Crombie renews push for Mississauga’s independence; Catholic school board dismantling discriminatory streaming practices
Peel Democracy Watch is The Pointer’s weekly feature aimed at increasing the public’s awareness and political involvement in the Region of Peel by highlighting key agenda items, motions and decisions.
Faith and Program Committee
Date: February 14 - 7:00 p.m. | Delegate | Full agenda | Watch Live
Updated science curriculum after destreaming
At the beginning of this school year, Grade 9 science was destreamed. Destreaming began with the Grade 9 math curriculum in 2021. It has been shown that streaming prolongs inequalities within the education system so destreaming hopes to break down some of these barriers to success.
In order to support those students who may have previously been streamed into other educational pathways, the DPCDSB has created and shared a number of additional resources with its teachers to ease the transition and assist in the teaching of complex scientific concepts.
“The Program and Learning Services department collaborated with science educators in DPCDSB to create additional lesson plans for diverse learners; writing one for each unit of biology, chemistry, physics and earth & space,” a DPCDSB report going before the Faith and Program committee this evening reads. “Modeled in all the lesson plans are strategies that support the universal design for learning framework. The lessons are ready-to-use and provide student handouts, teacher solutions, cross strand connections, tips, lesson extensions and student exemplars.”
The full report can be found on Page 13 of the agenda.
Previous reporting:
Contact Sports
On January 31, at the regular meeting of the Board of Trustees, six delegations were received regarding “violent sports” with particular concerns raised about football and rugby.
During the 2022 to 2023 school year, DPCDSB has eight boys football teams, one boys rugby team and eight girls rugby teams, two of which are varsity level. Between September 2022 and February 8, 2023, 13 suspected concussions in football and 10 suspected concussions in rugby were reported to the Ontario School Board insurance Exchange (OSBIE).
Medical research is ongoing into the impacts of recurrent concussions and sub-concussive blows on neurologic, cognitive and psychiatric functioning. To date, studies on children and youth who participate in contact sports have not identified long term neurological or psychiatric consequences. The DPCDSB does not have the medical expertise, but resolves to continue to review ongoing or new positions from expert medical panels.
DPCDSB’s concussion protocol is in compliance with the Ministry of Education, the Ontario Physical and Health Education Association (OPHEA), and OSBIE including a policy to remove students with a suspected concussion from physical activity.
Mississauga Council
Date: February 15 – 9:30 a.m. | Delegate | Full agenda | Watch Live
Mississauga’s position on independence
Since Mississauga became a city in 1978, it has been hitched to its smaller neighbours, Brampton and Caledon, through the Region of Peel. Former mayor Hazel McCallion’s push to grant Mississauga independence is a fight that has been picked up by current Mayor Bonnie Crombie.
On Wednesday, Mayor Crombie is bringing forward a motion to affirm the council’s position that Mississauga become an independent, single tier and self-sufficient city, and to request the timely appointment of a provincial facilitator to begin the assessment of the Region of Peel. Crombie has argued that independence would provide greater fairness for taxpayers by eliminating an estimated $85 million per year in transfers to the Region of Peel.
The motion from Crombie comes at a time when new members have joined council following October’s municipal election, as well as changes under new provincial legislation (Bill 23), which aim to build 1.5 million homes in Ontario by 2031. Crombie has stated that if the Province allows Mississauga to detach itself from the Region of Peel, it will be better suited to reach its housing targets.
View Crombie’s motion here.
Previous reporting:
General Committee
Date: February 15 - 3:30 p.m. | Delegate | Full agenda | Watch Live
Town looks to approve 2023 budget
The Town of Caledon will continue with its budget deliberations and review final recommendations for its financial blueprint for 2023. When the Region of Peel passed its budget earlier this month, the impact to Caledon residents in terms of property tax increase was 1.43 percent. With the Town’s budget on top of this, Caledon residents can expect to see a 2.42 percent tax increase. The proposed Operating Budget of $130.7 million will see an additional two percent wage increase for all non-union staff. This follows a contentious decision by town council to move forward with a 25 percent increase to councillor salaries. Adding together increases from the Region of Peel and Town of Caledon, the average tax bill is expected to go up approximately $131.
View the staff report here
Previous reporting:
Audit and Risk Committee
Date: February 16 - 11:00 a.m. | Delegate | Full agenda | Watch Live
Departments set to be audited in 2023
The 2023 Internal Audit Risk Based Work Plan will come before the Audit and Risk Committee Thursday for approval. Internal Audit develops an annual work plan in accordance with the International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing with the intent of assuring the Audit and Risk Committee and senior leadership that higher risk areas within the Region of Peel are being audited for mismanagement or other issues.
In 2023, a number of audits that began last year will be completed, including business services, information technology, transportation and housing support. New audits will also begin in the areas of paramedic services, Peel Housing Corporation, waste management, water and wastewater, real property asset management; and heritage, arts and culture.
View the staff report here, and a list of departments being audited here.
Health System Integration Committee
Date: February 16 - 9:30 a.m. | Delegate | Full agenda | Watch Live
Despite integration, issues remain in local healthcare delivery
In 2019, the PC government initiated one of the most significant transformations to Ontario’s healthcare system the province had seen in decades. This shift included the formation of 54 Ontario Health Teams (OHTs) across Ontario (three of which are in Peel) that are meant to coordinate access to care by bringing healthcare providers together as part of a single entity.
The COVID-19 pandemic created the largest test for this new model, and exposed many of the preexisting issues with Ontario’s system that have not been fixed by this shift to OHTs.
“At a local level, challenges remain evident across the health system related to underfunding, demand for service that is outpacing supply, and a need for improved service integration across the continuum of care,” a regional report going before the Health System Integration Committee on Thursday reads.
The report lists a number of priorities that need to be addressed during this term of council, including pressure on paramedic services, sustained support for specialized seniors services, and mental health and addictions.
Read the full report here.
Previous reporting:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @rachelnadia_
COVID-19 is impacting all Canadians. At a time when vital public information is needed by everyone, The Pointer has taken down our paywall on all stories relating to the pandemic and those of public interest to ensure every resident of Brampton and Mississauga has access to the facts. For those who are able, we encourage you to consider a subscription. This will help us report on important public interest issues the community needs to know about now more than ever. You can register for a 30-day free trial HERE. Thereafter, The Pointer will charge $10 a month and you can cancel any time right on the website. Thank you
Submit a correction about this story
