Friends,
Here are a few highlights from this week's City Council meeting:
Mayor Chow brought forward two key items – securing shelter and supports for refugees, and declaring gender-based violence and intimate partner violence an epidemic in the City of Toronto.
The Mayor's motion to secure shelter and supports for refugees was approved unanimously. It recommends that the City match the provincial contribution of $6.67 million to the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit program, while requesting that the federal government provide its historical 2/3 funding to the program. The motion also requests that the City Manager increase the number of temporary shelters available. Council expressed its gratitude to the federal government for providing $97 million through the Interim Housing Assistance Program but reiterated the request for the full $157 million.
As part of the motion to declare gender-based violence an epidemic, Mayor Chow directed the City Manager to work in partnership with City staff including the Medical Officer of Health and the Director of the Indigenous Affairs Office. The recommendations include urging the provincial and federal governments to enact the Renfrew inquest's jury recommendations which provide a roadmap to prevent intimate partner violence from escalating to femicide.
Council voted unanimously in favour of both of Mayor Chow's key items.
Yesterday, Council also voted in favour of pursuing a ban on two-stroke engine equipment. Two-stroke engine leaf blowers, which are gas powered, negatively impacts climate, air quality and health.
In other news, I have been appointed as a member of the City's Striking Committee which will meet in August 2023 to assign Councillors to new positions on standing committees. Stay tuned for more updates on this matter.
For any Ward 4 or City-related issues, contact my office at [email protected].
Sincerely,
Gord
Send your favorite photos of places in Ward 4, Parkdale-High Park to [email protected] . Don't forget to tell us your name so that we can give you credit when we share your photo!
In this week's newsletter:
-
Development Meetings
- date change for 2442 - 2454 Bloor St West
- 2115 - 2117 Bloor St West
- Ontario Place for All
- Swansea Summer Music Series at Swansea Town Hall
2442-2454 Bloor Street West Construction Management Plan and Site Plan Community Meeting
My apologies for the inconvenience but I've had to change the date for the 2442-2454 Bloor St W Construction Management Plan and Site Plan Community Meeting from July 27th to August 3rd. Please see the notice below with the new time included.
In 2019 City Council approved a mixed-use development consisting of a 12-storey apartment building containing 186 residential units with retail on the ground floor.
To ensure that the community remains a part of the process for this development I will be, in cooperation with City Planning staff and the applicant, holding a community meeting on Thursday, August 3rd from 6:30pm – 8:00pm. This meeting will allow you to view the proposed Construction Management Plan and share your thoughts about how best to conscientiously tackle the disruption that comes with constructing a new building of this size. It will be a great opportunity to ask questions and for the applicant and City Staff to gather feedback. I will chair the meeting which will include presentations from City Planning and the applicant, followed by a Q&A period to allow discussion.
More information for the site is available here.
The link to join the meeting will be made available closer to the date.
2115-2117 Bloor Street West Construction Management Plan and Site Plan Community Meeting
In 2019 City Council approved a mixed-use development consisting of a 12-storey apartment building containing 186 residential units with retail on the ground floor.
An 8-storey mixed-use building with retail at-grade and 54 residential units above-grade was approved in 2015. The building is proposed to have 46 vehicle parking spaces and 75 bicycle parking spaces. Community meetings were held in spring 2021 and summer 2022 to discuss site plan issues.
To ensure that the community remains a part of the process for this development I will be, in cooperation with City Planning staff and the applicant, holding a community meeting on Wednesday, August 2nd from 6:30pm – 8:00pm. This meeting will allow you to view the proposed Construction Management Plan and share your thoughts about how best to conscientiously tackle the disruption that comes with constructing a new building of this size. It will be a great opportunity to ask questions and for the applicant and City Staff to gather feedback. I will chair the meeting which will include presentations from City Planning and the applicant, followed by a Q&A period to allow discussion.
More information for the site is available here.
The link to join the meeting will be made available closer to the date.
Ontario Place for All
Like many who have written in, I have great concern over the planned redevelopment of Ontario Place.
I have been working closely with 'Ontario Place for All' as well as Councillor Malik in whose ward Ontario Place is located. See below for Councillor Malik's statement on this and I urge you to continue to share your concerns with your MPP.
I will continue to advocate, as the redevelopment application proceeds, for public lands to remain public and accessible.
Swansea Summer Music Series at Swansea Town Hall
Happening every Tuesday in August from 6:30 - 8:30 pm at the Swansea Town Hall Piazza (95 Lavinia Ave)
