July 2020: Information Sharing Edition 2.0
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In this edition:
- Spotlight on CommUnity Partnership (CUP)
- Gift Cards to Support Local Agencies
- COHESION Study
- ENWIN Accepting Applications for CEAP Program
- W5 Virtual Summer Program for Youth
- WEST Empowering Women for Employment Program
- MCC Virtual Summer Activities
- YMAP: A Leadership & Integration Program for Newcomer Youth
- Healthy at Work Webinar Series: How to Be Financially Fit in 2020 and Beyond
- In the News
- Local COVID-19 Information & Resources
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Spotlight on CommUnity Partnership
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CommUnity Partnership (CUP): Revitalize Neighbourhoods, Build Resilience and Create Healthy Supportive Communities
First developed in 2005, CUP formed to revitalize neighbourhoods and support community growth and development.
CUP continues to provide community support during COVID-19:
- Food security is being provided in all four CUP sites. These include the Glengarry community, 255 Riverside, 920 Ouellette, and the Reginald community (Ford / Ferndale).
- Client services (counselling, wellness checks, advocacy, and support) are currently being provided via telephone or e-mail. Staff will soon be available to provide on-site support through scheduled appointments at some locations. Staff are also working in the Windsor Water World Day Program for individuals experiencing homelessness, providing case management, counselling and advocacy services.
- Child and youth resources and support are available in both the Glengarry and Reginald communities. Please contact CUP for details.
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Gift Cards to Support Local Agencies
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Another round of gift card giving in Windsor will benefit two local agencies. The
Unemployed Help Centre
and the P2P Funded Partner
Drouillard Place
will share in receiving cards that remained from the first round of the Families Supporting Families initiative earlier this year.
Over 100 cards valued at $100 each are being distributed, and each agency will ensure they are shared with low income families with children in Windsor-Essex.
Back in April at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, the Solcz Family Foundation and the Windsor Spitfires “Family”—led by the Schwab Family, Stephen and John Savage, along with Bob Boughner—came together to provide $200,000 dollars worth of gift cards that could be exchanged by families in need. It was an effort aimed at alleviating some of the early pressure on food banks and social distancing challenges. From there, the City and the WindsorEssex Community Foundation also stepped forward with funding, and in total, this partnership— which we called the “Families to Families Initiative”—brought forward $355,000.
The $100 gift cards are usable at any one of the 11 Loblaw’s family of grocery stores, including Zehrs, No Frills, and Real Canadian Superstores.
Please visit the City of Windsor newsroom to read the full
news release
.
A short video of the media event is also available below:
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The
University of Windsor
in partnership with the
Windsor-Essex County Health Unit
are inviting
Windsor and Essex County residents aged 15 and over to participate in a Canadian study to share their thoughts on how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected them and the impact it has had on their daily lives.
People can join the study by visiting the
COHESION Study website
and will be invited to fill online surveys on a regular basis.
Those who wish to participate can also choose to download the research app that collects information on mobility, physical activity levels, and social contacts. There is a raffle to
win one of three $100 Amazon gift cards
for anyone who fills in a weekly survey.
The goal of the COHESION Study is to capture a representative sample of the diversity of the Canadian population in terms of sociodemographics, household composition, and setting. With the data provided,
it will help to understand how daily activities, social interactions, and the mental health of Canadians are being affected throughout, and following, the pandemic.
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ENWIN Accepting Applications for CEAP Program
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CEAP is a one time, on-bill credit for eligible residential electricity and natural gas customers to help them catch up on their energy bills and resume regular payments.
Electricity customers may qualify for a one-time CEAP credit for half of the electricity charges that are overdue on the date of their application for CEAP, up to a
maximum of $115
.
The CEAP credit can be higher for eligible electricity customers if their home is mainly heated by electricity or they use one of three at-home energy-intensive medical devices (kidney dialysis, mechanical ventilator or oxygen concentrator). In that case, they may qualify for a one-time CEAP credit for half of the electricity charges that are overdue on the date of their application, up to a maximum of $230.
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W5 Virtual Summer Program
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Please download the
flyer
for contact and sign up information.
