Commentaire 369 – commentaires et rétroaction

Diane Duncan

Dear Members of the Ontario Commission for the Federal Electoral Districts Redistribution,

I am writing as the Executive Director of Senior Persons Living Connected (SPLC), a Scarborough non-profit, charitable organization that supports vulnerable and marginalized seniors.

SPLC is concerned about the proposed changes to the Federal Electoral Districts, particularly the loss of an electoral riding in Scarborough, and the proposed western boundary of the new combined riding at Warden Avenue.

Context

• SPLC has a 40-year history of contributing to the quality of life and ageing-in-place of older adults with a basket of supports, services, healthcare and housing. Together, these support the complex and wide-ranging social and health needs of over 2,500 older adults, seniors and their care partners living throughout Scarborough. See www.splc.ca
• We operate two affordable housing buildings for seniors that house over 450 seniors: subsidized rental housing, St. Paul's L'Amoreaux Centre, and life lease housing, St. Paul's Terrace Seniors' Residence.
• Our main service location and the housing are located on a campus at the southwest corner of Warden and Finch Avenues.
• The campus shares space with our founding church, the Anglican Church of St. Paul, L'Amoreaux, that has been active on this site since 1840.
• SPLC provides Assisted Living Services and other services to seniors living in Wishing Well, a Toronto Seniors Housing Corporation building, located at Sheppard and Pharmacy Avenues.
• We strive to deliver the best care and services to the most marginalized, such as persons who have low income and language barriers, are racialized, newcomers, homeless / underhoused, and experience substance use and mental health concerns.

Communities of interest and identity

To achieve our vision and mandate, SPLC relies on a network of strong collaborations and partnerships with organizations and healthcare providers throughout Scarborough. Examples of our established connections include: Scarborough Health Network, Scarborough Ontario Health Team (SPLC is a full and active partner with 30+ other healthcare providers), Toronto Police Service 42 Division, Agincourt Community Services Association (ACSA), businesses, libraries, and community centres. SPLC has partnered in the development of a community hub, Bridletowne Neighbourhood Centre, that will be built east of Warden Avenue.

We have limited connections west of Victoria Park Avenue. The proposed boundary change will situate SPLC's main service locations and housing in North York ridings. Over time, this will erode long-standing and thoughtfully established relationships that benefit the high-need population SPLC serves in Scarborough.

Summary

Our objections pertain to criteria the Commission considers: communities of interest, communities of identity, the historical pattern of an electoral district:

• Networks of support and partnership that benefit equity-deserving seniors will be at risk.
• Seniors who SPLC supports identify with Scarborough as their home. They seek social and health supports from providers in Scarborough.
• Less representation. Seniors in Scarborough need adequate and fair representation. The vast majority of seniors SPLC supports are past and recent immigrants, have limited English or French language skills, and low incomes. They rely on assistance from elected officials at all three levels of government.
• Potential for property tax reassessments that will negatively impact low income seniors living in our housing.
• The proposal is based on flawed census data, as others have stated to the Commission already. During the pandemic in 2021 many seniors SPLC supports could not complete the census due to language, literacy and lack of assistance.

I respectfully ask the Commission to reconsider the proposed boundary changes: retain six ridings in Scarborough and keep Scarborough-Agincourt and Scarborough North as distinct ridings.

Sincerely,

Diane Duncan
Executive Director