On the school benches
Except for non-subsidized independent schools attended by a minority of Ontarians, education in the public system is free for elementary and secondary school, generally up to the age of 17. It should be noted that secondary school lasts one year longer than in Quebec, i.e., six years. After that, students or their parents must cover the costs, which vary according to the program of study and the type of school. A two-year community college or university is the bridge between high school and university. However, it is possible to go directly to a university bachelor's degree after high school, which lasts four years in Ontario. The phenomenon of dropping out or dropping out of school is not independent of the fact that many students have to pay for their post-secondary education themselves. For some students who must work while continuing their education, the money earned easily at work may seem more rewarding than a university degree. The cost of university education varies by province: in Ontario, the average undergraduate student pays $8,000 to $9,000 CDN in tuition fees per year. However, this is lower than in American universities, but is the highest in Canada. As a result, the provincial government implemented tuition fee reductions at all Ontario's publicly funded colleges and universities in its 2019-20 budget.
At work
Ontario's labour force is made up of more than 12 million people. However, with an aging population and a low birth rate, the province is facing a growing labour shortage. This is evidenced by an unemployment rate that has been below 6% for the past few years and is among the lowest in the country. Although Ontario is the champion of job creation in Canada, many positions in information technology, industry, transportation, financial services, tourism, customer service, education and health care are desperately in demand, especially in regions where the number of vacancies is exploding. Entrepreneurship is also strongly encouraged, supported by tax incentives, subsidies, start-up support and growth management. Economic immigration is therefore on everyone's lips, and every means is being used to attract potential candidates to settle in Ontario, especially Francophones, in order to maintain, and even increase, the pool of this population within Francophone minority communities. Interested parties are advised, especially since labour relations have a good reputation in the province, being less formal and hierarchical than in Europe. The labour market is also more flexible, telework opportunities are increasing, and work-family balance and social life after work are becoming more and more of an imperative.
Unions and births
The Canadian government redefined the concept of family during the last mandate of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien. In 2000, based on the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Parliament extended the obligations of couples and the benefits they can enjoy to all couples, including same-sex couples. In short, common-law partners, whether same-sex or not, have the same rights as married spouses. A large majority of them therefore live in common-law relationships (common-law unions) while the institution of marriage is in decline.
This openness was confirmed in June 2005 when the federal government legislated marriage for same-sex couples with the Civil Marriage Act. However, at the time this legislation was passed, same-sex marriage was already legal in Ontario following the Court of Appeal's 2003 decision.
As across the country, the birth rate has been declining since the historic peak of the baby boom in the 1950s. In Ontario, it now stands at about 10 children per 1,000 population, a level that has been fairly stable in recent years.Sexual diversity
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and two-spirited people (LGBTQ2) are protected from discrimination and harassment based on sex, sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. These rights are protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Canadian Human Rights Act, and laws specific to Ontario. Canada is also one of the few countries in the world to allow same-sex marriage, and has done so since 2005.
In Ontario, the gay village of Toronto, in the Church & Wellesley area, is the largest in the province. During the Gay Pride in June, the neighbourhood takes on the air of perpetual celebration. Canada's capital city, Ottawa, also has its Gay Village, which is bounded by Nepean Street to the north, James Street to the south, Kent Street to the west and O'Connor Street to the east.Rights and freedoms
Included in Canada's Constitution since the Constitution Act, 1982, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects the country's free and democratic society. Considered essential, these rights and freedoms are protected and recognized for Canadian citizens as well as permanent residents and newcomers: freedom of expression, the right to vote, freedom of conscience and religion, the right to equality for all, the rights of Aboriginal peoples, the right of English and French linguistic minorities to an education in their language, etc.
Legalization of cannabis
On 17 October 2018, Canada became the second country in the world - after Uruguay in 2013 - to legalize and regulate the recreational use of cannabis. Three years after his election, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has thus implemented one of his most symbolic election promises. However, the implementation of the law raises many questions and problems, as each province, territory, city and municipality has enacted its own rules. For example, you can walk the streets of Toronto and quietly smoke your joint, but not in Markham. It is also important to remember that since the age of majority in Ontario is 19, this also applies to the purchase and use of cannabis. Cannabis is legally sold online through the Ontario Cannabis Society (OCS) and in-store through licensed retail stores in Ontario. For more information on the legislation and where it can be purchased: ontario.ca/en/page/cannabis.
