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Join in on Community Environmental Action

Friends,

As we enter Earth Month, I wanted to highlight some of the many environmental initiatives the City is advancing to support community members in taking action.

Community Environment and Compost Days:  Environment Days return this month with events scheduled across Toronto. These events provide residents with a convenient way to recycle electronics, donate reusable household items, and safely dispose of household hazardous waste. Learn more about Environment Day Events here.

In Ward 4, we will be hosting two Community Compost Days on April 25th near Warren Park Junior Public School and on April 30th near Masaryk Cowan Community Centre. Residents can pick up free loose compost, while supplies last. More information is included below in this week’s e-newsletter.

Community Stewardship Program: Community Stewardship Program volunteers help to care for natural areas across the city, and learn about native trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants, invasive species, ecological monitoring, and more! Participants meet at their designated team site from spring to fall, engaging in stewardship activities such as invasive species removal and planting.

Virtual orientation for new volunteers is taking place on Wednesday April 8 from 6 to 7 p.m. Learn more about the Community Stewardship Program and orientation registration here.

Native Plants, Trees and Shrubs List: Ever wondered which plants will actually thrive in your dry, full sun, salt exposed garden? Or which native groundcovers can help you replace turf grass? Just in time for spring planting, the City has launched a dynamic new Native Plant, Tree and Shrub List for residents to plan out their gardens. Native species are naturally adapted to local conditions making them resilient, low maintenance, and great for supporting pollinators and local biodiversity. Review the Native Plants, Trees, and Shrubs List here.

Live Green Toronto is also offering residents a chance to win a kit of pollinator-friendly native wildflowers to help boost Toronto’s buzzing pollinator habitats. Each kit comes with 10 beautiful native wildflower plants and an optional native shrub. The contest is open until April 21, 2026. Learn more about the Native Plant Kit Contest here.

Help grow Toronto’s tree canopy: The City plants and maintains trees on the portion of land between roadways and private property, known as the City right-of-way. Each year, the City carefully plans and prioritizes where new trees will be planted.

If you receive a notice that a tree will be planted in front of your property, carefully read the instructions or reach out to 311 with any questions. The City will take care of the planting and ongoing maintenance; you get to enjoy the new tree.

If you are a property owner and would like a tree planted in front of your home, you can submit a request to 311 at Request a City Tree Planting.

Clean Toronto Together – April 24 to 26: You can join thousands of residents, families, businesses and community groups in the annual citywide cleanup from April 24 to 26. Register by April 22 to choose your cleanup location from a pre-approved parks list, pick up supplies and receive a participant toolkit. Registering for your community clean up in advance will help the City coordinate clean up locations, arrange waste collection and recognize the impact of volunteer efforts across Toronto’s parks and public spaces. Learn more at toronto.ca/CleanToronto.

Toronto continues to be a leader amongst North American municipalities in protecting the environment and building sustainable communities, in large part due to the level of resident participation in these initiatives. Whether you’re a perennial participant or looking to try something new, I encourage you take part in greening our city in a way that excites you.

 

Sincerely,

In This Week's Newsletter

City-Wide News

  • Vacant Tax Home - April 30 Deadline
  • Earth Day Global Walk in Toronto Parks

Ward 4 news

  • 1497-1501 Queen St W & 89-91 Beaty Ave
  • Construction Notices: Virtue, Sorauren and RapidTO Dufferin
  • High Park Movement StrategySurvey and Public Meeting
  • Info Session: Community Mural Project at Breakaway
  • Compost Days - April 25th & 30th

City-Wide News

One month remaining to submit 2025 Vacant Home Tax declaration 

The City of Toronto is reminding all residential property owners that there is one month left to submit their 2025 Vacant Home Tax (VHT) declaration by the April 30 deadline. 

To date, nearly 95 per cent of property owners have submitted their 2025 Vacant Home Tax declaration. The City of Toronto encourages remaining owners to complete their declarations to ensure their property is accurately classified and avoid penalties.  

Since the Vacant Home Tax came into effect in 2022, the number of declared or deemed vacant properties decreased from 6,944 in 2022 to 5,989 in 2024, supporting the City’s efforts to increase housing availability for Toronto residents.  

All residential property owners must submit a declaration every year, even if the home is their main residence. If no declaration is received by April 30, the property may be considered vacant and taxed. Even properties that were occupied for part of the year must still be declared. Owners who do not submit a declaration may have their property deemed vacant and the tax applied.  

How to declare 
Property owners may submit their VHT declaration through one of the following channels: 

  • By phone: Contact 311 (within Toronto) or 416-392-2489 (outside Toronto). Multilingual support is available in more than 180 languages. 
  • In person: File in person at a Tax and Utility Counter located at Toronto City Hall or at any civic centre. 

