City Council votes on new deal for Toronto

Friends,

Yesterday, Toronto City Council unanimously adopted recommendations to implement the Ontario-Toronto New Deal, an historic agreement that will have a strong positive effect on the City of Toronto's finances. The recommendations approved by Council were part of the “Ontario-Toronto New Deal Agreement” staff report.

My comments at Council are available here .

The new deal at its core is $1.23 billion in operating support from the province over three years and $3.04 billion in capital support over ten years. Capital support includes relief of costs via the City uploading the Gardiner and the Don Valley Parkway to the province which will have impacts beyond ten years.

The new deal reaffirms the City's and the Province's commitments around housing, transit and the sustainability of the City's long term financial plan.

A part of the deal, however, is contingent on the Government of Canada partnering with the City of Toronto and Province of Ontario on these priorities, as a significant portion of the financial support from the Province (the operating funding for shelters and capital funding for 55 new subway trains) is conditional on federal support being provided.

To ensure that we can bring all orders of governments to the table and work towards better services and supports for Torontonians, I encourage you to reach out to your Member of Parliament and urge them to make this commitment.

Both the operating and capital supports will have immediate impacts on our ongoing Budget discussions for the 2024 City Budget and beyond.

I'd like to note that Budget Consultations were held from November 1st to 30th, to gather feedback on the public's priorities for the City's 2024 Budget.

A report on the results of these online and in-person consultations will be posted in January. There will be additional opportunities for members of the public to share feedback both online and in-person to help shape how our City can build a safe, caring and affordable city where everyone belongs. The first budget committee meeting will be held on January 10, 2024.

You can learn more about how to get involved in the Budget here: https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/budget-finances/city-budget/how-to-get-involved-in-the-budget/

Sincerely,

Gord

- Update on 1437-1455 Development Application

- Dufferin Street Bridge One Day Closure

- Bloor West Complete Street and Bike Lanes Extension Update

- Parkdale Community Food Bank's "Feast 4 Parkdale" fundraiser

- Interim Rate increase for Solid Waste and Toronto Water

 

Update on 1437-1455 Development Application

The applicant of 1437-1455 Queen Street West has recently appealed their Development Application to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT).

The application proposes to demolish the existing buildings and construct a new 12-storey mixed use building containing 249 dwelling units.

A Community Consultation meeting to review the application was held virtually on October 10, 2023.

Detailed Information submitted to the City by the applicant is available for your review under 'supporting Documents' on the City's webpage at:

https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/planning-development/application-details/?id=5269879&pid=155751 .

The City Clerk's Office received the appeal notice on November 28, 2023 and has instructed staff to prepare the municipal record for the OLT. The applicant team will be instructed by the OLT to provide further notice to the community regarding participation opportunities and future case management meetings. Nothing has been scheduled to date.

City Planning staff will begin preparing a Request for Directions report which will go to Toronto and East York Community Council in the next few months.

My office will share the Request for Directions Report and any new information on this address as it becomes available.


Dufferin Street Bridge One Day Closure

The work on the bridge has been completed, and both north and southbound lanes of Dufferin Street are now reopened to vehicular traffic. However, as previously communicated, the Dufferin Street Bridge will need to undergo a one day closure in order to install a permanent south median energy attenuator. The closure will occur in the early morning of Friday, December 15 and the bridge is expected to re-open later in the evening.

We appreciate your understanding and patience throughout this project.


Bloor West Complete Street and Bike Lanes Extension Update #14

This email is to provide an update on phase 1 of the installation of the Bloor Street West Complete Street and Bike Lanes Extension from Runnymede Road to Aberfoyle Crescent. Installation of phase 1 began the week of September 11, 2023. Initial installation is planned for completion in December 2023, with upgrades planned for 2024 and beyond.  

This will be the last email update for the remainder of 2023. Regular installation updates will resume in Spring 2024 once phase 1 upgrades and phase 2 initial installation are planned to begin; however, sporadic updates may occur throughout the winter if work is scheduled.  

Work scheduled for the rest of December 2023

  • Ongoing signage installation and adjustments along the corridor.
  • Installation of platforms at bus stops, accessible loading and commercial loading zones.
  • Installation of barriers and curbs near newly added platforms.

