My Comments on Funding and Housing Supports for Refugees and Asylum Seekers

Friends,

City Council is meeting this week, and we have advanced several key items, including expanding the CityServeTO program to support youth safety and create stronger neighbourhoods. This program was first initiated by Mayor Chow last summer and provides paid work experience for vulnerable youth. Council adopted an expansion to the program for this summer. By expanding CityServe, we’ll be giving

100 more teenagers aged 14-18 access to paid work experience, a chance to give back to their communities, and mentorship.

I encourage you to review the full City Council agenda here: City Council - Meeting 41 - TMMIS

I also want to bring to your attention the following traffic changes in South Parkdale during the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Toronto:

FIFA will be taking place between Thursday, June 11^th to Friday, July 19^th

The City of Toronto will be hosting 6 games between Friday, June 12^th to Thursday, July 2^nd

1. Friday, June 12^th at 3pm
2. Wednesday, June 17^th at 7pm
3. Saturday, June 20^th at 4pm
4. Tuesday, June 23^rd at 7pm
5. Friday, June 26^th at 3pm
6. Thursday, July 2^nd at 7pm

Toronto Match Days – Traffic Changes & Temporary Road Closures

• Dufferin St between Springhurst Ave and Saskatchewan Rd will be closed 5 hours before the match and 3 hours after the match
• Lake Shore Blvd between British Columbia Rd and Bathurst St will be closed 5 hours before the match and 3 hours after the match
• TTC & Go service will be increased on specific routes including the 29/929 Dufferin, 504 King Streetcar, and a dedicated 829 Dufferin bus that will be a direct non-stop route from Dufferin Station to the Dufferin Gate Loop. More information about the TTC’s service for FIFA please visit the following link Take the TTC to FIFA World Cup 2026™
• City of Toronto Traffic Agents will be stationed at Springhurst Ave and Jameson Ave
• Paid Duty Toronto Police Officers will be stationed at Springhurst Ave and Dufferin St

From June 12^th to July 2^nd restrictions normally in place for the CNE will be in place in the South Parkdale community. Springhurst Ave between Jameson Ave and Dufferin St will be converted to a one-way street going Westbound. Parking on residential streets will only be available to local permit parking pass holders. More information on South Parkdale parking restrictions from June 12^th to July 2^nd is included below.

Additionally, between June 12^th and July 19^th  there will be turn restrictions at the following intersections (TTC Vehicles Excepted):

• King St W and Close Ave Westbound Left Turn Prohibited 7am – 10pm
• King St W and Jameson Ave Eastbound Left Turn Prohibited 7am – 10pm
• King St W and Dufferin St Eastbound Left Turn Prohibited 7am – 10pm
• Springhurst Ave and Jameson Ave Westbound Left Turn Prohibited 7am – 9am and 3:30pm – 6:30pm Monday to Friday

From June 10^th to July 19^th (the remainder of the FIFA Tournament):

• There will be No Stopping on both the North and South of King St W between Jameson Ave and Dufferin St 7am – 10am and 12pm to 11:59pm
• There will be No Parking on both sides of King St W between Jameson Ave and Dufferin St 10am – 12pm

For the most up to date information on the FIFA World Cup 2026, please visit https://torontofwc26.ca/ - the Moving Around Toronto During the FIFA World Cup 2026™ webpage includes all key mobility related information.

As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact my office for support.

Sincerely,

Gord

Friends,

From the return of CaféTO and splash pads to a fireworks display, there’s lots to enjoy across Toronto this long weekend. Those travelling over the long weekend should plan their journey in advance, allow extra time, consider taking public transit or other travel methods such as walking or cycling, and follow signage to keep everyone safe.  

A map of all road closures is available on the City of Toronto’s Road Restrictions webpage.

The Green P parking website  has information about parking and EV charging.

The Bike Share Toronto app offers a convenient and sustainable mode of transportation. More information is available at this webpage.

Dine al fresco as part of CaféTO

CaféTO returns this long weekend, inviting residents and visitors to enjoy outdoor dining across Toronto. More than 290 local restaurants and bars have registered for CaféTO’s curb-lane café program. In addition, the City boasts 752 patios and 604 sidewalk cafés. Together, these diverse dining spaces showcase Toronto’s vibrant and multicultural food scene. 

More information is available on the City’s CaféTO webpage.

Cool off at splash and spray pads  

Beginning Saturday, more than 140 splash and spray pads in City parks will open for the season, and will operate daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. until Sunday, September 13. 

Caregivers are reminded to supervise children as these are unsupervised water-play areas. Splash and spray pad locations are available on the City’s Swimming and Water Play webpage.

Visit a farm in the City

Residents and visitors to Toronto can escape urban life and visit a working farm in the heart of the City. Riverdale Farm is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and admission is free.

The High Park animal display is open daily between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. Roads in the park are closed to vehicular traffic on weekends and public holidays; however, several TTC routes connect to High Park. More information about the High Park animal display is available on the City’s Zoos & Farms webpage.

Watch fireworks at Ashbridges Bay   

The City’s fireworks display takes place at Ashbridges Bay Park on Monday, May 18 at 10 p.m.  Attendees are encouraged to use public transit and leave personal vehicles at home. Information about TTC schedules, routes and long weekend service is available on the TTC’s website .

Important reminder about fireworks   

Residents are allowed to set off fireworks on their own private property without a permit before 11 p.m. on Victoria Day and Canada Day. A permit is required to set off fireworks on all other days. Fireworks are not permitted in City parks or on beaches, balconies, streets, parking lots or property that is not owned by the person setting off the fireworks. 

My office continues to be available for any Ward 4 or City-related matters. I wish you all a safe and enjoyable long weekend. 

Sincerely,

Gord

Friends,

The City is building 54 supportive, rent-geared-to-income homes (8-storeys) at 1-3 Close Avenue and 78 Springhurst Avenue. Modelled after Dunn House, Canada’s first-ever social medicine supportive housing initiative, this project titled Dunn House 2 will deliver stable housing paired with integrated health and community supports in partnership with the University Health Network (UHN).

The approach is based on the principle that people are more likely to stay well and continue living in their homes when housing and care are brought together in one place. Early results from Dunn House show significant reductions in emergency department visits and hospital bed days. These outcomes reflect improved health stability for residents and reduced pressure on the broader health care system, benefiting the community as a whole.

Dunn House 2 is moving forward as a Toronto Builds public developer project, and will be developed by CreateTO on behalf of the City. The new homes will be studio apartments with a bathroom and a kitchen, with shared laundry, communal areas, and activities space. Construction is anticipated to begin in late 2026 or early 2027.

I was pleased to co-host the Community Consultation Meeting for Dunn House 2 last night, alongside City Planning and Housing staff, UHN, CreateTO, and architects on this project.

Staff heard from Dunn House tenants, members of the South Parkdale University Health Network Tenants Association (SPUHNTA), and residents from the broader community. We were grateful for the valuable feedback about unit size, layout, and other aspects of the project’s built form that was shared.

Projects like Dunn House 2 are urgently needed to provide the most vulnerable in our communities – those who are unhoused and rely on frequent visits to emergency rooms for care – with the housing stability, wrap around supports, and community connection needed to recover and live with dignity.

As we approve and initiate more of these projects as a city, I’d like to encourage us to follow the lead of SPUHNTA by implementing the Parkdale Model that they developed widely in how we welcome and build community with new neighbours.

Sincerely,

Gord