody knows how long this pandemic will last. The most important thing we can do right now is stay home and physically distant ourselves from others who may be more vulnerable. 

This is a trying time for the world, but the reality is that we will get through it. I am so appreciative of all the offers of support I have received through my office and I would just like to profoundly thank everyone for doing their part during this difficult time.    

Please continue to take care of yourselves. We can all take comfort in the fact that we are in this together.

Sincerely,

Jim Wilson, MPP
Simcoe-Grey    

An updated list of essential workplaces, CLICK HERE. 

Offers of assistance and/or ideas can be submitted through an online portal, www.ontario.ca/ontariotogether. If you need help making an online submission you can call, 1-888-777-0554.

Report price gouging related to COVID-19, CLICK HERE. 

Mental health and addiction supports online and phone-in, CLICK HERE. 

Emergency childcare for health care workers and front line staff, CLICK HERE. 

Financial and economic support for individuals

The latest on federal help for individuals, CLICK HERE. 

The latest on provincial help for seniors, parents, students, workers, indigenous peoples and vulnerable people, CLICK HERE. 

The latest on social services relief funding, CLICK HERE. This means that people who do not qualify for federal financial assistance programs can apply for financial help through Ontario Works (LINK HERE) or by phone (705) 722-3132. Current Social Assistance clients will have additional resources available to them which can be accessed through their case worker.

The latest on the Residential Relief Fund to support programming that helps people with special needs, gender based violence and indigenous peoples, CLICK HERE. 

Financial and economic support for businesses

The latest on federal support for businesses and farmers, CLICK HERE. 

The latest on provincial help for business, CLICK HERE. 

Stop the spread business information Ontario phone line (1-888-444-3659), CLICK HERE. 

Ontario Together Fund to support the development of essential equipment and supplies, CLICK HERE. 

Electricity relief

The latest on electricity relief for families, small businesses and farms, CLICK HERE. 

Housing

The latest on rent changes, www.ontario.ca/rent. 

The latest on mortgage deferrals: Canadian banks have announced that mortgage payments can be deferred for up to six months.  Talk to your bank for more information. 

The Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing recently made the following statement on renters and landlords, CLICK HERE.

School closures

The latest on primary and secondary student school closures and Learn at Home information, CLICK HERE. 

The latest on post-secondary student loan relief, CLICK HERE. 

Need a job? 

The Government of Ontario has launched a new web portal to connect workers with employers looking to fill positions in the agri-food sector. CLICK HERE.

Wilson attends Ontario Legislature to pass economic statement and COVID-19 action plan into law

(VIDEO) Wilson raises issue of accessibility funding for Clearview’s small halls in Ontario Legislature

(March 10, 2020) Today in the Ontario Legislature, Simcoe-Grey MPP Jim Wilson asked the government about funding for municipalities struggling to make accessibility upgrades to their community small halls as mandated by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

Wilson raised the matter after meeting with Clearview Township Mayor Doug Measures who explained that the municipality estimates the cost of accessibility upgrades to their seven small halls to be in the range of $6 to $8 million.

The Official Hansard of Wilson’s remarks is below:

Many small towns across the province are struggling to make accessibility upgrades to their community halls.

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act has created accessibility standards that all levels of government, including municipalities, must comply with by 2025.

Clearview Township in my riding has seven community small halls. These halls serve as gathering places for community events where people can socialize and play cards or mark important occasions like birthdays, weddings and family reunions. Clearview’s small halls are the heart of their communities and form the foundation of the Township’s agricultural heritage. 

Clearview Township founded The Small Halls Festival in 2014, which is held every year in October and features a number of community concerts and events.

Mr. Speaker, Clearview estimates the cost of accessibility upgrades to their seven small halls to be in the range of $6 to 8 million. The township wants to know what will happen if the 2025 deadline is missed—will the Township have to close the Halls or will the Ontario government help them to keep them open, will there be any stopgap measures that can be undertaken that would allow the municipality to prioritize renovations. These are just some of the questions the municipality has posed.

While the Township values these facilities and wants to do the right thing to keep them open, the costs may be too prohibitive.

These buildings are important to the communities they serve; they are the lifeblood of rural Ontario in the areas they serve; and, they are significant to my riding and, as such, I look forward to the government’s response to this important issue. 

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Wilson questions government over funding for lifesaving cystic fibrosis medication

(February 26, 2020) Today, Simcoe-Grey MPP Jim Wilson was joined at Queen’s Park by his constituents Jamie Larocque, Sasha Haughian, Beth Vanstone and Madi Vanstone along with cystic fibrosis advocates from across Ontario to question the government on the province’s willingness to fund lifesaving medication to treat the disease. Wilson also held a press conference earlier in the day with Dr. Elizabeth Tullis, Director of the Toronto Adult Cystic Fibrosis Clinic at St. Michael’s Hospital, and Chris MacLeod, Chair of the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Treatment Society.

