60+ Things Ontario Needs Before Doug Fraud’s Convention Centre
Premier Ford is talking about building an island for a billion dollar convention centre and I’m already bored of yet another Doug Fraud scheme.
Heading into the 2026 Ontario budget here is a long list of what communities are actually asking for:
$550,000/year to sustain the HSJCC Network's coordination operations (HSJCC Network)
$52 million in year one (2.5% annual increase) for the community mental health, substance use, and addictions sector (AMHO)
$300 million to close the mental health and addictions workforce wage gap within 3 years (AMHO)
$52M/year operating + $193M capital to build 1,000 new mental health and addictions supportive housing units (AMHO)
$15 million state of good repair fund for existing mental health and addictions supportive housing (AMHO)
5.6% funding increase for 2026-27 to maintain four hours of direct care in long-term care homes (OLTCA)
$6 million over three years to support medical laboratory preceptors and address rural lab shortages (MLPAO)
$1.1 billion to address the structural operating deficit at Ontario colleges (Colleges Ontario)
$200 million to expand college seats in trades, technology, health care, and advanced manufacturing (Colleges Ontario)
$200 million annually to maintain regional access at small, northern, rural, and French-language colleges (Colleges Ontario)
$100 million over three years for a college collaboration fund for shared services and cybersecurity (Colleges Ontario)
8.8% Level of Care funding increase plus permanent inflation indexing for long-term care (AdvantAge Ontario)
$500 million annually over five years to harmonize community health care worker wages (AdvantAge Ontario)
Up to $250,000 in seed funding per home for long-term care redevelopment planning (AdvantAge Ontario)
7% funding increase for seniors' supportive and assisted living housing operators (AdvantAge Ontario)
$16M–$36M/year over 3 years to expand the DREAM hospital diversion program for dementia (Alzheimer Society)
$2M–$1.5M/year for U-First! dementia competency training in long-term care (Alzheimer Society)
$2.2M–$5.3M/year over 5 years to expand social day programming for dementia (Alzheimer Society)
$5.5M–$32.8M/year over 5 years to expand the Transition to Long-Term Care Program (Alzheimer Society)
$3.1M–$8.7M/year over 4 years for a Dementia Registry and Cognitive Assessment Program (Alzheimer Society)
$2 billion initial + $7.9 billion total for an Ontario Nonprofit Housing Acquisition Fund with revolving loans (ONN)
$200 million community resiliency fund for nonprofits in regions impacted by U.S. tariffs (ONN)
Minimum 5% increase in investment in the Newcomer Settlement Program and Language Training Program (OCASI)
4% base budget increase for the community mental health and addictions sector (CMHA Ontario)
Increase OW flat monthly earnings exemption from $200 to $600, providing up to $4,800/year per worker (Feed Ontario)
25,000 net new registered nurses by January 1, 2027, to reach the national average per capita (ONA)
10% increase in RN seats at Ontario universities and college standalone programs (ONA)
$70 million over 3 years (~$23M/year) toward wage parity for the children and youth mental health workforce (CMHO)
$150 million annually for 3 years (5% base increase) to strengthen Community Support Services and Independent Living agencies (WoodGreen)
$430 million over 5 years for interprofessional primary care team salary equalization including physiotherapy (OPA)
Increase Community Physiotherapy Episode of Care compensation from $334 to $488–$616 and raise EOCs from 142,000 to 195,000 (OPA)
$500 million to boost Ontario's contribution to CWELCC to match federal child care investments (OCBCC & AECEO)
$35–$45/hour wage grid for RECEs and $28/hour for non-RECE child care staff, with pension and benefits (OCBCC & AECEO)
$1.705 million ($55,000 per centre) for Friendship Centre core capacity (OFIFC)
$1.2 million annually to expand the Lifelong Care program to a two-worker model (OFIFC)
$910,000 for Friendship Centre infrastructure, capital, and emergency supplies under Ontario Corps Partners (OFIFC)
At least 40,000 new supportive housing units, preferably non-profit owned and operated (Wellesley Institute)
$1,000/month Ontario Caregiver Support Benefit for eligible caregivers (Ontario Caregiver Coalition)
Expand Family Responsibility Leave from 3 to 10 days annually for caregivers (Ontario Caregiver Coalition)
$11 billion over 10 years to end chronic homelessness and build 75,000+ deeply affordable housing units (AMO)
$5.2 billion in continued municipal housing infrastructure and Building Faster Fund investment (AMO)
Province-wide physician recruitment system; municipalities already contributing $6.3M+ toward recruitment (AMO)
$255 million spent and $500M+ committed by municipalities on hospital capital — re-examine local share requirement (AMO)
Municipalities funded $5.4 billion in provincial responsibilities in 2024 — undertake Social and Economic Prosperity Review (AMO)
~85,000 Ontarians homeless in 2025 (50% increase since 2021) — coordinate all-government response (AMO)
$2 billion annual increase in hospital operating funding (OFL)
6.5% retroactive catch-up wage increase for all workers impacted by Bill 124 (OFL)
Restore the $260 per-student funding gap and $6.35 billion lost from education since 2018 (OFL)
$665 million/year in potentially improper physician billing — strengthen oversight (OFL)
61,000+ children waiting for autism services and 52,000+ adults for developmental disability support — emergency funding (OFL)
$2.1 billion/year municipalities spend on homelessness — upload responsibility back to province (OFL)
OW income declined 16% in real value since 2019 — increase ODSP and OW to livable levels and index OW to inflation (OASW)
25,400 nurses and PSWs needed by 2029 to deliver four hours of care in LTC (OLTCA)
200+ long-term care homes in aging buildings need specialized capital redevelopment solutions (OLTCA)
$150,000 per unit to support Niagara's Consolidated Housing Master Plan capital costs (Niagara Region)
$12 million capital + $3 million annual operating for Niagara's Highly Supportive Housing Initiative (25 units) (Niagara Region)
$400 million for the South Niagara Wastewater Treatment Solutions project ($108M provincial share) (Niagara Region)
$10-per-day child care maintained through continued CWELCC investment (Social Planning Toronto)
$20/hour minimum wage or living wage (Social Planning Toronto)
10 paid sick days plus 14 additional during public health emergencies (Social Planning Toronto)
$1,000 OW earnings exemption to match ODSP (Social Planning Toronto)
$22 million for Midland Bay Landing Seawall rehabilitation (Town of Midland)
$1 billion annually for 10 years for the Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund (Town of Midland)
$500,000 expansion of the Inclusive Grassroots Recreation Program for small municipalities (Town of Midland)
$50 million increase announced for 2026 Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund — ensure it reflects small municipality pressures (Town of Midland)
$2,000–$6,000/month per unit for intensive transitional/supportive housing for people leaving custody (John Howard Society)
You can explore more at my unofficial Ontario Budget Submission Library, where I’ve been documenting pre-budget submissions from across multiple sectors.
When Doug was on city council he complained about potholes and government waste while pitching ideas like Ferris Wheels and a Monorail for the city’s waterfront. He’s already destroyed Ontario Place for a mega spa, and so much more.
There’s an opportunity for our budget (and our tax dollars) to lift up communities rather than Ford’s ego.