Provincial Election 2025: Beaches-East York NDP candidate Kate Dupuis answers our questions
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Beach Metro Community News sent these questions to candidates we were aware of in Beaches-East York. Not all candidates responded by our deadline. Candidates were asked to keep their responses to approximately 200 words. Please visit our website at www.beachmetro.com for more information on the candidates.)
QUESTION 1: Please tell our readers a little bit about yourself and why you are running in this election?
I have been a proud Beaches–East York resident for 15 years. I am a clinical neuropsychologist, a college professor, and a mum to two incredible children. I have always been active in my community, whether on student government in high school, the Psychological Graduate Student Association at the University of Toronto where I earned my PhD, or on parent council at my children’s public school.
I decided to run in this election because I am eager to bring my hardworking spirit and long history of community advocacy to Queen’s Park. I have fought in key sectors- public health, education, elder care, workers’ rights- organizing rallies, creating petitions, hosting and speaking at Town Halls. I am driven to use my occupational background and lived experience to represent our community.
Taking on an incumbent- especially one who has been in politics for so long- can be challenging. I believe that my positive attitude, fresh ideas, and person-centred approach to government, where the MPP serves the people and works hard to address their ideas and concerns, are really resonating with constituents! I am eager to serve as MPP and collaborate with Beaches-East York residents to make real, meaningful, change for our community.
QUESTION 2: Please tell our readers what you and your party will be doing to deal with the lack of affordable housing and homelessness issues in Beaches-East York.
More than 81,000 Ontarians are homeless. In Toronto, there are more than 100,000 active applications for subsidized housing. This is unconscionable.
Housing is a human right and a key social determinant of health. We must elect a government that understands these facts and will support all Ontarians- renters and homeowners – to find affordable housing in the community of their choice. Doug Ford has failed on housing starts, has failed to support those living on ODSP and OW, has failed to support our homeless neighbours.
To make housing more affordable, we must build more homes.
The NDP’s “Homes Ontario” plan will provide grants, low-cost financing, public land and other supports to build or acquire at least 300,000 new permanently affordable public, non-profit and co-op homes within ten years. This includes at least 60,000 supportive housing units, with access to mental health care and treatment for substance use.
To protect affordability in East Toronto, we will introduce real rent control (vacancy control), where rent increase guidelines apply to the unit, not just the tenancy. Landlords will no longer be able to squeeze out existing tenants so they can raise the rent on a new tenant.
QUESTION 3: What do you think is the issue in your riding that you can have the most impact on if you are elected MPP?
At the doorstep in Beaches-East York, community members are sharing their healthcare concerns. As a psychologist who has worked in healthcare under both Liberal and Conservative governments, I am uniquely poised to bring my own training, experience, and insights to the role of MPP.
I fundamentally disagree with Doug Ford’s treatment of workers – Bill 124 suppresses wages for Ontario’s healthcare heroes, including nurses. In my own work, I have seen the devastating consequences of Ford’s inaction in long-term care: residents dying in horrific ways, staff experiencing trauma and burnout.
I also fundamentally disagree with Bonnie Crombie’s claims that her party historically invested too much money in healthcare. The next Ontario government must invest wisely in public healthcare, especially as our population ages.
As Official Opposition, the Ontario NDP has fought back against Ford’s destruction of public healthcare. Our party’s plan includes working to recruit and support 3,500 new physicians and cutting red tape so they can spend more time with patients. We will also create safer nurse-to-patient staffing ratios, and hire more nurses so all Ontarians can get the care they deserve. As MPP, I would work with our caucus to address the healthcare crisis in Ontario.
QUESTION 4: How will your party and your party’s leader deal with the economic and other challenges facing Ontario and Canada that are presented by the Administration of U.S. President Donald Trump?
Community members here in Beaches-East York are expressing anxiety over Trump’s threats against Canada. They are worried about what tariffs will mean for their families, for affordability of goods, for their jobs, and for our province.
The Ontario NDP has a plan to protect Ontarians, fight back against Trump’s threats, and build a resilient, more tariff-proof Ontario. We will work with Ontario employers and industry and labour unions to defend every job, help industries find new markets, promote Ontario-made goods, and direct the government to procure locally- ensuring that we are supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs, in addition to trade-exposed industries like automotive manufacturing.
To make sure we aren’t in this vulnerable position again, Marit Stiles, Leader of the Ontario NDP, will better tariff-proof our economy by supporting industries in finding new markets, and invest in retraining, and accelerate local infrastructure projects to keep people working. We will fight back with Team Canada, working alongside other provinces and territories and the Government of Canada, speaking with one voice and acting collaboratively to protect jobs and our economy.
You can read more about our tariff response plan here:
