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The RentsafeTO Insider is Here!

Friends,

I am pleased to share RentSafeTO Insider – an e-newsletter prepared by City staff for building owners and tenants.

I have been working for decades to advance meaningful protections for Toronto residents that depend on rental housing. RentSafeTO is the city’s bylaw enforcement program that ensures apartment building owners and operators comply with building maintenance standards. The program applies to apartment buildings with three or more storeys and 10 or more units.

In this issue of RentSafeTO insider, you'll find an overview of the growth of RentSafeTO, including key performance data on building evaluations and audits, service requests, investigations, and enforcement actions.

The report also includes detailed information on the enhanced Building Evaluation Tool, dynamic scoring, and where to find building scores and active violations., as well as key bylaw updates regarding indoor temperature standards and rental renovations. Important topics such as coexisting with coyotes, home fire escape planning, and tips for evaluating your building’s waste diversion programs are also covered. Additionally, you'll find essential information on cooling spaces and guidelines for maintaining grass and gardens.

I am proud to share this meaningful work that the city is undertaking. Your thoughts on what’s missing or areas we should look to strengthen are appreciated.

Gord

Sincerely,

 

In This Week's Newsletter

City Wide Updates 

  • 2025 Toronto Marathon, Sunday, May 4, 2025,
    Road Closures

Ward 4 Developments

  • Reminder: 138 Dowling Ave. Community Consultation Meeting
  • Reminder: Community Meeting - 340-376R Dufferin St. and 2 Melbourne Ave. 

Ward 4

  • Cherry blossom (Sakura) peak bloom expected later this week 
  • Lambton House Mural Event

  • BLOOM by the Park with Bloor By the Park BIA!

  • Parkdale Residents Association: Jane's Walk – Parkdale Developments Walking Tour

 

 

City Wide

2025 Toronto Marathon, Sunday, May 4, 2025,
Road Closures

The 2025 Toronto Marathon [torontomarathon.com] is taking place on Sunday, May 4, 2025. It will consist of a Full Marathon, a Half Marathon, a 10 km run, a 5 km run, and a 5 km and 10 km walk.

Start times are:

  • 7:30 a.m. - full marathon
  • 8:00 a.m. - half marathon walk,10 km run, 5 km walk
  • 8:15 a.m. - 5 km run
  • 8:30 a.m. - half marathon run

For race maps, click here [racepoint.ca].

For road closure information please visit: Road Closure Info | Toronto Marathon

Ward 4 Developments

138 Dowling Ave - Community Consultation Meeting

There will be a Virtual Community Consultation Meeting regarding the Development Application at 138 Dowling Ave. More details on the application are available here. 

When: May 7 2025, from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm. 

Visit www.toronto.ca/CPconsultations for the registration link and instructions on how to join. Please refer to the Notice below for further meeting details.

Community Meeting - 340-376R Dufferin St and 2 Melbourne Ave. Planning Application

This virtual Community Meeting will take place on May 5th, 2025 from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.

Join Online

Please register before the meeting to attend online on the City Planning and Development Review Consultations website at http://www.toronto.ca/cpconsultations.

A link will be provided to join the meeting online at 6:30 p.m.

Join by Phone:

If you are joining by phone, there will be limited functionality.

To join the meeting:
On Monday, May 5th from 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., call 416-915-6530 and enter meeting access code 2333 607 0391 to join the meeting


For more information about how to join the meeting, how to participate and code of conduct visit the Engagement Website 

Please refer to the Notice below for further meeting details.

Ward 4 

Cherry blossom (Sakura) peak bloom expected later this week

The City of Toronto is predicting that Toronto cherry blossom (Sakura) trees will reach peak bloom later this week due to rising temperatures. Cherry blossoms typically last between four to 10 days, depending on weather conditions.  

More information including a map of locations and accessibility information is available on the City’s Cherry Blossoms website: https://www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/festivals-events/cherry-blossoms/.  

