Demand No Jets at Our Waterfront

Friends,

I was pleased to see so many of you this week at the Emergency Town Hall on Billy Bishop Airport, convened by our MPP Alexa Gilmour.

Credit: Alexa Gilmour Office

The Town Hall was held so that we could come together to discuss the community’s concerns with the Provincial Bill 110, Building Billy Bishop Airport Act, 2026. This Provincial legislation aims to take away municipal lands at Toronto Islands and Toronto’s waterfront to dramatically expand the footprint of Billy Bishop Airport and introduce jets.

The proposed expansion would require extensive lake filling, massive increase in Marine Exclusion Zones, runway approach lighting extending both east and west into the water, and jet blast deflectors. Each of these fundamentally alters the public’s use and enjoyment of our City’s most precious asset, and threatens our ability to build much needed housing in our waterfront communities.

Rendering of extended runway and runway approach lighting for 2026 Proposal for Billy Bishop Airport expansion. Credit: Waterfront for All

An Environmental Assessment on what jet expansion at Billy Bishop would mean, which was uncovered through a Freedom of Information request, shows unacceptable levels of environmental impact due to the level of water, noise, and air pollution that would be caused. I encourage you to review Waterfront for All’s disclosure of the Environmental Assessment in full here: Port Authority EA confirms problems with jet expansion at BBTCA - Waterfront for All.

We know that Torontonians do not want this expansion. We hear you. Torontonians want to protect and build-upon the decades of investment that we have put into creating a clean, beautiful, welcoming water’s edge for all to enjoy.

Neither the proposed expansion of Billy Bishop Airport, nor the province’s removal of the City from the Tripartite Agreement governing the airport land, can go ahead without the Federal government’s approval.

We must implore our Federal government to take a clear position, and say no to the proposed jets and expansion at Billy Bishop Airport.

In 2015, due to the level of public pressure that was mounted, the Federal Liberal government rejected a much less-intensive expansion proposal. The current Liberal government – which depends on its 23 Toronto Liberal MPs to form government - can do the same thing, if we make it clear that threatening our waterfront is a line in the sand Torontonians will not tolerate being crossed.

Please join me in asking our Member of Parliament, Karim Bardeesy, to take a clear position, and say no to the proposed jets and expansion at Billy Bishop Airport by calling 416-769-5072 or emailing [email protected].

Sincerely,

Gord

In This Week's Newsletter

City-Wide News

Toronto Public Markets Week is June 6 to 13
Western Beaches Public Realm Plan – Open House
Weekend Closure: Jane to Ossington
Free Youth Soccer Clinic by West Neighbourhood House
Fiction Fest - Canadian Book Fair

Ward 4 news

Sorauren Ave Construction Update
Swansea Centennial Celebration
Grafton Community Garden Callout
Taste of the Junction 2026
South Parkdale parking restrictions from June 12^th to July 2^nd

City-Wide News

Toronto Public Markets Week is June 6 to 13

Public Markets Week is June 6 – 13: a city-wide spotlight on Toronto’s more than 160 public markets. Did you know public markets in Toronto support more than 3,000 urban and rural entrepreneurs?

From farmers’ markets to flea markets, Indigenous-led specialty markets and community fresh food markets, these spaces are vital hubs of entrepreneurship, innovation and local resilience.

The city's public markets webpage makes it easy to find a public market near you. You can find full event details for the whole week at marketcityTO’s event page.

Western Beaches Public Realm Plan – Open House

The Western Beaches comprises a four-kilometre stretch of waterfront, parks and trails, and communities between the mouth of the Humber River and the eastern edge of Marilyn Bell Park.

From Summer 2025 to Spring 2026 the City engaged with over 2500 people to shape the Western Beaches Public Realm Plan. The Plan is intended to provide a renewed vision for the Western Beaches, including recommendations and priorities for improvements, that reflects the changing conditions, current priorities and community needs since the Western Waterfront Master Plan was completed in 2009.

The Plan is now complete and will be going to the Infrastructure & Environment Committee June 10, 2026 and then to City Council on June 24-26, 2026. You can learn about the final Plan by attending the public open house.