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WEST Empowering Women for Employment Program
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The Empowering Women for Employment (EWE) Program is currently recruiting for Intake 2 which will be offered remotely via Zoom from September 14 - November 6, 2020.
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MCC Virtual Summer Activities
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continue to provide convenient and accessible programming to Windsor-Essex residents as a part of their mission to create a welcoming community through education, community engagement, and the promotion of diversity and equality.
The MCC is hosting a variety of virtual programs during the summer months.
Programs are focused on the following topics:
- Client Support Services (CSS)
- Orientation to Ontario (O2O)
- Newcomer Settlement Program (NSP)
- Orientation
- Community Connections
A flyer with all program details is available for download
here
.
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YMAP: Program for Newcomer Youth
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Download a PDF flyer for the YMAP program
here
.
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Webinar: How to Be Financially Fit in 2020 and Beyond
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WPL Central Branch Opens for Computer Access
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Effective Monday, July 27, Central Branch (185 Ouellette Avenue) of Windsor Public Library will open for customers wanting computer and internet access. The trial period will run through Friday, July 31
, at which time a decision will be made on the feasibility and practicality of gradually opening the doors at all branches.
It should be noted that Central Branch will ONLY open for computer access. Curbside service will continue.
All public access computer stations will be separated by plexiglass dividers and social distancing between stations will be in effect – resulting in a reduced number of computers in operation. Initially, sessions will be for 45 minutes, with 15 minutes of the hour following use committed to sanitization and other appropriate health and safety procedures.
Central Branch summer hours are: Monday to Thursday, 9 am to 8 pm; and Friday and Saturday, 9 am to 5 pm.
Customers wanting to access public computers should visit through the main entrance located at the rear of the Paul Martin Building accessible by Pitt Street West.
Please visit the
WPL website
to read the full news release.
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Meadowbrook Housing Development Update
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An affordable housing development on Windsor's east end is back on track.
City council held a special meeting Monday to authorize a loan of $5 million from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
. It will cover some cost increases to the Meadowbrook Development project which has led to its delay.
The high rise development on Meadowbrook Lane has been delayed due to some unforeseen challenges and the COVID-19 shutdown.
The housing development will feature 145 affordable units and five supportive units for youth. The whole development is called passive, meaning it is extremely energy efficient
.
The $38.7 million project was announced last August with $22 million coming from the federal government, $12 million from the city and $4 million from the province. The loan will be paid to the Windsor Essex Community Housing Corporation and repaid through the revenue the project will generate through rent. City council also had to guarantee the loan.
The new completion date is now August of 2022.
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Summer Eats for Kids Program Rolls Out
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In an
AM800 interview
, Director of Programs Liam Giles-Hayes says the annual program is more important than ever with many families struggling financially during COVID-19. The City of Windsor CUPE 82 and 543 employees and the Unemployed Help Centre, along with sponsorship from FCA, are important in supporting the program.
Summer Eats for Kids will run until August 27, 2020 at six school locations in Windsor-Essex, with a goal of feeding 500 local families every week.
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As businesses and workplaces reopen within the City of Windsor, the demand for transit service in Windsor may increase.
- Additional routes and buses have been added to accommodate the modest increase in ridership over the past two months
- It will be mandatory for Transit Windsor riders to wear a non-medical mask on buses, as well as at the Windsor International Transit Terminal
- Children under 2 and persons with medical reasons are exempt
- A maximum of 20 passengers is allowed on the bus
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Ontario Addressing Racism & Inequity in Schools
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The Ontario government is taking bold action to break down systemic barriers in schools and establish discrimination-free classrooms to ensure every student is set up for life-long success:
- Through Bill 197, COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act, 2020, the government is proposing to eliminate discretionary suspensions for students from kindergarten up to Grade 3, beginning September 2020. Serious offences will still be subject to mandatory suspensions.
- As of September 2021, the government will begin the process of ending Grade 9 streaming into applied and academic courses. Currently, students enrolled in applied-level courses have multiple negative outcomes and limited opportunities for post-secondary advancement.
- The Ministry of Education is exploring increased opportunities for boards to hire educators that reflect their classrooms and ensure that there is a consistently high standard of merit and diversity in those who are teaching Ontario's students.
