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

 


City Wide

Toronto Strong Neighbourhoods Strategy (TSNS) Community Networks Launching

Facilitated in partnership with The Neighbourhood Organization – TNO, consortium partners and the TSNS Community Network Ambassador team, TSNS Community Networks are virtual, quarterly community of practice spaces that invite community leaders and residents to focus on equitable community development practices through networking and collaboration, training and capacity building, connection to participation opportunities, and City resource and information sharing. These spaces are designed to be resident and community-led and aim to build more connected and resilient community connections across Toronto neighbourhoods.

The York Weston Pelham TSNS Community Network meeting will be held on Zoom on March 20th , 2025 from 6:00PM to 8:00AM.


Spring Flooding: Flood Preparedness

Spring thaw can increase the risk of flooding as melting snow and seasonal rainfall lead to rising water levels. TRCA’s Flood Forecasting and Warning Program actively monitors these conditions and provides timely updates to help keep communities informed. Stay prepared by signing up for TRCA’s Flood Messaging Service for regular updates on spring flood risks.

Visit trca.ca/floodmessages to sign up.


Committee of Adjustment Annual Stakeholder Update and Engagement

City Planning staff from the Committee of Adjustment (CoA) office are pleased to invite you to our Annual In-Person Stakeholder Update and Engagement meeting. The year’s meeting will focus on the implementation of the KPMG CoA Review recommendations, the larger CoA work plan, and the review of the KPMG Service Delivery Model. The meeting will also solicit feedback on new CoA participation materials, including the Purpose Statement and Service Charter, Participation Handbook, and Revised Notice templates.

Location and Time: Tuesday, May 6, 2025, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at City Hall (100 Queen Street West), Council Chambers/Members Lounge. Please note there will be no virtual option for participation.

Please Register Using the Following Link: https://ca.mar.medallia.com/?e=440499&d=l&h=1A8007903B0865C&l=en

We are asking participants to register in advance. Due to room capacity, please limit registration to 1 - 2 individuals per organization.

Background: In 2022, the City retained KPMG to conduct a review on how to improve the effective participation of the public and applicants in the public hearing process and build on the recommendations included in the End-To-End Review. The review culminated in a final report with 15 recommendations and an implementation plan, which went before the Planning and Housing Committee in February 2023 as Item 2023.PH2.5.

City staff wrote an accompanying report supporting the recommendations and proposing a multi-year implementation plan. One of KPMG’s recommendations was to regularly engage with applicants and members of the public outside of the public hearing process, and specifically recommended annual meetings with industry and residents associations to gather feedback about the public hearing process, including the implementation of the recommendations included in their report. The April 14th session is the second of these annual meetings.


Celebrate Community Storytelling at City Hall

Join Harmony Movement on March 15th from 12:30 PM to 5:00 PM at Toronto City Hall for the Building Bridges Storytelling Activation—a powerful gathering that celebrates the voices shaping our communities.


This free event will feature engaging performances, inspiring speakers, captivating art, and community storytellers sharing personal narratives that foster understanding and connection. Whether you’re a storyteller, an artist, or someone who believes in the power of stories to build bridges, this event is for you!


Come experience an afternoon of creativity, culture, and meaningful conversations as we explore the impact of storytelling in driving social change. All are welcome!
See full event details here: https://harmony.my.canva.site/mar-15


Ward 4

BenTastic Magic Show! at Parkdale Library

High Park Prescribed Burn


Construction Notice


Greenest City: Parkdale Seedy Sunday & Ecofair 2025

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS

We're excited to announce our upcoming Parkdale Seedy Sunday event on March 30, 2025, at the Parkdale Library! We need enthusiastic volunteers to help make the day a success. Volunteers are needed for a variety of roles, including set-up, seed packing, leading kids' activities, managing the welcome table, and tear-down at the end of the day. Whether you're passionate about gardening, enjoy working with kids, or just want to be part of a fun community event, we’d love to have you on board. Sign up today and help us make this year’s Seedy Sunday unforgettable!

What is Seedy Sunday?

Our Parkdale Seedy Sunday 2025 will be a vibrant celebration of seeds, sustainability, and community. This annual event brings together gardeners, seed savers, and green organizations to exchange, trade, and share a wide variety of seeds. Whether you're looking for native plants, pollinator-friendly varieties, or edible seeds, you'll find treasures to take home and nurture in your garden.

At Parkdale Seedy Sunday, we celebrate the critical role seeds play in food production and biodiversity. We are passionate about preserving heirloom seeds and promoting the growth of plants that support our environment. It's an opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals, learn from experts, and contribute to a sustainable future.


Event Highlights:


• Exchange and trade native, edible, and pollinator seeds

• Discover heirloom and rare seed varieties

• Interactive educational tables on sustainable gardening and seed-saving

• Eco-friendly product vendors showcasing green solutions

• Fun kids' activities and family-friendly entertainment

• Connect with local green organizations and community gardeners

• Hands-on workshops and activities for all ages

Whether you're a seasoned gardener or a beginner, this event is a fantastic opportunity to deepen your knowledge of plants and make a positive impact on your local ecosystem.

We look forward to seeing you there and sharing in the joy of gardening, seed saving, and a greener future!

Contact:

email: [email protected]

cell: 437-522-2070

 


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Friends,

The City officially launched the 2026 Budget today with a staff-prepared budget presented to the Budget Committee. The City’s budget process is an important time for us to come together as Toronto residents to envision the equitable and compassionate city we want to live in and shape the budget that will enable us to create it.