High Park 

Tens of thousands of people come to the blossoming Sakura trees in High Park annually. To help manage visitor volume, there will be no vehicle access or parking inside High Park starting Monday, May 5 for the duration of peak bloom. Vehicle access and parking inside High Park is regularly prohibited during the weekends.  

TTC Wheel-Trans vehicles will continue to have access to the park to drop off visitors. An elevator is now available for visitors to use when arriving from the High Park TTC Station. 

Enjoy the blossoms and respect the trees 

Visitors are asked to avoid climbing the cherry blossom trees or removing blossoms or branches and use designated bins for litter and recycling.   

City parks contain ecologically sensitive areas meaning it is important to stay on paved pathways and trails to help sustain the long-term health of these areas.  

More information on when the High Park cherry blossoms are in bloom is available on the High Park Nature Centre website: https://highparknaturecentre.com/cherry-blossom-watch/. 

Support Sakuras 

Cherry trees require regular maintenance and have a finite lifespan. City crews are constantly planting more Sakura trees to replace aging trees.  

The public can support this important work by donating to the Sakura Fund. More information is available on the City’s website:

https://www.toronto.ca/business-economy/partnerships-sponsorships-donations/donate/sakura-cherry-trees/ 

 

BLOOM by the Park with Bloor By the Park BIA

Bloor by the Park is celebrating the cherry blossom season in the cutest ways, from limited time sakura-themed promotions to beautifully decorated lamp posts that glow at night! Visit bloorbythepark.com to see what's blooming, plus don't miss their FREE Mother's Day Giveaway on Saturday May 10th.

 

 

 

 

Parkdale Residents Association: Jane's Walk – Parkdale Developments Walking Tour

 

The Parkdale Residents Association (PRA) is mapping local developments—and we want you to see the changes firsthand. With over 4,000 new units proposed across twenty sites, this walking tour invites you to: witness the scale of expansion, question the mix of condos, rentals, and affordable housing, celebrate Parkdale’s layered history, and take part in the living ecosystem of change. Demonstrating the power of walkable neighborhoods, we’ll highlight how different approaches to density and affordability could transform street life.

Like Jane, we believe locals should shape their streets and so this tour is connected to a larger project which includes a public map tracking development proposals and a grading system aligned with the Parkdale Community Benefits Framework that holds developers to account for the good they bring (or fail to bring) to our community. Come curious, leave informed—and ready to shape what’s next.

Follow @parkdalera to stay updated!

Walk Start: Parkdale Amphitheatre, North West corner of Queen and Dufferin (a.k.a Bunker Park)

Walk End: 1521 Queen St. W. (West Queen West Hotel). South side of Queen street between Beaty Ave. and Wilson Park Rd. 

https://www.janeswalkfestivalto.com/sunday-may-4-2025/parkdale-developments-walking-tour 



 

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Prescribed Burn at High Park and Lambton Park

Friends,

Today, the City of Toronto, in collaboration with the Indigenous Land Stewardship Circle, held the annual traditional and prescribed burn (Biinaakzigewok Anishnaabeg) in High Park and Lambton Park. The burn holds the name of Biinaakzigewok Anishnaabeg, given by Elder Henry Pitawanakwat, meaning “the responsibility for a cleansing fire by all Native Peoples" in Anishinaabemowin.

This stewardship technique in which fire is intentionally set and carefully managed under controlled conditions are a part of the City’s long-term management plan to restore and protect rare Black Oak woodlands and savannahs. Fire-dependent ecosystems, such as Black Oak savannahs, contain rare native prairie plants that respond positively to burning and grow more vigorously.

During the burn, High Park is closed to vehicles and certain sections of multi-use trails may be temporarily closed to pedestrians and cyclists. Similarly, in Lambton Park, access to areas in the park may be temporarily restricted to pedestrians during ignition.

For more information about the history of the burn, updates and a confirmed date, visit: toronto.ca/prescribedburn.

