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

Winter in Toronto Activities

Friends,

I wanted to share a reminder that despite temperatures beginning to dip, there are several outdoor activities offered by the City that residents can enjoy throughout the winter.

The City will begin to open its more than 50 outdoor ice rinks and skating trails citywide in the coming weeks. Family-friendly activities offered at these facilities include free public leisure and figure skating, shinny, ringette, and instructional programs. Residents and visitors are encouraged to visit the City’s service alerts webpage for updates regarding artificial ice rinks and to check the status of local rinks by visiting the City’s webpage

The Skate Lending Library is also back, which makes it easy and fun for residents and families to learn how to skate by providing access to skates, helmets, and skate aids. The program is free and no reservations are required. More information about skate lending locations is available here

Residents are also invited to make use of outdoor sport courts including 50 tennis courts with nets in place for winter tennis, designated fire pits that can be booked in advance through the new recreation booking system, birdwatching at Toronto parks, ravines and natural areas, and many other Winter in Toronto activities.

I encourage you to embrace the cold and stay active during this winter season by learning more about TO Winter activities.

Sincerely,


In This Week's Newsletter

City Wide Updates

  • Help shape the future of ice facilities in Toronto
  • Canada Post labour disruption
  • Early registration for Older Adult winter programs now open
  • Holiday giving through DonateTO
  • Help shape the future of Toronto's recreation spaces and parks
  • Vacant Home Tax 2024 declaration 

Ward 4 Updates

  • Shop Local in Parkdale
  • Developments
    • 2461-2475 Dundas St W Refusal Report
    • *New Date* Committee of Adjustment Application, 1375 Queen St W

Our Health, Our City - Annual Progress Report

Friends,

This week at Board of Health, staff presented the first annual progress report on Our Health, Our City, Toronto’s comprehensive five-year and city-wide strategy to address both mental health and substance use related issues in Toronto.

I was pleased to hear that significant progress has been made towards the first-year priorities identified in the strategy. Most notably, Toronto Community Crisis Service (TCCS) has been expanded city-wide, which improves access to appropriate services and support for people in crisis.

Toronto Public Health staff emphasized, however, that Toronto continues to be in a drug toxicity epidemic, with over 500 deaths per year for the last four years due to opioid toxicity.

Staff expressed grave concerns for how in this context the provincial government’s plans to close Supervised Consumption Services (SCS) sites in Toronto will not only lead to an increase in overdoses but also negatively impact everyone’s health and access to emergency services.

SCSs are clinical spaces for people to bring their own drugs to use in the presence of trained health professionals available immediately should a person overdose. In 2023, staff at the 10 SCS locations currently in Toronto responded to 2296 overdoses – that’s over 2000 calls that didn’t get made to 911, preserving Emergency Services resources for other urgent needs in our city.

The staff report recommendations include reiterating the request to the provincial government to protect community health, well-being, and safety by continuing to fund, and permit the operation of all currently operating SCS sites.

The Board of Health adopted this item with amendments. You can listen to my comments on this item below.  

The Canadian and international evidence is clear that SCSs save lives, connect people to social services and are pathways to treatment. I will continue to work in partnership with Board of Health colleagues and community to advocate for policies that are evidence-based and promote public health and public safety for all Toronto residents.

Sincerely,


In This Week's Newsletter

City Wide Updates

  • Long-Term Waste Management Strategy, Phase 1 Consultation
  • Vacant Home Tax 2024 declaration 

Ward 4 Updates

  • Shop Local in Parkdale
  • Designation of the Teiaiagon-Baby Point Heritage Conservation District Plan under the Ontario Heritage Act
  • Baby Point Gates Annual Open House 
  • Developments
    • 2461-2475 Dundas St W Refusal Report
    • Committee of Adjustment Application, 1375 Queen St W

Winter Recreation Programming

Friends,

I am pleased to share that this week at City Council we adopted two landmark policies aimed at reducing housing insecurity in our city: Establishing a New Purpose-built Rental Homes Incentives Stream and Implementing a Rental Reonvation License By-law to Address Renovictions.  Together, these two policies will steer our city’s housing system towards building the affordable rental housing options that residents need – starting with an immediate call for 7,000 new rental homes supported through the City’s own resources,  while at the same time increasing protections for tenants living in our existing rental housing stock.

City Council also adopted the Parkside Drive Study Final Report, advancing staff recommend safety improvements for achieving a safer Parkside neighbourhood. You can review the full City Council agenda here: City Council - Meeting 23 - TMMIS (toronto.ca)

I also wanted to remind residents that last week the City officially launched a new registration and booking system for its recreation programming. This new system includes a ‘wish list’ feature that will reduce the time it takes to register and eliminate the need to search for available programs on the spot. Residents are encouraged to explore the new system and create their new account before registration for winter recreation programming begins in the coming weeks. More information on how to set up an account and where to get support is included below.

I hope you and your family are able to make use of the terrific range of recreation programs offered by our City. As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to my office if we can be of support.

Sincerely,


In This Week's Newsletter

City Wide Updates

  • Winter Recreation Programming – Create a new account and a wish list
  • 311 Toronto awareness and usage survey 🏙️ 
  • Help shape public parking in Toronto 🅿️
  • Supporting homeowners with home energy improvements 🍃 
  • 2025 Waste Collection Schedules and Waste Management Guide
  • It’s Fall Yard Waste Season!
  • Reminder: Shape the future of Toronto facilities and parks
  • Vacant Home Tax 2024 declaration 
  • Exhibition Place Community Liaison Consultation

Ward 4 Updates

  • Baby Point Gates Annual Open House 
  • Committee of Adjustment Application 1229 Queen Street West 
  • Developments
    • 138 Dowling Pre-Application Meeting

Take action

Read Our Weekly Newsletter
Sign Up for Updates
Contact our Office