The Budget Committee was presented with an operating budget of $18.9 billion and a 2026-2035 capital budget and plan of $63.1 billion, the largest 10-year capital plan in the City’s history, to address aging infrastructure and invest in housing, transit and water. Key highlights from the 2026 staff-prepared budget include expanding the school nutrition program to all public schools, freezing TTC fares for a third year in a row, opening all library branches seven days a week, and additional support for renters and homeowners. The staff presentation from today’s 2026 Budget launch can be reviewed here: BU10.1 - 2026 Capital and Operating Budget Launch.

The next step in this process is for Toronto residents to share feedback to the Budget Committee in person or online at public meetings, by phone at Telephone Town Halls, or in writing, over the next two weeks. I encourage you learn about the various opportunities to get involved in the budget here: Get Involved in the Budget – City of Toronto.

I will also be hosting a 2026 Budget Virtual Town Hall on Monday, January 19 at 6pm for our Ward 4 community to discuss our vision for the city together. I would love to see your there. Please RSVP at gordperks.ca/2026budget

Following the public consultation period, the Mayor’s Proposed Budget will be released on February 1 and the Council-approved 2026 Budget will be determined at a Special City Council meeting on February 10.

I look forward to hearing and learning from you through this process, so that together we can build a more capable and caring Toronto. 

 

Sincerely,


In This Week's Newsletter

City-Wide News

  • CaféTO Program applications are now open
  • Winter Flood Information
  • Parks and Recreation’s Ice Facility Strategy is now underway

Ward 4 news

  • PHP4Climate info session on Home Retrofits & Heat Pumps 
  • Reminder: Scarlett Road Bridge Replacement Update and Community Meeting

 

Friends,

As we celebrate the holiday season and the start of a new year ahead, I want to share my gratitude for everyone that calls Toronto home. Each of us plays a role, year-round, in spreading cheer, building one another up, and contributing to the many communities we are fortunate to have in our city.  

I hope you take pride in the tremendous progress we have made together in 2025. Thanks to your participation and advocacy in shaping our City’s 2025 Budget and priorities, we have made significant investments in accelerating housing development, improving public transit, increasing access to free public space and delivering affordability relief for families.

Key successes in 2025 include expanding permissions for housing options (multiplexes up to six dwelling units) and small-scale retail in neighbourhoods to create more complete communities, installing dedicated bus lanes on Dufferin Street and Bathurst Street, opening Sunday service at all 100 Toronto Public Library branches, launching a Furnace Upgrade Program to help residents save on energy bills, and broadening the reach of the School Food Program and extending the nutrition program to CampTO locations.  

In my role as Chair of the Planning and Housing Committee, I have been deeply moved by the tireless work of City staff to successfully establish our City as a public builder. Whereas projects that rely on the private market alone have stalled, the City’s Public Developer housing projects are moving forward to deliver rent-controlled homes. As a result, in the first eight months of 2025, City-led and City-supported projects account for 65% of all housing starts achieved this year.

I look forward to continuing to work together in 2026, alongside community, civic society, and our civil service to build a more capable and caring Toronto.  

 

Sincerely,


In This Week's Newsletter

2025 Highlights

City-Wide News

  • Blue Bins: No longer City-run starting January 1st

Ward 4 news

  • Scarlett Road Bridge Replacement Update and Community Meeting

  • RapidTO: Dufferin St - Winter Pause & What's Next
  • Sorauren Avenue Construction Update – Dec 18th

  • Construction Update Maher Ave

  • Construction Update Van Stassen Blvd

  • Toronto Hydro Mavety St Between Dundas St W & Annette St

  • King Street West to Dundas Street West

  • Parkdale Hub West Block Community Space – REOI Final Information Session
  • Ritchie Avenue Parkette Playground Improvements – Online Survey

Friends,

I am delighted by the announcement this week that Mayor Chow will be introducing farecapping through the 2026 City Budget process. Starting September 2026, TTC riders will ride for free after taking 47 trips in a calendar month, with no upfront costs.

The new farecapping program works automatically for all riders using PRESTO, debit or credit, and no sign-up or extra steps from the rider will be required. The system will track the number of trips taken each calendar month, and once a rider reaches 47 trips (equivalent to the cost of a monthly adult transit pass), all additional rides that month are free. Fare capping benefits all fare types (adults, seniors, and youth) and resets at the start of each calendar month.

This is a fundamental shift in how Torontonians pay for transit. It takes the pressure off someone having to pay upfront for a monthly transit pass (on top of paying rent on the 1st of the month). After successful implementation in September 2026, the goal is to deepen the affordability benefits of this program. Mayor Chow has asked the TTC to begin financial planning for a 40-ride fare cap in the 2027 budget. If a rider commutes to and from work each weekday, this would effectively make transit free on weekends for that rider.

Farecapping, in combination with the investments our City is making in increasing subway, bus and streetcar service and maintenance, without raising TTC fares for the third straight year, makes life more affordable for working families who rely on public transit to live in our city.

I want to thank the community members that have been advocating for this change. With your continued support and involvement, we can build a transit system that works for all Torontonians. I look forward to seeing the farecapping program advance through the 2026 Budget, and encourage you to get involved in the public consultations process.

 

Sincerely,


In This Week's Newsletter

City-Wide News

  • Blue Bins: No longer City-run

  • City's Warming Centres are currently open

Ward 4 news

  • Illumination: Winter Crafts at Colborne Lodge

  • Upcoming service impacts and construction on the Lakeshore West Line

 

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