Dr. Jill Andrew, Ph.D., is running for re-election to represent Toronto-St. Paul's in the Legislative Assembly. Since 2018, Jill has represented Toronto-St. Paul's and served as the Critic for Women's Issues, Heritage, and Culture in the Ontario legislature - and sat as a member of the, Ontario NDP Black Caucus - a first of its kind in Ontario legislative history.
Jill is the first Black, Queer person to be elected to the Ontario Legislature and reportedly in Canada.
Since her election, Jill has been a leading voice on issues of gender, race and social justice, the housing crisis, healthcare inequities, education, and the immeasurable benefit of arts and culture to our communities but also to our physical, and mental and social health.
Jill was twice named Best MPP - First Runner Up by NOW Magazine Reader's Choice Awards - an exciting acknowledgment for a first-time MPP.
Her first Private Member's Bill 61 passed through the Legislature and designated Eating Disorders Awareness Week in the first week of February across Ontario.
Jill is committed to making education on the Holocaust and genocide, Indigenous and Africentric education, mandatory in Ontario schools.
Jill has been leading the fight to make housing more affordable with housing motions to ban above-guideline rent increases, extend eviction bans and provide rent relief and address food insecurity.
Jill is pushing for direct financial support to small businesses in need.
Jill is standing up for families by demanding affordable childcare and safer schools.
Jill is advocating for our local libraries, artists and precarious workers.
Jill wants to protect frontline workers with Bill 8, calling for paid sick days, better wages and safe workplaces.
Jill has also tabled a motion in the legislature calling for the adoption and full implementation of an Interministerial Intersectional Gender Equity Strategy which would require proposed legislation to be reviewed through an intersectional gender lens before it becomes law to ensure the impact of said legislation on women, gender diverse and racialized Ontarians is comprehensively weighed, accounted for and made public.
Outside of politics, Jill is also co-founder of Body Confidence Canada and is an award-winning educator and former columnist, equity and body-image advocate, speaker, and writer. As the co-founder of #SizeismSUCKS and Body Confidence Awareness Week, Jill advocates ending size, weight, and appearance-based discrimination, harassment, and bullying.
Jill holds a Child & Youth Worker diploma from Humber College, a Bachelor of Education (BEd) from York University among her other undergraduate degrees, a Master’s degree in women and gender studies from the University of Toronto New College, and her PhD from York University’s Faculty of Education. She was also a proud member of CUPE 3903 and OSSTF District 12. Jill's PhD dissertation explored the trifecta of racism, sexism, and fat hatred experienced by Black women in the GTA, their strategies of both accommodation and resistance as well as everyday, systemic and policy reform necessary to facilitate change against anti-Black racism, gendered violence, and weight discrimination.
She is a community co-owner of Glad Day Bookshop – the world’s oldest LGBT bookstore and has been an avid volunteer and donor supporting organizations across the GTA that prioritize Black and racialized communities, youth, women, the arts, LGBTQ2+ communities, and chronic health advocacy among others.
Jill is also a graduate of the Women Win TO political training series. She is passionate about documenting, celebrating, and advocating for people's human rights and their right to social, cultural, and economic access. She is deeply honored and thankful for the opportunity to represent Toronto-St. Paul’s and allies across Ontario in the Legislature. Follow Jill @JillsLastWord.