Property owners who file their VHT declaration online will receive a confirmation number and may request an electronic copy by email. Declarations submitted by phone or in person will also be confirmed with a receipt. Declarations may be audited and supporting documentation may be requested. Information on how to update or correct a declaration is available at www.toronto.ca/VacantHomeTax. 

For further information about the VHT, including details on how to declare and available exemptions, visit www.toronto.ca/VacantHomeTax or contact 311. 

Earth Day Global Walk in Toronto Parks 

Join the High Park walk on April 18 from 4:45pm to 5:45pm.

Ward 4 news

1497-1501 Queen St W & 89-91 Beaty Ave

An Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment application has been filed proposing a 10- and 7-storey, mixed-use building consisting of 141 affordable units including 50 rental replacements.

The application has been deemed complete. City Planning staff are in the process of beginning a review of this application.

There will be community consultation on this application in late April/early May.

Information submitted to the City by the applicant is available for your review under 'supporting Documents' on the City's Application Information Centre:

https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/planning-development/application-details/?id=5782690&pid=155629&title=1497-1501-QUEEN-ST-W-&-89-91-BEATY-AVE

Our office will continue to update the community as information becomes available. Please feel free to get in touch with any questions.

Construction Notices

Virtue Street Construction April 13 to July

Work on Virtue Street will commence on April 13 until July. There will be four stages of work on Virtue Street, during each stage there will be a week of no parking for constructions crew to do to their work. Residents are permitted to park anywhere in permit parking zone 2.

See complete notice here: Watermain Replacement Construction Notice

Sorauren Avenue Watermain Construction April 13 to July

Construction crews will restart work on Sorauren Avenue on Monday April 13. Crews will start work at the south end of Sorauren Avenue and will be working north towards Dundas Street W. During construction, daily traffic and local access for residents will be maintained in one active lane.

See complete notice here: Watermain Replacement Construction Notice

Rapid TO Dufferin April Installation

The City of Toronto and TTC will resume the installations of the Rapid TO Dufferin Street bus lanes. Work is expected to being mid April, weather dependent. Work will be happening between Dundas St W and Bloor St W.

See complete notice here: RapidTO: Dufferin Street | Installation Notice

High Park Movement Strategy Road Redesign Options Survey and Public Meeting

The City is implementing the High Park Movement Strategy to rebalance park roads and support all forms of mobility. The current work is to implement permanent road design improvements on Colborne Lodge Drive and West Road and pedestrian improvements along Centre Road to make travelling in High Park safer, easier, and more enjoyable.

This survey is an opportunity to learn about the draft road redesign options and provide your feedback: High Park Movement Strategy Road Redesign Options Survey

The survey will take 10-20 minutes to complete depending on the options you select, and will close on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at 11:55 p.m.

The City’s Parks and Recreation Division is also hosting a High Park Movement Strategy Road Design Options Public Meeting on Tuesday, April 7th, 6 p.m to 8 p.m. The portal to register for the meeting is available at Toronto.ca/highparkmove

Art is Good - Community Information Session at Breakaway Services

Art is Good Medicine, an upcoming community-engaged mural project supported by StreetARToronto at Breakaway Community Services in Parkdale.

This project will transform the exterior of Breakaway into a vibrant, welcoming landmark that reflects the creativity, resilience, and values of the community it serves. 

An information session to about the mural will happen on April 26 from 6:30–7:30 PM for community members to learn more about the project.

Compost Days in Ward 4 - April 25 and April 30

 

Latest posts

High Park Bus Service is now operational

Friends,

High Park just got easier to explore with the advancement of a key component of the High Park Movement Strategy – expansion of public transit in High Park.

Starting March 15, 2026, TTC’s 203 High Park is running an expanded bus service through the ‘High Park Loop’ on weekends to support increased travel to High Park. The service will run from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. with buses arriving every 20 minutes.

The 203 High Park brings park visitors directly to various stops within the park from High Park Station, with no extra fare required.

Additionally, from May to September, the bus will be operational during the weekdays.

  • Weekends & holidays: March 15 to October 31.
  • Weekday service: May 4 to September 4.

Wheel-Trans service in High Park will continue be a year-round service. Information on service schedules and locations can be found on Wheel-Trans or by calling the Wheel-Trans Reservation line at 416-393-4222.

Plan your visit to High Park: toronto.ca/highpark

The City’s Parks and Recreation Division is hosting a High Park Movement Strategy Road Design Options Public Meeting on Tuesday, April 7th, 6 p.m to 8 p.m. The portal to register for the meeting is available at Toronto.ca/highparkmove . This is an opportunity for community to learn about and provide feedback on the road design options for the next phase of High Park Movement Strategy implementation.

As part of CampTO, High Park will also be hosting a children’s cycling camp out of Colborne Lodge in August. Enrollment opens on March 31 on the City’s webpage.

