Improvements Coming Soon to High Park and Other News

Friends,

I am pleased to share that the City will be undertaking work to implement the first steps of the High Park Movement Strategy.

Starting on Monday, July 31, the City of Toronto will begin implementing the first phase of improvements to how park visitors access and move around High Park.

Changes that will be in effect as of Saturday, August 5 include:

  • The West Road and parts of Colborne Lodge Drive, south of Grenadier Café, will be car-free at all times
  • The main vehicle entrance will be at Parkside Drive and High Park Boulevard and will be open Monday to Friday and closed on weekends and holidays. Visitor vehicles will not be permitted to enter at Bloor Street West
  • Visitor vehicle access will be provided to the Children's Garden, Colborne Lodge Drive and the Spring Road Parking lot at all times
  • Public parking spaces within High Park will be reduced. Designated pick-up/drop-off spaces will be added near main destinations
  • Dedicated bike lanes will be added to Centre Road and Colborne Lodge Drive
  • Improved pavement markings and signage will be added to pedestrian crossing areas

Council also endorsed the continued closure of High Park to visitor vehicles on Saturdays, Sundays and statutory holidays and a long-term strategy to achieve a car-free park. High Park has been closed to visitor vehicles on weekends and holidays since March 2020.

The HPMS was launched in 2021 with goals to improve safety, accessibility and the park's natural environment. Recommendations were informed by extensive research and analysis, including traffic and parking studies and feedback gathered through a multi-phase engagement process that reached more than 10,000 participants.

For more information about the project, visit www.toronto.ca/highparkmove.

And please contact my office if you have any questions by email at [email protected] or by phone 416-392-7919.

 

Sincerely,

Gord


In this week's Newsletter:

  • Developments:
    • 2442 - 2454 Bloor St West: Meeting Postponed
    • 2115 - 2117 Bloor St West: Meeting Aug 2nd
    • 2280 Dundas St West Update
  • Dufferin Bridge Closure: Meeting Aug 3rd
  • TTC Fair Pass Discount Program Expansion
  • High Park Walking Tour:  Aug 6
  • DonateTO: housing refugee claimants

2442-2454 Bloor Street West Construction Management Plan and Site Plan Community Meeting

My apologies for the inconvenience but I've had to postpone the 2442-2454 Bloor St W Construction Management Plan and Site Plan Community Meeting again. Summer is proving a difficult time for scheduling, and I thank you all for your patience as we find a time that works for all parties. We are aiming to hold the meeting in September and will be sure to send out more information once that date is finalized.

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 in September. 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

This is a reminder of the community meeting we are holding next week on Wednesday, August 2nd from 6:30pm – 8:00pm to discuss the Construction Management Plan and Site Plan for 2115-2117 Bloor Street West.

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 can be found here.


Development Update - 2280 Dundas Street West

I'm reaching out to provide an update on the current development application at 2280 Dundas St W (at Dundas and Bloor, also known as the Loblaw site).

I shared with you last month that I had communicated with ChoiceREIT to advocate for a series of working groups so that the community's voice might be heard. At that time, ChoiceREIT advised that they were currently not interested in participating in this process.

Although Choice REIT has not pledged to do so, once the City has received a resubmission,  City Planning staff have confirmed that they are fully committed to participating in working groups sessions with our office and members of the local community to discuss the various aspects of the application in more detail and receive additional feedback on the revised proposal.

The size and scope of this development application will impact the community. Input from the community to help shape a development that brings most benefit to the site and community is vital and needs to start now.

Working groups that  detail such features as urban design, transportation design, and new park areas application will be of instrumental benefit to the review of this application.

I look forward to engaging with the community, City Planning and the applicant through this process.

If you have any questions about this, or would like to discuss the application in more detail don’t hesitate to reach out.


Dufferin Street Bridge Close Update and information for the Virtual Meeting on Thursday, August 3rd, 2023

As you know, both the northbound and southbound lanes of the Dufferin Street Bridge over the Metrolinx Rail Corridor were closed to motorists this month.

The closure is anticipated to last three to six months but is dependent on a number of factors including the final design, availability of construction material and weather. Given the emergency nature of this work, the repair plan is still in development. More updates will be provided to the community as they become available.

Please see the notice for more details. 

The City is hosting a virtual Information Event to offer residents an opportunity to hear from the project team and to ask questions about the work that is happening.

Thursday, August 3, 2023

5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Register at toronto.ca/DufferinBridges

You can also join online or by phone:

Dial: 416-915-6530

Meeting number: 2634 491 3214

Meeting password: 5996 7897


Expansion of Fair Pass Transit Discount Program

The City of Toronto is expanding eligibility for the Fair Pass Transit Discount Program to offer more affordable transit fares to 50,000 additional low-income Toronto residents.

Under new eligibility criteria and effective today, the Fair Pass Program expansion prioritizes residents between 20 and 64 years old living in deep poverty, such as low-wage and part-time workers, newcomers and unemployed individuals receiving employment assistance. It also opens the program to residents who are on the waitlist for subsidized housing and child care, providing immediate financial help with their transit costs.

The Fair Pass Program provides a 12-month discount on TTC travel, including Wheel-Trans. Currently, the program provides a 36 per cent discount on single adult fares (a single adult fare under Fair Pass is $2.10) and a 21 per cent discount on monthly passes (an adult monthly pass under Fair Pass is $123.25) by adding a discount code to the rider’s PRESTO card.

Based on the latest thresholds, a single individual with an after-tax income below $20,514 or a family of four with an income below $41,028 would be eligible for the discount.

Residents can apply for the Fair Pass Program online at www.toronto.ca/transitdiscount or by calling 416-338-8888.

Complimentary PRESTO cards are being distributed for free at participating TPL branches, while quantities last at the following branches.

 


High Park Walking Tour

Exploring the Trails

Join Mark Ellwood for a pleasant walk through some of the beautiful trails in the park. We'll walk along a pretty, meandering path down the west side near Grenadier Pond. We'll then cross the bottom of the park on trails you may never have seen before. We'll finish with a route up the picturesque east side.

Bring comfortable shoes. At the start, we'll have a quick ice breaker so you can get to know your fellow High Park enthusiasts before departing on the walk.

Meet at the grassy centre triangle, just inside the main entrance to High Park on Bloor Street at 10:30 a.m.

Our next walk will be on September 10.


DonateTO portal

To support refugee claimants’ access to housing, the City is inviting property owners with available rental units to help provide much-needed housing for refugees. Refugee claimants will receive support to pay their rent from the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit.

Those wishing to donate goods and services, such as clothing, food or household items, or make a financial contribution are encouraged to give directly to local organizations and service providers. The City’s webpage, www.toronto.ca/donate, includes a map of community agencies that directly support refugee claimants at emergency shelters and faith-based organizations, as well as other agencies supporting refugee claimants, including contact information and identified needs. Additional agencies will be added in the coming days.

Donors can also choose to give financial contributions to the City’s partner, United Way Greater Toronto, which works with community organizations directly supporting refugee claimants and asylum seekers focused on efforts by Black-led community groups.

In addition to connecting with community partners, through DonateTO, the City is welcoming partnerships with non-profit organizations, faith groups and other community agencies.

Latest posts

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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