Last week, Metamorphosis members joined leaders from Brampton’s business community at the Brampton Board of Trade’s, Vision for Prosperity: Brunch with Doug Ford – an event that saw remarks by the Premier and lots of engagement between local leaders and Bramptons MPPs and Cabinet Ministers.
Tariffs and Ontario’s economy were central themes in Ford’s remarks to the seated guests at the Pearson Convention Center in Brampton.
“Friends, I don’t need to tell anyone here that we’re living in uncertain times. President Trump’s tariffs are taking direct aim at Ontario’s economy and our workers,” the Premier said in his remarks. “My number one job as Premier, and my number one job for all my ministers and my colleagues… It’s to protect you, protect your families, protect your jobs, protect communities and businesses, and I will not spare a penny to do that.”
For Metamorphosis members, these words are welcome as Peel’s non-profit sector continually faces multiple pressures and are struggling to stretch limited resources to cover the growing needs of communities. It has long been said that more funding is needed to support agencies trying to meet the ever-increasing demand for services in Peel.
“We’ve been consistently growing because we’ve been adding different programs,” Arif Iqbal, Director of Finance and Operations for Building Multicultural Communities (BMC) said in a recent Peel Profile Q & A. “We’ve seen a huge uptick in youth services and clients accessing mental health support services.”
Over recent months, leaders from the nonprofit sector have been forecasting how economic changes in Peel will affect the scope of their clients’ needs, with 42% of the jobs in Peel in trade-related fields. As tariffs impact employment, frontline service providers are keen to see protection for Ontario business and also meaningful support for community services.
In conversation with Ministers at the brunch, Metamorphosis’ Coordinator Sean Meagher raised the importance of community services in addressing tariff challenges.
“We hope that any strategy designed to address the tariffs will include support for the folks who will fall through the cracks,” Meagher said. “Our member organizations will be providing more and more housing help, mental health care, youth services and other community services that help people in the face of economic disruption.”
During a fireside chat, later in the event, Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity of Ontario, Charmaine Williams, raised the importance of creating jobs for women.
“If you’re in the manufacturing sector, it is just good for business, all around, when you have women at the table. Not only are you helping your business, but you’re also helping your community,” Williams said. “When you hire women, you are increasing women’s financial stability and a financially independent woman is a safer woman. And so we need you to see women as assets.”
Metamorphosis members agree with Williams on this. In fact for Andrine Johnson, CEO of Embrave Agency to End Violence, it was partly the financial abuse that she experienced with a young child that eventually resulted in her leaving.
“I am a survivor myself,” Johnson said in a Peel Profile Q & A. “Historically, we’ve been taught that gender-based violence, domestic violence, is always physical. For me, I didn’t experience much of the physical, I experienced the financial, emotional, psychological, and even immigration at one point.”
Moving forward, Metamorphosis will continue to reach out to MPPs and Ministers to offer collaboration in devising plans to address the growing support needs we will face as tariff’s hit our economy.
Metamorphosis members were happy to hear messages of collaboration and partnership from Minister McGregor and from Deputy Premier Sylvia Jones, who they hope to meet with soon.
In attendance at the event: Building Multicultural Communities, Bloor Dixie Neighbourhood Centre, Roots Community Services, Peel Children’s Aid.
Featured speakers: Premier Doug Ford, Mayor Patrick Brown, and Cabinet Ministers, Graham McGregor, Sylvia Jones, Charmaine Williams, and Prabmeet Sarkaria.
Friday, June 20, 2025: Angela Carter, Advisor Strategic Initiatives, Roots Community Services; Honourable Charmaine Williams, Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity of Ontario.
Friday, June 20, 2025: Priyanka Sheth, Executive Director at Dixie Bloor Neighbourhood Centre; Honourable Charmaine Williams, Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity of Ontario; Prasad Nair, Head of Youth Success and Innovation/Director – CWICE, Peel Children’s Aid Society (Peel CAS).
Friday, June 20, 2025: Jimena Merlo, Director, Programs and Services and Arif Iqbal, Director of Finance and Operations for Building Multicultural Communities (BMC); Honourable Graham McGregor, Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism; Priyanka Sheth, Executive Director at Dixie Bloor Neighbourhood Centre.
