The Platform

Housing

 

​       The PEARS Housing Team survey found that 2.30% of students are homeless and 51.16% face affordability issues.* Housing is unaffordable and students are in feeling it, that's why as your UTSU President I will:

• Work with non-profits to deliver deeply affordable student housing.*

• Advocate for capital and/or leased land contributions from the University

• Create a Student Lease Assignment portal so leases can be passed from one student to another; saving students from large rent increases that occur between old and new lease agreements.

• Lobby the federal government to provide more resources for student housing. Minister Sean Fraser's recent announcement was welcomed, but is not nearly enough. 

• Engage with the provincial and municipal governments when at all possible.

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* I am not endorsed by PEARS, simply appreciative of their work.

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Transit:

 

       St.George is one of the only universities without a transit pass for students, even UTM has a U-Pass. While the TTC and GO offer student discounts, they are not nearly enough. Every student should be able to ride transit without cost concerns. Between City Hall's new composition, the province's recent investments in transit and Toronto, and collaborating with organizations, such as the Toronto Youth Cabinet, I am confident I can deliver a deeply affordable transit pass for St.George students.*

 

* I am not endorsed by the Toronto Youth Cabinet, I simply see potential for collaboration. 

  

Working with the University:

 

       As your UTSU President, I will advocate for students' issues and push the University to be better. That means:

• Fairer academic policies such as limiting marginal late penalties and ensuring students have a greater proportion of their total grade by the CR/NCR date.

• Negotiating drastically lower pricing for the Pay by Weight system to deliver affordable food for students whilst reducing food waste at Chestnut and New College.

• Pressuring the University to adopt all of the recommendations from Climate Justice UofT's Bound to Big Oil report.*

• Pressuring the University to adopt all of Tkarón:to Students in Solidarity with Palestine's demands.*

• Ensuring all students feel safe on campus during this time of heightened anti-Arab racism, anti-Palestinian racism, and antisemitism.

• Ensure all of the Campus Emergency Phones are repaired and functioning. It is unacceptable to be met by an "out of order" sign if you are seeking help in a dangerous situation . 

  • Note: I do not support expanding police on campus; students should have the option to call for help if they fear for their safety. 

  • I will work to establish a crisis response team so that campus police do not respond to mental health incidents.   ​  

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* I am not endorsed by CJuoft nor TSSP, simply appreciative of their work.

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Working with Government:

 

       I look forward to collaborating with all three levels of government to achieve wins for students, especially City Hall. With Toronto's first progressive mayor in over a decade and Councillor Saxe representing Ward 11, I believe the UTSU has an unprecedented opportunity to achieve real results with the City. In addition to the aforementioned housing and transit collaboration, I will work with the city to finally pedestrianize St.George Street, so students can cross the road quicker and safer. This looks like:

• Closing St.George Street to car traffic between Harbord and College OR

• Replacing all "Wait For Gap" signs with stop signs

• Adding speed bumps to slow down traffic  

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Student Life:

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       I want every student to thrive during their time at UofT, that's why in addition to the rest of my platform I will:​

• Deliver additional supports for clubs, such as:

  • Reducing or removing the $55 charge for AV services

  • Providing below-market rate software licenses

  • Increasing the Student Commons’ availability for clubs

• Bring Homecoming to St.George. If UTSC does it, why can’t UTSG?

• Invest in equity initiatives so all students can thrive

• Improve the Student Commons

• Support the portfolios of all my Vice-Presidents to ensure great services for students

• Increase UTSU transparency

• Restore not-partisanship to the UTSU

• Work with Student Care to expedite proof of coverage processing for students going on an exchange

• See what can be done about the Health Plan. I'll be blunt, currently, the Health Plan sucks for Ontario students 24 and under. OHIP+ is a government program for Ontarians under 24 that covers 100% of the cost of over 5,000 prescription drugs. However, if you have private insurance, such as the UTSU Health Plan, you are no longer eligible for OHIP+. The UTSU health plan, which costs $450 a year, only covers 80% of prescription costs with a limit of $5000. That means Ontario students 24 and under are paying $1800 over their four years at UofT for the "privilege" of paying 20% of the cost of drugs that would have otherwise been free. The Health Plan must be improved or else students should be able to opt out without needing to provide proof of coverage from a private insurer.