Friends,
Yesterday, Toronto City Council declared the mayoral seat vacant and passed a bylaw requiring a by-election. City Clerk has set the by-election for Monday, June 26. Beginning Monday, April 3, until Friday, May 12, those who are eligible may file a nomination to run in the mayoral by-election.
More information on the process is available at https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/elections/by-election/. The City Clerk has set the by-election for Monday, June 26. This by-election is an opportunity to choose someone who wants to build a better future for our City by recognizing and meaningfully addressing the various challenges our City faces.
City Council is currently meeting this week. As part of the agenda, we will be discussing the Ombudsman's report on the investigation into the City's processes for clearing encampments in 2021. Council will also discuss Community Safety Issues and the City's response to address the series of senseless violent incidents on the TTC including the recent tragic incident at Keele station.
The city needs to take a proactive response to address such crisis situations.
Over many years, public transit, mental health services and access to housing has been chronically underfunded in our city. We are now seeing the impacts of those funding decisions. To prevent violence, we need to focus our efforts on investing in programs and services that provide health and long term supports to individuals in need.
The City is working closely with the TTC to take a multifaceted approach to addressing the rise in violence. The City has partnered with the TTC to strengthen transit system outreach including the recent addition of street outreach mental health specialists. You can learn more about this work here.
For those that have taken the time to share your thoughts on the matter, thank you. There is a need for urgent action and a collaborative approach to addressing these concerns. I will continue to advocate to improve transit service and safety while also prioritizing programming and investments to support vulnerable community members.
Sincerely,
Gord
- Stone Soup Network honoured as a Toronto Community Champion
- Virtual Stakeholder Meeting Invite: Bloor St W Complete Street Extension
- Clean Toronto Together set for April 21-23
- Public Input Needed for Night Economy Review
- Swansea Town Hall looking for a new Board Member
- Sistering Community Project: Making Visible on April 1, 2023
- Reminder: High Park Movement Strategy Open House on April 3, 2023
Stone Soup Network honoured as a Toronto Community Champion
A hearty congratulations to Stone Soup Network. They were one of 25 community organizations that were honoured by the City as Toronto Community Champions for extraordinary service to community during the unprecedented times of the pandemic.
Stone Soup Network is a program that was founded in Ward 4 in 2016.
During the pandemic, Stone Soup Network (SSN) provided $140,000 in goods and services to people in need locally, brought 16,000 N95 masks to food banks, seniors and support agencies, and provided $104,000 in direct aid to 107 Swansea Mews families.
Thank you to the many volunteers for your compassionate generosity.
Virtual Stakeholder Meeting on the Bloor St W Complete Street Extension will be held on April 4th, 2023
Gord encourages everyone interested to take part in the Bloor Street West Complete Street Extension virtual stakeholder meeting on April 4th. This extension of bike lanes further west into our ward will provide even safer access to Toronto's bike network, enabling easier access for all. See the message below, from the Cycling Team, for more information:
The City of Toronto is inviting stakeholders along or near Bloor Street West from Runnymede Road to Resurrection Road to learn more about and provide feedback on the Bloor Street West Complete Street Extension Project.
The Bloor Street West Complete Street Extension Project aims to make travel on Bloor Street West safer, more inviting and attractive for everyone. The project includes proposed road safety improvements, cycle tracks and public realm upgrades to meet Toronto’s Vision Zero Road Safety Plan and TransformTO: Climate Action Strategy goals. The project goals are to:
- Improve safety for people walking, cycling and driving
- Enhance the walking and cycling experience
- Support the qualities that make Bloor Street West a place
- Maintain roadway space for transit, emergency services, deliveries, shopping and commuting
Changes to Bloor Street West would be made with materials that can be installed quickly, such as bollards, roadway paint, planters and signage. No major road reconstruction is planned. Installation is planned in two phases from 2023 to 2024.
Meeting details and project background can be found below.
Virtual Stakeholder Meeting Details:
Bloor Street West Complete Street Extension: Runnymede Road to Resurrection Road
Date: Tuesday, April 4, 2023
Time: 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Registration: Please email [email protected] to register*
*Please limit registration to two people per organization to accommodate the virtual format and limited capacity of this meeting. Two public drop-in meetings are scheduled for this project for April 12 and 13 and all are welcomed to attend. Further project and public meeting event details will be available online at www.toronto.ca/bloorwest. Additional project materials will be posted on the website in the coming days and weeks.
Project Background:
The Bloor Street West Cycle Tracks between Avenue Road and Shaw Street were approved and installed in 2016 as a pilot. After rigorous evaluation, they were made permanent in 2017. The Bloor Street West Bikeway Extension between Shaw Street and Runnymede Road was approved and installed in 2020. This project will connect existing bikeways between Runnymede Road and Dundas Street West (Six Points). Through the 2021 Cycling Network Plan Update, City Council directed staff to design and consult on the Bloor Street West Complete Street Extension.
2023 Clean Toronto Together Spring Cleanup Campaign
This April, gather your family, friends, neighbours and colleagues and help cleanup litter in Toronto’s parks, beaches, or other public spaces.
Organize a 20-Minute Makeover on Friday, April 21 or schedule a community cleanup on Saturday, April 22 (Earth Day) or Sunday, April 23. Twenty minutes is all it takes to help put litter in its proper place!
Participants are asked to register their cleanups online at www.toronto.ca/cleantoronto by Wednesday, April 19.
Public Input Needed for Night Economy Review
The City is seeking input to inform a review of licensing and zoning regulations for bars, restaurants and entertainment venues, as well as strategies to support Toronto’s night economy – the social, cultural and business activities that occur from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. The public is encouraged to participate by completing an online survey and/or by attending an in-person or virtual consultation to share feedback.
Public consultation sessions will be held virtually on Wednesday, April 12 and Thursday, April 13 and in person on Monday, April 17. The link to the survey and details on how to register are available on the City’s Night Economy Review webpage. The deadline to submit feedback on the survey is Friday, April 21.
Swansea Town Hall looking for a new Board Member
Swansea Town Hall is seeking enthusiastic individuals who want to help improve our community centre by serving on our Board of Management. Are you interested in giving back to your community and getting involved at the governance level?
Application available here. Deadline Monday April 3, 2023.
Sistering's Making Visible - April 1, 2023
Making Visible is a four-year community-based participatory research project that seeks to address the pressing homelessness and housing crisis in Canada.
High Park Movement Strategy Open House: April 3, 2023
The High Park Movement Strategy (HPMS) is a city-led study to explore improvements to the travel network in High Park to better serve park users and the surrounding community, while prioritizing safety, accessibility and the park's natural environment.
The HPMS is nearing completion and staff are preparing a preferred strategy and final report that will be presented at Committee and Council this spring.
You are invited to an in-person Open House to learn about the study process and the preferred strategy. Members of the project team will be available to answer questions.
Open House materials will be shared on the project website (www.toronto.ca/HighParkMove), where you can also find additional information about the study. The project team can always be reached at [email protected].
High Park Movement Strategy - Public Open House
Date: Monday, April 3, 2023
Time: Drop by anytime between 4:30pm and 7:30pm
Location: Lithuania House - 1573 Bloor Street West
Registration: While registration is NOT required, it is helpful to ensure the project team is adequately staffed. Register Here.
Accessibility: The venue is wheelchair accessible. Attendees will need to take one elevator to the lower level. If you have any accommodation requests contact us at least 72 hours before the meeting by emailing [email protected] or calling 437-220-5975.
Transportation Options: The Lithuanian house is 220 metres from Dundas West subway station.
Thank you for your interest in the High Park Movement Strategy and we look forward to seeing you there!