As we continue to improve the travel network in High Park, I want to thank everyone for your continued interest in making the park more accessible, safe, and vibrant. Together we can champion a park that is conveniently accessed through public transit, supports active transportation, strengthens its natural environment and brings people together in a safe and welcoming public space.

Sincerely,

In This Week's Newsletter

City-Wide News

  • CampTO registration opens
  • Tenant Rights Survey

Ward 4 news

  • 3286-3316 Dundas St W (Dundas and Runnymede) at TEYCC 
  • 3459-3461 Dundas St W (Dundas and Windermere) at TEYCC
  • TTC Closures
    • Kipling to Jane
    • Jane to Ossington
  • Parking Changes to Dundas Street
  • Road Closure: Exhibition Place - March 28
  • Revue Cinema Screening: Two Extraordinary Grandmothers
  • Youth Soccer Program at Lamport Stadium

Investing in Fixing Roads Faster

Friends,

Spring is around the corner, and as the snow melts, City crews are hard at work filling potholes and responding to local roads in bad condition because of this year’s winter weather.

I was happy to support Mayor Chow’s motion at Executive Committee this week aimed at building upon the City’s successful Fixing Roads Faster program. Launched in 2025, this program accelerated resurfacing of local roads ahead of their original schedule, including those with the most significant pothole issues. In 2025, this resulted in over 250,000 potholes being filled, an increase of 44% since 2022.

The City’s 2026 Budget invests $11 million in new funding to build upon the Fixing Roads Faster program and expand local resurfacing above and beyond the previous level of local road repair.

Residents can help inform this year’s ongoing pothole blitz strategy by reporting damage on a road, bike lane, or expressway to 311. A service request can be submitted online at toronto.ca/311 or by calling 311. You can learn more about the City’s response to potholes here: Potholes – City of Toronto

Next week is March Break and I encourage you to review and enjoy the various events and activities taking place across our city, including March Break Fun at Colborne Lodge.

Wishing everyone a safe and happy March Break week and our e-newsletter will resume the following week.

Sincerely,

In This Week's Newsletter

City-Wide News

  • TRCA message on flood and safety

  • Power Outage Map

  • Name Toronto’s new electric ferries  

  • Reminder: CaféTO applications are open

Ward 4 news

  • Free March Break Activities at Colborne Lodge

  • Online Survey - Malta Park

  • Prescribed Burn at Lambton Park and High Park

  • TTC 508 Lakeshore Streetcar Bus Replacement

  • Street Art Toronto Underpass Mural – Meet the Artists

  • Toronto Hydro Construction at Scarlett and Dundas

Water Meter Transmission Unit Replacements to begin soon

Friends,

The City's Automated Meter Reading (AMR) system was designed to enable automated water billing readings, eliminating the need for on-site meter readings.

Water Meter Transmission Units (MTUs) are a critical component of the City’s AMR system, enabling the transmission of accurate and timely water consumption data for water utility billing.

The City of Toronto will launch a three-year program in April to replace all 470,000 water meter transmission units for customers. The replacement program will roll out by geographic zones starting in April and continue through 2028.  

There is no separate charge or installation fee for customers, and a dedicated customer support team will be available to help throughout the program.  

Neptune Technology Group (Canada), the contractor hired by the City to complete the work, will contact customers directly to book appointments once replacements are scheduled in your area. In ward 4, replacements are estimated for Fall, 2026 toronto.ca/MTUreplacement. 

While waiting for a scheduled replacement, Toronto Water customers whose MTU has stopped working, may receive a notice in advance of their upcoming billing encouraging them to manually submit a water reading via the online portal. Customers are encouraged to submit manual readings while waiting for replacement.

More information about the program, including how to prepare for the appointment and how to recognize authorized Neptune technicians, is available on the City’s website.

I understand that billing adjustments can be concerning however, Toronto Water has confirmed that even if your MTU has stopped working, the water meter itself continues to accurately record water use. When the City receives an actual reading, the bill will be updated to reflect the amount of water used – and customers will only be charged for the water they used.

Customers with questions or concerns about their bill should call 311, where a dedicated customer service team will review the account, answer questions, and work to develop a fair and reasonable payment plan if needed. 

Sincerely,

In This Week's Newsletter

City-Wide News

  • Spring recreation registration is now open

  • Street Furniture Program Survey

Ward 4 news

  • 2271, 2277 & 2279 Bloor Street West (Bloor/Durie) Community Consultation Meeting - March 11th 

  • METRAC Parkdale Safety Audit - March 12th

  • Taste of the Junction 2026 - Call for Artists
More — Read Our Weekly Newsletter

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Ward 4

City Hall

Email:
Phone: 416-392-7919
Address:
100 Queen St W, Suite A14
Toronto, ON M5H 2N2