I’m Jeff Burch, and I’m honoured to be serving my third term as your Member of Provincial Parliament for Niagara Centre. Since 2018, it has been a privilege to represent the hard working people of South St. Catharines, Thorold, Welland, and Port Colborne. At the Ontario Legislative Assembly at Queen’s Park in Toronto, my focus remains on advocating for greater local healthcare services and lifting workers and families out of poverty.
Healthcare
At Queen’s Park I’m fighting for a planning grant for new, full-service Welland Hospital complete with a 24/7 emergency department that offers around the clock surgical services. I am also calling on this government to restore full services to the Port Colborne Urgent Care.
As your MPP I have been fighting to eliminate cost barriers to healthcare services. Recently we tabled our Opposition Motion which if passed would call on the Ontario government to deliver mental healthcare at no cost to individuals as part of Ontario's universal healthcare plan. You should not have to worry about costly bills when you or a loved one is faced with a mental health crisis.
Additionally, we tabled Motion 113, which if passed would eliminate hospital parking fees. This is a simple, straightforward measure to make hospital visits less stressful for patients, and less expensive for the people who work there.
Poverty and Wealth Inequality
Whether you’re on your own or part of a big family, people who work for a living, ought to make a living.
We know predatory practices like grocery price gouging are out of control, and there are actions we can take, right now, at the provincial level to protect consumers. If passed, the Consumer Watchdog Act would establish a provincial grocery code of conduct and a system to investigate and fine corporate predators.
Every day I hear from folks across Niagara Centre who feel let down by the lack of action and broken promises on affordable housing. Whether you're renting or paying a mortgage, everyday working people should be able to afford a decent home in the community they want to live in.
If passed, Motion 65 would call on the Government of Ontario to establish and fund a new public agency called Homes Ontario to finance and build 250,000 new affordable and non-market homes on public land over ten years, to be operated and/or constructed by public, non-profit or co-op housing.
