How a federal program could change 500,000 lives

Plus, Bonnie Crombie's provincial plans and how not to go broke at the dentist [Get This Offer]( [The Star] First Up [By Manuela Vega] By Manuela Vega Good morning. Here’s the latest on undocumented workers in Canada, the Ontario Liberal leadership race and dental coverage without health insurance. DON’T MISS Steve Russell/The Star star investigation [This undocumented worker has spent years in the shadows — a new federal program could change her life]( Homophobia and an abusive marriage pushed Jane to leave Uganda — but what Toronto would grant her remained uncertain. In Canada, a refugee claim that cost her $30,000 was ultimately unsuccessful, leaving Jane at risk of deportation. She lost access to formal jobs and health care, and social services came with the fear of apprehension. The result has been a secret life of precarity, constant fear and little comfort. But, as one of an estimated 500,000 undocumented residents in Canada, Jane may be eligible for a new path to permanent residency. [Sara Mojtehedzadeh reports on Jane’s experience in Canada and how the new policy could set her life on a new trajectory](. - Context: The Star is not using Jane’s full name due to her risk of deportation. Whether she benefits from Ottawa’s new program will depend on the scale and scope of what is implemented, and a spokesperson for Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada said those details are not yet available. - Why it matters: Advocates say regularizing undocumented workers will boost wages, improve economic productivity and increase tax revenues. If done right, they say, it could also lift hundreds of thousands of people out of chronic fear, ill health, and poverty. Canadian Press/Chris Young provincial politics [Insiders say she’s a threat to Doug Ford — now Bonnie Crombie is poised to seek the Ontario Liberal leadership]( In a move that Progressive Conservative circles see as an existential threat, Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie is launching an exploratory bid to lead the Ontario Liberals with hopes of defeating Doug Ford’s government in 2026. The news comes as the Liberals seek a leader to revive the party after taking major losses to the Tories in 2018 and again last year. Robert Benzie reports on [Crombie’s vision for the party and the Dec. 2 leadership contest](. - More: “I’m the only person thinking about putting their name forward who has governing experience and who has gone toe-to-toe with the Ford government — whether it’s over the housing affordability crisis, health care and education or the climate change crisis,” Crombie said. - The latest: [Crombie recently convinced Ford to separate Peel Region and give Mississauga independence]( — a political win that some Tories had hoped might convince her to stay in municipal politics. Ramon Ferreira/The Star personal finance [No health insurance? Here’s how to keep dental costs from bankrupting you]( For more than 2.6 million self-employed workers in Canada, lacking access to dental coverage may be a financial concern that could set them back hundreds of dollars in an emergency. But experts say there are strategies that can help alleviate the financial weight of surprise costs: prevention, having honest conversations about dental procedures and determining whether you should get insurance or pay out of pocket. [Ghada Alsharif explains what you should consider and how you can make the best decisions for yourself](. - More: People without access to dental insurance should ask their dentist about how many teeth cleanings or X-rays they’ll need to schedule in order to set aside money for the treatments ahead of time, says financial educator Jessica Moorhouse. - Go deeper: “Shopping around for the right dentist first is a good idea,” Moorhouse adds, because while some dentists may try to upsell, others are more flexible and open about discussing payment options that work for different income levels. [Living Here newsletter relaunch] Need a trusty guide through the housing crunch? Living Here, the Star’s free newsletter, can help. Each week, it’ll bring you the analysis and expert advice you need to navigate renting, buying, owning or just getting by in and around Toronto — plus more of the Star’s essential real estate coverage. [Sign up for free here](. WHAT ELSE A battle over police funding is set to be a [major sticking point as Peel Region splits](. An ex-police chief for mayor? [These are the questions behind Mark Saunders’ campaign](. Rental households are up 25 per cent in the past decade — [Toronto tenants could be a force in the mayoral race](. A Tim Hortons worker has “severe” burns after [hot coffee was allegedly thrown at her in a drive-thru](. [A poll shows Danielle Smith’s UCP leading slightly]( in the tight Alberta election. Why it feels like we’re in a recession — [even though we’re (technically) not](. How to budget for retirement? [Two middle-class couples share their modest spending plans](. There is a problem with our bail system, [but it’s not what politicians say](. Long COVID is one of the strangest things that’s happened to me, Heather Mallick writes. [Here’s what it’s like](. Martin Scorsese’s crime epic [“Killers of the Flower Moon” premiered to raves at Cannes Film Festival](. Ontario engineers have removed the Canadian work experience requirement for immigrants. [Here’s why the province says it’s a “game changer.” ]( “Save the bees?” [Why one longtime beekeeper aims to do so — by giving up beekeeping](. POV Steve Russell/The Star [How Olivia Chow is putting Toronto’s right in a bit of a spot.]( CLOSE-UP Marco Ugarte/AP Photo MEXICO: Women stand on an ash-covered street on Monday as the Popocatepetl volcano in Santiago Xalitzintla spews plumes of gas, ash and incandescent rock into the air. The volcano's activity has increased over the past week, but evacuations have not yet been ordered. [Here’s what we know](. Thank you for reading. You can reach me and the First Up team at [firstup@thestar.ca](mailto:firstup@thestar.ca?source=newsletter&utm_source=ts_nl&utm_medium=emailutm_email=6C53B63A8E3FAD70AD4EF13004527437&utm_campaign=frst_183114). I’ll see you back here tomorrow. Get unlimited access to the Star Limited time sale: Only $1/week for 52 weeks [Get This Offer]( If you're not enjoying these emails, please tell us how we can make them better by emailing newsletterfeedback@thestar.ca. Or, if you'd prefer, you can unsubscribe from this newsletter by clicking the first link below. [Unsubscribe From This Newsletter]( [Sign Up for More Newsletters and Email Alerts]( [View in Browser]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Twitter]( Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. One Yonge Street, 4th Floor, Toronto, ON M5E 1E6. 416-367-2000 [PRIVACY POLICY](