“I first raised this issue five years ago when I was approached by Beth Vanstone from Beeton who at the time was seeking funding for a drug called Kalydeco for her daughter Madi.  Madi eventually received the medication and is now doing well, but there are multiple variations of the medication to treat this disease depending on the gene mutation of each individual patient,” said Wilson. “Each drug must go through its own approval process, which can take years under the current drug approval system.”

Wilson’s request is to improve the rare drug strategy process and in the meantime help people who need access to medication now, like two young boys from Tottenham, Andre and Joshua Larocque, who he also mentioned in question period.

“When the two brothers had a cold recently, the boy on the drug trial was able to shake the cold like a normal child would; the boy who wasn’t on the drug trial was sick for weeks. He coughed nonstop for hours and days at a time. He coughed up blood and lost significant weight. His lung function dropped by over 20%,” said Wilson. “Every time this 7-year-old gets a simple cold, he loses more lung function. He will eventually become resistant to antibiotics and require lengthy hospitalizations and he could and very much probably will ultimately need a lung transplant without drugs like Kalydeco, Orkambi and other gene-modulating drugs.”

In addition to his comments earlier in the day, Wilson had the following advice for the government: “In my 30 years as an MPP and as a former Health Minister, every rare disease drug that is ever mentioned in the legislature ultimately ends up receiving public coverage. The government knows it will end up paying for these medications, therefore they should be proactive in their funding so people like the Larocque boys in my riding and other Ontarians don’t continue to suffer.” 

Wilson would like to thank Madi and Beth Vanstone along with Sasha Haughian and Jamie Larocque for coming to Queen’s Park today.  He felt their presence made a real difference by garnering a great deal of media interest. 

You can watch a video of Jim questioning the Minister of Health on the issue here, 

You can watch a video of the press conference on the issue here,

(VIDEO) Wilson continues to pressure government over hospital redevelopment approvals

(February 24, 2020) Today in the Ontario Legislature, Simcoe-Grey MPP Jim Wilson encouraged all Members of the House to support his Private Members' Resolution to be debated this Thursday, February 27 in support of the two hospitals in his riding.

You can read the full text of Wilson’s statement below:

“I rise today to encourage all Members of this House to support my private members resolution this Thursday, February 27.  The resolution asks the government to immediately approve the redevelopments and construction of both the Collingwood General and Marine Hospital and Stevenson Memorial Hospital in Alliston.

I’ve raised this matter several times over many years. To remind Members of the real need for these projects, I recently sent a letter to all MPPs that included a list of the serious deficiencies at each hospital.  The problems stem from the fact that these are old buildings, their systems are outdated and they are simply out of space. These are hospitals that have had virtually nothing done to them since they were built 50 and 60 years ago.

I would also like to point out that during my 30 years as an MPP, all of the hospitals surrounding my riding have either been extensively redeveloped or had new builds. Owen Sound received a new hospital; Barrie has had two new hospitals built and has just submitted plans for a third hospital; a new hospital has been built in Orangeville; Midland Hospital has had extensive upgrades; Newmarket has had several hundred millions of dollars of upgrades over the past 30 years.

Mr. Speaker, I am thankful to the Minister of Health for including both Alliston and Collingwood hospitals in last year’s Ontario Budget and P3 Market Update. To date, Stevenson Memorial has received Stage 1 approval and was given the green light to move to Stage 2. The Collingwood Hospital is still waiting to hear from the government on their Stage 1 submission.

The hospitals need to get moving to the next stages of redevelopment and I encourage all Members of this House to support my resolution when it is debated in the House later this week.”

Jim meets with Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit

(November 26, 2019) Simcoe-Grey MPP Jim Wilson was pleased to meet with Anita Dubeau, Board Chair, and Ralph Cipolla, Vice Chair, from the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit.  One program discussed was Ontario's new free routine dental care program for low-income seniors. More information about this program can be found here, https://www.ontario.ca/page/dental-care-low-income-seniors .

Jim meets with Southbridge Care Homes

(November 26, 2019) Simcoe-Grey MPP Jim Wilson met with Richard Franzke from Southbridge Care Homes and His Worship Alar Soever, Mayor of the Town of The Blue Mountains, last week concerning a new long term care proposal for Thornbury. Long-term care is one of the biggest issues Wilson and his offices deal with and he is pleased this government is addressing the issue.

Jim meets with Vertex Pharmaceuticals for second time

(December 4, 2019) Simcoe-Grey MPP Jim Wilson was pleased to once again meet with Catherine Cunningham from Vertex Pharmaceuticals concerning funding for cystic fibrosis medications. 18 other countries provide public access to these gene modulating drugs. Wilson believes it's time Canada follows suit and creates a strategy to approve rare disease drugs.

Jim meets with Ontario Harness Horse Association

(December 4, 2019) Simcoe-Grey MPP Jim Wilson met with Jim Whelan and Brian Tropea from the Ontario Harness Horse Association. The end of the Slots at Racetracks Program had a devastating impact on the breeding and racing industries. The Ford Government has recognized the need to revive the program, but Wilson believes more needs to be done to ensure the program is benefiting horse people in our local communities.

Jim meets with TC Energy