Work will take place both during the day and at night and is scheduled to avoid conflicts with other construction in the roadway. The work scheduled is dependent on weather conditions. 


Feast 4 Parkdale: Celebrating the diversity of our community

Join the Feast 4 Parkdale event and support a local food bank - Parkdale Community Food Bank by creating your own fundraising page. As you rally your friends, family, and community to support your fundraising efforts, you're not just contributing to the cause; you're creating a tapestry of cultural exchange and understanding. Every dollar raised goes towards ensuring that the Parkdale Community Food Bank can provide more diverse holiday food offerings to those that they serve.
More information on this event is available here

Interim rate increase for Solid Waste Management Services and Toronto Water next year

Toronto City Council approved a planned three per cent interim increase in rates and fees for Solid Waste Management Services and Toronto Water. This will maintain current service levels, provide adequate funds for future capital needs and will help avoid a more significant increase when the budget is approved.

The interim rates and fees will take effect Monday, January 1, 2024, and final rates will be approved in the 2024 Budget, which will launch on Wednesday, January 10, 2024.

Solid Waste Management Services
Households are charged for waste collection services according to the size of their garbage bins. In 2024, factoring in the three per cent increase, the yearly solid waste fee for a single-family household will amount to $295.29 for a small bin (an increase of $8.60), $358.47 for a medium bin (an increase of $10.44), $486.86 for a large bin (an increase of $14.18) and $564.71 for an extra-large bin (an increase of $16.45).

In addition to residential garbage collection, Solid Waste Management Services fees fund the collection and processing of yard waste, organics, oversized and metal items, household hazardous waste and electronics. These fees also provide support for city-wide litter collection, Community Environment Days, street and park bin collection, drop-off depots and the ongoing maintenance of closed landfills.

Toronto Water
For the average Toronto household using 230 cubic metres of water per year, the interim rate will cost an additional $30 annually (eight cents a day) for a total of $1,039 in 2024.

Toronto Water provides safe drinking water, wastewater collection and treatment and stormwater management services while investing in the construction and revitalization of infrastructure to address challenges posed by growth, aging assets and the effects of climate change.

Rate-supported operating and capital budgets for Solid Waste Management Services and Toronto Water – including final rates and fees – will be considered as part of the 2024 Budget process.

 

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Demonstrations Bylaw

Friends,

The City of Toronto is moving ahead with public consultation for a proposed demonstrations bylaw to protect vulnerable institutions, as directed by City Council (2024.CC24.2).

In February 2024, City Council directed the City Manager to develop a policy framework for the management and monitoring of rallies and protests, ensuring alignment with the City’s Human Rights and Anti-Harassment Policy.

The Report presented to City Council in December, 2024, presented a Policy framework that clarifies the City’s role, jurisdiction and municipal tools available to respond to demonstrations, including the role of applicable City divisions, and provided an overarching foundation of how the City coordinates its activities to determine an appropriate response based on the circumstances of the situation.

I supported the adoption of the Policy Framework.

However, this report included a recommendation (#3) that the City Manager report back with a proposed bylaw that limits demonstrations in our city. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2024.CC24.2

This was a very difficult decision however, I could not support this direction as I believe that restricting people’s ability to protest is a step backward. It takes away people’s rights under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. I believe the preservation of these rights in their entirety is essential to protecting the most vulnerable segments of our society, and our democracy. I spoke to my reasoning for not supporting this direction; you can listen to it here.

The City is now moving ahead with the public consultation .

This multi-pronged public consultation approach will include the following:

Online Survey

Written Comments

Public Discussions

  • Additional opportunities to participate in public discussions will follow in April. More information on the dates of the public discussions will be communicated and posted on the City’s webpage once confirmed.

Information and additional details on the City’s public consultation can be found on the City’s webpage at: http://toronto.ca/PublicConsult.

The consultation is an opportunity to take part in this conversation. I encourage you to participate.

