Jun 11, 2017 by Tori Stafford Frontenac Gazette

It may not have been with his usual ballpoint pen, but MPP Randy Hillier put his signature on the official launch of the Grace Centre restoration project another way: with a chisel and hammer.

Hillier, MPP for Lanark, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington, joined those from Southern Frontenac Community Services, as well as a handful of local politicians and township staff, to kick off the restoration project. The Grace Centre, originally built in 1861, originally served as a Methodist church before becoming Grace United Church in 1925. Now serving as a hub of activity for local seniors and community groups, the 156-year-old limestone building is undergoing a restoration project to repoint the masonry, thanks to a grant through the Ontario Trillium Foundation.

Read MPP Hillier and MP Scott Reid's open letter to the Chief Executive Officer of Parks Canada regarding recent flooding in the Tay Valley region.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 30th, 2017

Hillier’s Bill 77 Passes Second Reading

(QUEENS PARK) Randy Hillier’s (MPP for Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox & Addington) Bill 77, The Kickstarting Public Participation Act, passed Second Reading in the legislature on Thursday. The bill will now move on to committee hearings, followed by a Third Reading. Upon passage of a Third Reading, the bill will lead to the establishment of a province-wide online crowd sourcing platform for municipalities and community organizations to use to raise funds for community improvement projects.

“Municipalities struggle to balance the competing needs of their budgets, which means many community projects are not always a priority, leaving citizens feeling disenfranchised,” explained Hillier. “Even community not-for-profits are facing fundraising issues as a result of new OLG rules, so civic crowdfunding fills this void to help these groups get back to supporting their communities.”

Crowdfunding allows groups and individuals to solicit donations and investment for projects online by setting donation tiers, goals and in some cases rewards. While this method started as a tool to finance projects by artists and entrepreneurs, it has since expanded to become used by humanitarian groups and municipalities to fund projects such as parks and community spaces.

“Making crowdfunding accessible to non-profits, service clubs and municipalities in the province will enable local communities to secure finances and gauge interest in public projects, while simultaneously empowering citizens to be more involved in community affairs and development,” proclaimed Hillier. “Enabling the mobilization of citizen ideas will inevitably have a significant impact on bringing meaningful improvements to the communities that need them the most.”

You can watch MPP Hillier's debate on Bill 77 here.

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Contact: Perth Office 613-267-8239
Queen’s Park 416-325-2244
[email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 6th, 2017

Subprime Policies from a Subprime Premier

(QUEENS PARK) In response to the government’s recent announcement of planned hydro cost decreases set for this summer, Randy Hillier (MPP for Lanark-Frontenac- Lennox & Addington) questioned the government on why they continue to replace existing low cost generating facilities with new, high cost replacements.

“The Kingston Generating Station, which employs 18 people and produces electricity for a low rate of 5.9 cents per kwh, is being forced to close while new facilities are being built just down the road in Bath and Amherst Island that will produce for 20 cents a kwh,” exclaimed Hillier. “The Premier can claim all she wants that they are doing what they can to reduce hydro costs, but the fact of the matter is they continue to build expensive and unneeded generating stations will closing down low cost stations that already exist.”

The latest announcement from the Liberal government promises a 25 percent cut off the average residential hydro bill, which will come from a subprime “remortgaging” deal that will extend costs years beyond the life cycle of these assets.

“The Premier has said publicly that this plan is going to cost the people of Ontario more, and take longer to pay off,” explained Hillier. “The government is doing nothing to prevent expected future cost increases, and is now not only dumping the costs of their reckless policies on to future generations; they are continuing to perpetuate cost increases by signing more expensive contracts.”

A full recording of MPP Hillier’s question to the government can be found here.

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Contact: Perth Office 613-267- 8239
Queen’s Park 416-325- 2244
[email protected]

Join me tonight at 7PM where I will be hosting a telephone town hall, exploring the concept of energy poverty and the recently implemented Cap and Trade program. You can watch the live stream of the town hall below.

You are encouraged to contact any or all of the following regarding your issues with Hydro:

Minister of Energy
Hon. Glenn Thibeault, MPP
Ministry of Energy
4th Floor, Hearst Block
900 Bay Street
Toronto, Ontario M7A 2E1
416-327-6758

Office of the Premier
Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne, MPP
Room 281, Main Legislative Building, Queen's Park
Toronto, Ontario M7A 1A1
416-325-1941

To join the class action lawsuit against Hydro One contact:
Koskie & Minsky LLC
Email: [email protected]
Toll free Hotline: 1-855-595-2628

Hydro Ombudsman
[email protected]
1-844-608-8756
1.888.448.7777
[email protected]

I have called upon the Limestone District School Board to follow in the footsteps of their peers at the UCDSB in order to avoid the closure of schools within their board. I would like to thank all those who spoke out and demonstrated the need to keep these schools open. While your voices were an integral part of keeping these community hubs intact, we must continue to advocate for the schools that remain on the chopping block within the LDSB. Below you will find a press release sent out today by my office regarding the Upper Canada District School Board's announcement that schools in the Lanark area will remain open.

