+ Ward 4 Environment Days
Feds Need to Provide Supports for Refugees and Asylum Seekers
Friends,
Refugees and asylum seekers in our City are facing a crisis in accessing shelter and other supports. The federal government needs to take responsibility for providing funding and housing supports to these individuals and families.
The City's shelter system is at a breaking point. Over the last few years, we have grappled with the rising demand for shelter spaces while facing significant financial constraints. While the City has increased shelter occupancy from supporting 4,000 people in 2016, to 9,000 people today, we are still unable to meet the demand for hundreds of additional spaces each night. The Federal government already owes the City more than $97 million this year alone for providing housing and other supports to refugees.
Every month, there are roughly 500 families and individuals who are unable to find housing who are now turning to the shelter systems. Community organizations providing front-line services to refugees have issued a joint public statement calling for urgent action to address the refugee housing crisis. We need to act quickly, especially before the winter months.
I will be working with my Council colleagues to call on the federal government to renew their funding commitments and ensure they have a long-term plan in place for supporting refugees and asylum seekers. I encourage you to reach out to your MP Arif Virani on this matter as well.
I also encourage you to take action by signing this Progress Toronto petition: https://www.progresstoronto.ca/petition-tell-ottawa-to-support-sheltering-refugees
Sincerely,
Gord
In this week's newsletter:
- Community Environment Day on July 15
- Outdoor pools and wading pools are now open
Ward 4 Community Environment Days
This year, environment days in Parkdale-High Park will be on July 15 and September 23 at Sir Casimir Gzowski Park (2001 Lake Shore Blvd W). Drop off your items and pick up leaf compost from 10 am to 2 pm.
Outdoor Pools and Wading pools are open across the City
The City of Toronto has officially opened outdoor pools and 90 supervised wading pools for their full summer schedule.
The outdoor pools will be open daily until Sunday, September 3, at 4 p.m., except for 10 that will remain open until Monday, September 4, at 5 p.m. Most of the City’s outdoor pools are open daily from noon to approximately 8 p.m. However, the hours of operation may vary slightly later in the season due to optimal visibility conditions for lifeguards. Those heading to swim should check the hours for specific pools at www.toronto.ca/swim.
The City’s more than 140 splash and spray pads operating across Toronto will be open until Sunday, September 17. Splash pads operate daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and are activated with push-button features. Caregivers are reminded to supervise children as these are unsupervised water-play areas.