Sincerely,


In This Week's Newsletter

City Wide Updates 

  • Zoning for Housing – Upcoming City Planning Consultations
    • Garden Suites Monitoring Program
    • Expanding Permissions in Neighbourhoods for Sixplexes Citywide
  • Help shape the next Toronto Seniors’ Strategy 

Ward 4

  • Swansea Town Hall Community Centre - Seeking New Board Members & Assistant Executive Director 
  • Greenest City: Parkdale Seedy Sunday & Ecofair 2025 - Volunteer Call
  • Toronto Hydro Construction Notice - Glenlake Ave.
  • Road Rehabilitation Construction Notice - Evans Ave
  • Developments
    • 3459-3461 Dundas St W
    • 138 Dowling Ave

Anyone can experience homelessness. Everyone deserves shelter.

Friends,

Anyone can experience homelessness.

Shelters in our city provide essential support to individuals in immediate housing crisis, act as a stepping stone to permanent housing, reduce reliance on other high-cost services (e.g. emergency rooms), and bring people indoors, providing an alternative to sleeping in parks, sidewalks, or transit stations.

The positive impact of shelter service is evident in the stories of individuals who have successfully transitioned from shelter into permanent housing. Some have bravely shared their stories: Successful Pathways to Housing – City of Toronto .

Shelters provide critical services to help individuals experiencing homelessness gain stability as they work toward permanent housing.

The City has a 10-year plan to improve and expand our shelter system: Homelessness Services Capital Infrastructure Strategy (HSCIS).

One pillar of the 10-year strategy is building up to 20 permanent and purpose-built shelters, with a focus on expanding outside of the downtown core to address gaps in available services for people.     

Community engagement is a crucial component to supporting the successful integration of new shelters into the neighbourhood. The City is committed to engaging the community to support the program’s success – both for the individuals who will be staying at shelters and the surrounding community. The process includes communicating details about the shelter development process, responding to community inquiries and concerns, improving public understanding of shelter development and providing ongoing shelter updates. Details will be shared with each community as development of each site progresses and can be found online at toronto.ca/NewShelters

I am encouraged by the City’s Homelessness Services Capital Infrastructure Strategy (HSCIS) and will continue to use my voice and vote on Council to support improving and increasing our shelter infrastructure and expediting the City’s delivery of housing.

Sincerely,


In This Week's Newsletter

City Wide Updates 

  • Toronto Strong Neighbourhoods Strategy (TSNS) Community Networks Launching
  • Spring Flooding: Flood Preparedness Resources
  • Committee of Adjustment Annual Stakeholder Update and Engagement
  • Celebrate Community Story Telling at City Hall

Ward 4

  • BenTastic Magic Show at Parkdale Library
  • High Park Prescribed Burn
  • Construction Notice: Road Resurfacing on Weatherell Street from Rivercrest Rd to Jane St
  • Greenest City: Parkdale Seedy Sunday & Ecofair 2025

Potential Labour Strike & Disruptions

Friends,

Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 79, the union representing the City’s 27,000 city workers will be in a legal strike at 12:01 a.m., or one minute past midnight, on Saturday, March 8 if an agreement is not reached before then.

City Manager Paul Johnson has provided updates on city services that may be impacted in the event of a labour disruption.

A labour disruption would result in the closure of all 39 City-operated early learning and child care centres, as well as the closure and cancellation of programming at all City recreation centres including March Break camps. Refunds will be issued for any paid recreation programs that are affected and clients will not be charged for days that City-operated child care centres are closed.

The City will remain prepared to respond to emergencies if a labour disruption occurs. Emergency response by the Toronto Police Service, Toronto Fire Services and Toronto Paramedic Services will not be impacted. The Toronto Community Crisis Service will operate normally. Winter maintenance operations for roads and sidewalks will continue.

Seniors Services and Long-Term Care, TTC, Toronto Community Housing and Toronto Water operations will continue during a labour disruption. All City-operated and funded shelters, 24-hour respite and drop-in programs will remain open. The City will continue to activate additional services during colder temperatures, including Warming Centres.

Information on City services and bargaining updates can be found on the City’s website at www.toronto.ca/labour.

Sincerely,


In This Week's Newsletter

City Wide Updates 

  • Prepare for potential flooding
  • Bylaw update for Accessible Parking Permit holders
  • Reminder: Vacant Home Tax Declaration

Ward 4

  • Family Skate at Coca Cola Coliseum
  • Artists in Flux 2: Empowerment
  • CommunitiCare Health Taking New Patients
  • Greenest City: Parkdale Seedy Sunday & Ecofair 2025

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