Willowdale Monthly Newsletter October 2025

November 3, 2025

Dear Willowdale Friends,

It’s the season of spookiness and I hope you and your families had a fun, safe Hallowe’en dressing up in costume, trick-or-treating and seeing all of the fantastic decorations throughout the community. Hallowe’en is always a great family tradition that creates life-long memories for our children.

Well, it was a nail-biter of the final game in the World Series and though we were all saddened by the outcome, we can be happy in what the Jays have done for us. They have united us, fueled our pride, and made us feel like champions. Whether you watched them at home, at a neighbourhood watch party, at a local tavern or at Mel Lastman Square, it’s great to see so many people rallying around our beloved baseball team. Go Jays!

I included this in my last newsletter, but it’s such an important initiative for people with no family doctor or clinician, that it deserves a second reminder: the Get Well Health Clinic at 4430 Bathurst Street, Unit #103 is accepting new patients and is giving priority to people whose postal code begins with M2N.

Our government has a plan to connect 500,000 people to a primary care clinician. We are already seeing that the Health Care Connect waitlist has decreased by more than 98,000 (or 42%) since January 1, 2025.
Around Willowdale

Presenting the June Callwood Award for Voluntarism to a well deserving individual, Raj Kothari. Raj has devoted over 35 years to volunteerism, helping raise more than $2 billion for Ontario’s health care and arts sectors

And more on volunteers: congratulations to the recipients of the province’s Volunteer Service Awards. I was thrilled to publicly thank our Willowdale volunteers for the many hours of volunteer activity and contribution to our community. Thank you to all volunteers!

Welcoming Little Iran at Centre Park (Yonge and Centre Avenue). Centre Park was full of festivities on October 11 with live music, Persian food, dancing and art displays, all to celebrate our thriving Persian community. Cultural events like these are all a part of what make Willowdale such a vibrant and inclusive place to live, work and play.

I look forward to the Persian garden’s installation at the park, truly making the area a celebration of Persian culture.

Congratulations to the KCWA Family and Social Services on your 40th anniversary!

That’s four decades, of assisting Korean-Canadians from helping newcomers settle and build new lives, to providing family counselling, employment support, and community programs, KCWA has been a beacon of encouragement and hope.

Some Recent Government Announcements

Great News for First-Time Home Buyers

Our upcoming Fall Economic Statement will contain information on a rebate of the full 8% provincial portion of the HST for first-time home buyers on new homes valued up to $1 million – saving first-time homebuyers up to $80,000 and helping lower costs and spur the construction of more homes.

Stay tuned for more details when the Fall Economic Statement is tabled next week, November 6.

Ontario Connecting Patients to Life-Saving Cancer Drugs Faster

Recently, we announced the launch of the Funding Accelerated for Specific Treatments (FAST) program, allowing patients faster access to breakthrough cancer drugs. This bold initiative will connect patients to life-saving cancer treatments almost a full year sooner, reducing delays and improving access to cutting-edge cancer care for years to come.

Ontario is Investing $1.1 Billion to Protect and Expand Home Care

We are investing $982 million over three years to expand home care services, allowing patients and families to get the right care in the right place, at home.

Not only will this enable people to be treated at home, but these investments will ease pressures on the health-care system and free up hospital beds for those who need them most.

Ontario is Investing More than $43 Million in After School Programs

We have committed $43.9 million over three years to continue the province’s After School Program (ASP), keeping more than 13,000 children and youth in underserved communities active and healthy each year.

Finally, please see the attached flyer of a great local initiative – Special Olympics basketball.

Stan Cho
MPP for Willowdale