I also want to note that at today’s City Council meeting, Mayor Chow recognized the recipients of the 2026 Toronto Community Champion Award. These local organizations make extraordinary contributions to support the health, well-being and resilience of Toronto residents. Congratulations to Parkdale Activity-Recreation Centre (PARC) for being one of the 25 recipients of this award who will be honoured at an awards ceremony on Tuesday, May 12 at the Toronto Reference Library.

There are many issues that matter to our community at this week’s City Council meeting, including defending Toronto’s interests at Billy Bishop Airport and other City-owned Waterfront lands. I will continue to voice Parkdale-High Park’s strong opposition to this Provincial overreach. I encourage you to review the Council agenda and Council meetings can be viewed live here: Toronto City Council - YouTube

Sincerely,

In This Week's Newsletter

City-Wide News

  • Project Swallowtail Mosquito and Tick Control Recommendations
  • Free Home Solar Accelerator Service
  • Summer International Languages Program

Ward 4 news

  • Gardiner Expressway Weekend Closure 
  • TTC Line 2 Single Day Subway Closure April 25
  • Bloom by the park hosted by Bloor by the Park BIA
  • Green Day at Swansea Town Hall - May 23
  • Construction Notices: Virtue, Sorauren and RapidTO Dufferin
  • High Park Walking Tour: Special Places In The Park - April 26
  • Compost Days - April 25th & 30th

Strengthening the City’s Heat Relief Strategy for Summer 2026

Friends,

The summer of 2025 was among the hottest in the past decade, with a total of 29 days under a Heat Warning issued by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). The severity of these events highlighted areas where the City's response measures needed strengthening, including expanded access to cool spaces and more coordinated, proactive communications.

This year, Toronto is bringing back its Air Conditioner Assistance Program, which was piloted in 2025, delivering close to 500 portable air conditioners. For 2026, Council has allocated $1 million to expand the program, providing at least 1,000  free portable air conditioners to eligible low-income residents living in multi-unit residential buildings. Eligible residents include seniors (65 years and older) with health-related needs, pregnant individuals and new parents or caregivers with infants.  This funding covers all costs for the program including delivery and installation.  

Applications for the program will be open from April 7 to 21. Program participants will be selected through a random draw and notified in May. Residents can learn more about the program, eligibility and how to apply on the City’s Air Conditioner Assistance webpage. 

Effective June 1, 2026, new amendments to the Indoor Temperature Standards Bylaw requires apartment buildings without air conditioning to provide access to a cooled amenity space during the summer months. Under the changes, apartment buildings with at least one existing amenity space must maintain a temperature of no more than 26 °C in at least one shared space between June 1 and Sept. 30,  if cooling is not provided in all rental units.

Building on lessons learned from 2025, the City is also advancing an updated Heat Relief Strategy for summer 2026 including expanded access to cool spaces, including the introduction of a 24-hour cool space during Heat Warnings.

These initiatives highlight the City’s work in preparing for and responding to the impacts of climate change. Despite these efforts, more action is needed to close gaps and plan for risks that will continue to escalate in coming years. I will continue to update you as we take important steps for climate change adaptation as well as reducing emissions that drive climate change.

 

Sincerely,

In This Week's Newsletter

City-Wide News

  • Vacant Tax Home - April 30 Deadline
  • AC or Heat Pump: Home Energy Network Webinar
  • Toronto Parking Authority Update: Free EV Charging for Earth Week
  • Home Solar Accelerator - free concierge service for residential solar/battery
  • Clean Toronto Together – April 24 to 26

Ward 4 news

  • 108-162 Vine Ave OLT Appeal
  • Construction Notices: Virtue, Sorauren and RapidTO Dufferin
  • High Park Walking Tour: Special Places In The Park - April 26
  • Compost Days - April 25th & 30th
More — Read Our Weekly Newsletter

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Ward 4

City Hall

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Phone: 416-392-7919
Address:
100 Queen St W, Suite A14
Toronto, ON M5H 2N2