Friends,
Happy winter!
As you receive this on Thursday evening, the City of Toronto snow clearing crews are continuing the clean up of the significant snow fall from Wednesday evening and Thursday morning and are also preparing for the 10-20 cm forecasted for this weekend.
While the city typically manages snow within the existing road allowance, yesterday the City of Toronto declared a Major Snowstorm Condition. While this declaration is in effect, parking on roads designated as snow routes is prohibited to ensure timely snow clearing and removal operations. Residents are asked to avoid parking on snow routes and to keep a safe distance from equipment as City crews respond to winter weather. Find more information on the City’s Snow Removal After Major Storms webpage.
Information about the status of TTC Service can be tracked with the following link Service alerts. Call 416-393-4636 for automated TTC information available 24/7. If you need to speak with a live TTC operator 1-866-642-9882 a live operator is available between 8AM and 6PM except on statutory holidays.
This snow maintenance and removal operations is budgeted for, through the City Budget. This week, Toronto City Council considered and adopted the Mayor’s proposed 2025 City Budget.
The 2025 City Budget reflects input from more than 12,000 residents city-wide who participated in the budget consultations. From in-person town halls to virtual meetings and surveys, to our own Ward 4 Budget townhall, thank you to everyone who participated and shared their views.
This budget prioritizes critical investments in the city services people rely on. The budget is supported by a property tax increase of 5.4 percent for residential properties. This will result in an increase of $210 annually for the average assessed value of a Toronto home ($692,031) or approximately $17.50 per month. An additional 1.5 percent increase for the City Building Fund will result in $58.37 for the average Toronto residential property (approximately $4.86 more per month) and will allow us to provide substantial investments for transit and creating affordable housing in our city. A property tax relief programs is available to eligible low-income seniors and people with disabilities. This support includes property tax deferrals and cancellations as well as water and solid waste rebates. Check your eligibility and find more information here: www.toronto.ca/services-payments/property-taxes-utilities/property-tax/property-tax-water-solid-waste-relief-and-rebate-programs/property-tax-and-utility-relief-program.
With years of austerity measures, conservative mayors, and the lack of political will to make difficult decisions, vital City services suffered deep cuts and continued to decline. With this budget, it is evident that this Mayor and Council are continuing on a path to a more affordable, caring, and safe city.
I was proud to support this 2025 City Budget.
Please see a few highlights below:
Making life more affordable
- Expands school food programs to reach 257,210 students during the 2024/25 school year – 21,500 more students than in 2023/24 – providing 48.4 million meals.
- Provides daily nutritious snacks to 31,000 campers at 45 CampTO locations.
- Allocates $1 million to the Rent Bank to assist up to 2,700 households in financial need.
- Invests an additional $800,000 in eviction prevention programs and $712,800 for tenant support services.
- Enforces a new bylaw to protect tenants from unfair evictions.
- Launches a pilot program to provide 400 air conditioners to low-income and vulnerable residents in multi-family buildings
- Waives development charges to unlock 8,000 affordable homes and accelerate the construction of 6,000 rental units.
Keeping Toronto moving
- Freezes TTC fares while improving service across the transit network, adding about 500,000 more service hours (an increase of 5.8 per cent).
- Purchases 55 new subway cars to modernize Line 2 and improve service reliability.
- Implements six-minute or better streetcar service on Dundas, St. Clair and Bathurst routes.
- Launches a pilot on 11 high-ridership bus routes to reduce “bus bunching” and make travel more efficient for riders.
- Deploys 100 traffic agents by the end of 2025 to help reduce congestion.
Keeping people safe
- Adds 263 new front-line emergency services positions (fire, police and paramedics).
- Expands youth violence prevention programs.
- Strengthens road safety initiatives.
Enhancing community services
- Extends Sunday service hours at all 100 Toronto Public Library branches.
- Enhances cleaning at recreational facilities.
- Expands outdoor pool hours by two hours daily.
- Increases access to local arts, festivals and cultural events.
City Council also approved the following enhancements to the operating budget, allocating a total of $3 million to:
- Host the Strong Cities Network’s 2025 Global Summit.
- Support pruning and watering of young street trees.
- Bolster volunteer engagement and stewardship programs focused on restoration and invasive species management in Toronto’s ravines.
- Enhance drop-in services for people experiencing homelessness, including an extension of the Creating Health Plus program.
- Support community programs that help seniors, youth, families, resident groups and local food security.
- Help food security programs and food banks.
- Expand the pickleball program, first aid certification program, High Five training program, seniors programming and rehabilitate Sherwood Park’s dogs off-leash area.
- Implement the Little Jamaica Cultural District Plan.
- Support the City’s local procurement efforts.
Historic capital investment
The City’s 10-year capital budget and plan (2025-2034) is a historic $59.6 billion investment, reflecting a $9.8 billion increase from the previous plan. It prioritizes state of good repair, with $32.4 billion (54 per cent) allocated to maintain and improve infrastructure, while also supporting initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 160,725 tonnes.
Key investments include:
- $4.9 billion for transit and mobility
- $2 billion for housing and community improvements
- $2.9 billion for other initiatives, including flood protection and net-zero efforts.
Sincerely,
In This Week's Newsletter
City Wide Updates
- Spring Recreation Program
- Learn4Life Registration Open
- Shaping the Next Toronto Senior Strategy
Ward 4
- Black History Month Celebration at Masaryk Cowan CRC
- Black History Walking Tour of Parkdale
- Parkdale Queen West Health Centre Valentine's Event
- 2760 Dundas St W - Committee of Adjustment