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
14 February 2017 

LESSONS FOR RURAL SCHOOL BOARDS

 (PERTH) – Randy Hillier (MPP for Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox & Addington) calls upon the Limestone District School Board to carefully consider the Upper Canada District School Board's (UCDSB) Final Staff Report regarding school closures in Lanark County.

"My only disappointment is that the lessons learned and recommendations in Lanark were not adopted throughout all areas of the UCDSB," remarked Hillier. "The province has placed great pressures and challenges onto our school boards, and the Limestone District School Board and indeed all rural school boards, ought to consider and implement my recommendations."

"Many Lanark County schools were facing potential closure with serious and negative consequences to our communities," Hillier continued. "I was pleased to see so many speak up, rally, and demonstrate against the uninspired and trite proposed school closures."

"I am pleased that my recommendations have been adopted such as the sharing of space and resources with the Separate board, as well as improvements to curriculum, in order to mitigate the enrollment pressures for schools in Lanark County," commented Hillier. "I remain firm in my view, however, that the pupil accommodation process itself was misguided, and contained within it some fundamental flaws. As an example, nowhere in the process did I see any examination of administrative costs at the Board itself, adjustment of school hours to allow for shared transportation costs with the Separate school board, or an undertaking to reach out with other community associations for lease sharing, which truly can make our schools true community hubs."

"However, there remain a great number of rural school closures which will have serious and enduring negative consequences for our rural communities; it's time all school boards learn these lessons and become champions for our rural and small town schools," Hillier concluded.

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 Contact:
Perth Constituency Office 613-267-8239
Queen's Park Office 416-325-2244
[email protected]

In a letter to the Attorney General of Ontario, Randy Hillier (Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox & Addington) has called upon Minister Yasir Naqvi to establish a select committee to study the systematic failures of Ontario’s justice system that have resulted in over 43 percent of proceedings dismissed before trial.

“In 2015 alone 82,400 cases have been stayed or withdrawn before trial, and another 9,900 were dropped mid-trial,” explained Hillier. “Couple that with the fact that on average, each case generally takes 140 days to reach deposition, we are clearly presented a very bleak picture.”

You can read the letter in full below.

MPP Hillier has called on both the federal and provincial Attorneys General to take action on the 14 Superior Court of Justice vacancies in Ontario. In his letter, MPP Hillier has cited the debilitating effect on access to justice that these vacant positions are imposing on the people of Ontario.  

“There are far too many cases being thrown out due to systemic delays. In 2015, over 43% of all cases in Ontario were stayed or withdrawn before trial,” proclaimed Hillier. “This failure to fill vacancies is resulting in both dangerous and violent criminals being released back into our communities, or innocent people being unduly deprived of their liberties.”

You can read both letters in full below.

Below is a copy of my response to the MVCA’s request for public feedback relating new policy proposals surrounding unregulated and unprotected insignificant wetlands. 

It is important to remind ourselves that these new policies are not a provincial requirement or the result of any new provincial legislation or mandates, but a desire to expand their authority, and originates with the staff of the MVCA. Further, the only means for these new policies to become lawful and have effect is through municipal concurrence and adoption. 

From the attached correspondence you will see I have significant concerns that these new policies, if adopted would have substantial negative consequences on the municipalities that comprise the MVCA watershed. 

I encourage you to review my thoughts and concerns, and share your directly with the MVCA via their website here:http://mvc.on.ca/changes-to-wetlands-open-discussion/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 21st, 2016

 School Closures a Symptom of Rural Neglect

(QUEENSPARK) Randy Hillier (Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox & Addington) challenged the Premier to take ownership of yet another one her “mistakes”, the decline of small town rural Ontario. Hillier argued that the Liberal Government’s legacy of failure and indifference to small town rural Ontario has devastated these communities and that school closures are the unsettling result of their failure.

“School closures are not the cause but a symptom of communities in decline,” Hillier stated “And that is the true Liberal legacy, the decline of small town and rural Ontario.” remarked Hillier. “Now in my riding alone 40 community schools are on the chopping block.”

Hillier laid the blame on a number of government actions which have led to the decline of rural communities across Ontario. “The Premier’s policies, The Premier’s economic actions, the Premier’s restrictive land regulations and skyrocketing hydro rates have suffocated growth and prosperity in rural Ontario,” Hillier explained.

Additionally, Hillier believes that parents should have a seat at the table in the discussions on school closures and consolidations. “School boards should allow parents of the affected children an opportunity to voice their concerns and provide their insights into these decisions via deputations to the board,’ Hillier proposed. “Instead the school boards are choosing to dictate its actions to these communities they have long been a part of and shut out the voices of those they service.” concluded Hillier

MPP Hillier's petition to the Upper Canada District School Board on the Pupil Accommodation Review process can be found here.

A full recording of MPP Hillier’s questions to the Premier can be found here.

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Contact:

Perth Office 613-267-8239

Queen’s Park 416-325-2244

[email protected]