Dear Neighbour, 

It is good to see so many of you out and about, enjoying the slightly warmer weather and supporting our local businesses. Below you’ll find updates on some recent federal initiatives, community news, and resources that you may find helpful. I have received some questions about Toronto’s waterfront from community members, my response to these emails and letters is also below.

In this newsletter you will find updates on:

Combatting Hate Act

The Combatting Hate Act has passed through the House of Commons and is now with the senate.  This law will take action to prevent the promotion of hatred by displaying in a public place Nazi symbols like the swastika or SS bolts, as well as the display of symbols principally used or associated with listed terrorist groups. It will also make it an offence to intimidate people and prevent them from accessing places of worship. As we see increasing violence and attacks against religious institutions like the Shaarei Shomayim, Toronto Islamic Centre, Temple Emmanu-El and others in our city, this law is an important step in making sure that communities feel safe.

Good News for Post-Secondary Students

We have extended our increases to the Canada Student Financial Assistance grants and loans for the 2026-2027 academic year. We expect that 571,000 Canadian students will benefit from the 40% increase in non-repayable grants and 422,000 students could benefit from the weekly loan limit increase that provides students with interest-free loans from the Government of Canada. Find out more about the programs here.

Canada Achieved the NATO 2% Defence Spending Target

In an increasingly uncertain and divided world, Canada must be ready to defend our sovereignty, support our allies, and protect the values we share. That’s why our government has moved quickly to rebuild, rearm, and reinvest in the Canadian Armed Forces, with a clear goal of meeting NATO’s 2% defence spending target.

I’m proud that Canada has now reached that target, a decade ahead of schedule, through the largest defence investment in a generation. This is about more than meeting a benchmark. It’s about a generational investment ensuring that the women and men who serve have the equipment, training, and support they need, while strengthening Canada’s role as a reliable partner on the world stage. As we look ahead, these investments will continue to support our security, grow our economy, and build a more resilient and independent Canada. You can read the Prime Minister’s statement on the milestone here.

Funding to protect Jewish communities across our country

Jewish Canadians deserve to feel safe in their communities, especially in places of worship, schools, and gathering spaces. As a mother and a member of the Jewish community, I understand how important that sense of safety is. That is why we recently announced additional support to help strengthen security and ensure that people across Canada can practice their faith freely and without fear.

We have seen a troubling rise in hate motivated incidents targeting Jewish institutions. I was deeply concerned by the recent shootings at two synagogues, Shaarei Shomayim and Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto. Following these horrific acts, I visited both sites to stand with community members and hear directly from those affected.

Through the Canada Community Security Program, our government is providing funding which help places of worship, schools, childcare centres, overnight camps, and other community institutions improve security with measures such as protective barriers, reinforced doors and windows, and other safety equipment. Read details about the announcement here.

Celebrating Broadview Beauty Parlour

After more than 60 years in Riverside and, George Iliadis, the legendary barber behind Broadview Beauty Parlour at 741 Queen St East, is retiring this month. Since 1964, George has been a fixture on Queen St E and Broadview Ave. Watch this short documentary by Selina McCallum on George and his incredible life for free on YouTube. For more on his story, please read here.

Meeting with WoodGreen and UFE GTA on Financial Empowerment

I was pleased to meet with WoodGreen Community Services and United Financial Empowerment (UFE) GTA, alongside Minister Gary Anandasangaree, to discuss the impact of the Resilient Futures initiative.

Through this work, local organizations like WoodGreen are helping Canadians access benefits, reduce debt, and build financial stability, returning millions to families through free tax clinics and support services. Community-based organizations are the backbone of our communities, helping people build stronger, more stable futures.

As the Member of Parliament for Toronto-Danforth, I believe our Toronto waterfront is a jewel for our city- a place where we can come together to live, work and play. Over many years I have been a champion for bringing greater federal investments to Toronto’s waterfront focused on its revitalization. Those investments have helped bring new life to our waterfront, transforming underused spaces into vibrant, thriving communities. It has been exciting to see the progress we’ve made over the past decade through a strong partnership between the federal, provincial, and municipal governments, working alongside everyday Torontonians who care so deeply about making our city a great place to live, work and visit.

Together we can get big things done- and we already have. We moved the mouth of the Don River which flood protects existing homes and makes it possible to build much needed housing for our city during a housing crisis. We have built new parks, including Biidaasige park which has quickly become a popular spot, with more to come.  And we have continued the work of turning construction debris into a beautiful nature space at our doorstep in Tommy Thompson Park. 

We have made what would seem like an impossible feat into our current reality. The story of our waterfront, and especially of the Waterfront Port Lands here in my community, is a story of what can be built when we come together to make big and ambitious things happen.

There has been a lot of discussion about what the future should look like along our waterfront.  Including the need for increased transit to better connect Torontonians to new homes, workplaces and parks that are being built. Most recently, the conversation has also turned to the future of Billy Bishop Airport. 

To my mind, the conversation about the airport is actually a larger conversation about the future of our city.  It can’t be considered in isolation. There are two large questions: First, what is the problem that needs to be solved? Second, what are the factors that go into developing the best solutions?

As a frequent user of Billy Bishop Airport, I see the value it brings as part of our city’s transportation network. A network that is rapidly expanding with the new Highspeed rail project that will connect our city even further. While I’m not an expert in aviation or aircraft mechanics, I believe it’s important that any discussions and consultations about the airport’s future – especially as part of our evolving waterfront- are grounded in clear, accessible facts.

That includes understanding the current noise impacts of aircraft and how those impacts could be reduced over time. It also means examining whether existing and future flight paths could

affect planned housing development in the Port Lands. And importantly, we should look closely at how passenger volumes might grow, and what that would mean for transit and infrastructure, so that everyone arriving at or departing from the airport has a smooth, positive experience of our waterfront.

We have a tripartite agreement for the airport, an important tool for cooperation across all orders of government for Billy Bishop Airport. But the conversation about the airport can’t happen in isolation. The growth and transformation of our waterfront over the past decade have been the result of strong partnership between the federal, provincial, and municipal governments. That partnership is at the heart of building the waterfront our city needs for the future. 

As the Member of Parliament for Toronto Danforth, I will continue to advocate for the interests of Torontonians and robust standards that our community can expect on safety, environmental protection, community impacts on all proposals impacting our city.

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Leslieville Farmers Market – Spring Market

The Leslieville Spring Farmers Market is taking place March 1- May 3, Sundays 9AM-2PM, 1470 Gerrard Street East.

March 28th, Riverdale Historical Tours

March 28th, Queer Muslim Eid 12 – 4pm at MCC Toronto

March 29 Annual Greek Independence Day Parade Sunday, at 1:30 PM

Yours truly,

Julie

Hon. Julie Dabrusin, P.C.

Member of Parliament for Toronto-Danforth

Minister of Environment, Climate Change, and Nature