- The government will take immediate action, including working with the Ontario College of Teachers to publish a Professional Advisory for members; provide guidance in dealing with behaviour or remarks of a racist nature.
- Additional anti-racism and anti-discrimination training before the end of the calendar year.
- Continue to work with the Anti-Racism Directorate (ARD) to establish additional anti-racism initiatives in the education system that are grounded in evidence and research.
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Ontario Eliminating the Practice of Birth Alerts
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Jill Dunlop, Associate Minister of Children and Women's Issues,
announced
the province is eliminating the practice of birth alerts. Birth alerts are notifications sent by children's aid societies to hospitals when they believe a newborn may be in need of protection
. This new approach will improve pre- and post-natal services by promoting collaboration between children's aid societies, hospitals, service providers, Indigenous partners and community-based service providers.
It has been reported the practice of birth alerts disproportionately affects racialized and marginalized mothers and families
. Expectant mothers can be deterred from seeking prenatal care or parenting supports while pregnant due to fears of having a birth alert issued.
Going forward, the government is directing children's aid societies to
end the practice of using birth alerts by October 15, 2020
. This means working with families, community partners and service providers to
create a pre- and post-natal plan that supports the parents of newborns, to ensure more families stay together.
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Ontario Strengthens Protections for Tenants
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The Ontario government is providing stability to Ontario's rental market by increasing fines for unlawful evictions and reinforcing the necessity for landlords to explore repayment agreements before considering evictions.
These measures are included in the
Protecting Tenants and Strengthening Community Housing Act
which received Royal Assent today.
The legislation
, which updates the
Residential Tenancies Act, 2006
and
Housing Services Act, 2011
,
will make it easier to resolve disputes while protecting tenants from unlawful evictions by:
- Requiring tenant compensation of one month's rent for "no fault" evictions;
- Allowing the Landlord and Tenant Board to order up to 12 months' rent in compensation for eviction notices issued in bad faith or where the landlord does not allow the tenant to move back in after renovations or repairs;
- Doubling the maximum fine amounts for offences under the Act to $50,000 for an individual and $250,000 for a corporation.
The Landlord and Tenant Board must now consider whether a landlord tried to negotiate a repayment agreement with a tenant before it can issue an eviction order for non-payment of rent related to COVID-19.
In addition, the government has made changes to the
Housing Services Act, 2011
. These amendments will help maintain the existing community housing supply by giving housing providers with expiring operating agreements and mortgages ways to remain in the community housing system by signing a new service agreement with service managers as well as encourage existing and new housing providers to offer community housing.
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Local COVID-19 Information & Resources
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As of June 26, 2020, it became mandatory to wear a face mask or covering in commercial establishments in Windsor-Essex
. Full details of the order by the
Windsor-Essex County Health Unit
can be found
here
.
The Government of Canada has provided a
web page
outlining safe and proper use of masks during COVID-19. Resources are available for download in multiple languages.
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Drive thru Food Bank Locations in Windsor-Essex:
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EAST WINDSOR
Unemployed Help Centre of Windsor Inc.
6955 Cantelon Dr., Windsor, ON
P: 519-944-4900
DRIVE THRU/WALK-UP OPEN:
Monday, Wednesday, & Friday 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM
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WEST WINDSOR
St. Michael's Adult Secondary School
477 Detroit St., Windsor, ON
DRIVE THRU/WALK-UP OPEN:
Tuesday & Thursday 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM
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BELLE RIVER
Community Support Centre of Essex County
Community Food Pantry
962 Old Tecumseh Rd., Puce, ON
P: 519-728-1435
DRIVE THRU OPEN: Monday & Wednesday 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM
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LEAMINGTON
Salvation Army Leamington
88 Setterington St., Leamington, ON
P: 519-326-0319
DRIVE THRU/WALK-UP OPEN:
Friday & Saturday 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM
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Municipal Social Investment Efforts
City of Windsor
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Stephen Lynn
519-255-5200 ext. 5302
p2p@citywindsor.ca
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Teresa Falsetta Aflak
519-255-5200 ext. 6809
p2p@citywindsor.ca
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