Public Open House

Masaryk-Cowan Community Recreation Centre, 220 Cowan Ave, Toronto, ON M6K 2N6

June 4, 2026
6:00-8:00pm

Visit toronto.ca/WesternBeaches for more information.

Full Weekend Closure Line 2 Jane to Ossington Station Saturday May 30^th to Sunday May 31^st

Subway service on Line 2 between Jane and Ossington stations will be replaced by shuttle buses on Saturday, May 30 to Sunday, May 31 for planned track work. Shuttle buses will be operating. TTC staff will be available to assist customers. Wheel-Trans service will be available for any customer requiring assistance. Runnymede, High Park, Lansdown and Dufferin stations will be closed. Regular subway service will resume on Monday, June 1. To confirm the status of elevators and escalators throughout the system, contact the TTC lift line at: 416-539-5438 (LIFT) for real-time information on any outages. For more information, please see the following link Line 2 - Jane to Ossington - Full weekend closure - May 30 to 31, 2026

Free Youth Soccer Clinic

West Neighbourhood House is pleased to invite youth to a free soccer clinic taking place at Liberty Village Park (70 E Liberty St, Toronto) on Saturday, June 6^th, from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM. This event is delivered in partnership with Green Liberty Village, Waterfront Neighbourhood Centre, and West Neighbourhood House.

Fiction Fest

If you love to "Read Canadian", check out this showcase full of books from authors all across Canada, for all ages and fiction genres!

Fiction Fest is like a great big online book fair celebrating Canadian fiction books and authors. Check it out today and find yourself a new favourite read! Visit fictionfest.ca

Ward 4 news

Sorauren Ave Construction Update - Week of May 25^th

As we near the completion of this project , we are happy to report that all underground water service work has been completed on Sorauren Ave. There should be no further water service disruptions related to this project. Crews are currently completing concrete works on the sidewalks, curbs, and gutters. We anticipate that all works will be completed by early July.

During the next two weeks May 25 - June 8^th construction activities will include:

Week 1 Concrete Work (sidewalk, curb, and walkway restoration)
week 2 Concrete Work (sidewalk, curb, and walkway restoration) will be continued as well as boulevard restoration

Property Restorations

Many residents have had areas from their front yards disrupted during water service work. Inspectors will communicate with residents during the week of June 12^th prior to restoration work. Yard restorations will take place in the second half of June. We anticipate this work will commence during the week of June 15^th.

Road Paving Notice: Sorauren Ave

Road paving on Sorauren Ave is tentatively scheduled to take place between June 15 and June 22. While preparatory work may occur in stages, Sorauren Ave will be fully closed to all vehicular traffic during the final asphalt-laying process. The road will reopen as soon as the new asphalt has properly cured.

Project Contact

[email protected]

Swansea Centennial Celebration

Join the Swansea Centennial Celebration to commemorate 100 years of Swansea's community and history.

The event will take place on Saturday, June 13 from 10am to 4pm at Swansea Town Hall (95 Lavinia Ave) and will welcome residents of all ages to celebrate an important moment in Swansea’s history.

Apply for a planter box at Grafton Community Garden

Calling out any community member who is passionate about gardening. If you would like to take responsibility for a planter box, email [email protected]

Taste of the Junction 2026

Taste of the Junction 2026 Brings Food, Art, and Local Culture to Toronto’s West End on June 27

One-day cultural celebration invites visitors to explore 50+ vendors, local food and drink, immersive installations and 11 permanent augmented reality wall murals

Toronto’s west end is coming alive this summer! The Junction BIA invites residents and visitors to experience Taste of the Junction 2026, a one-day outdoor market and cultural celebration on Saturday, June 27, from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the Green P parking lot at 385 Pacific Avenue, just south of Dundas Street West. The event is expected to draw thousands for a day of local food, culture, creativity, and neighbourhood discovery—capturing Toronto’s spirit as The World in a City.

Visitors can explore 50+ vendor booths, shop unique creations from local makers, enjoy bites and drinks from neighbourhood favourites, and dive into pop-up experiences for all ages. The day will be energized by DJ programming, a vibrant market atmosphere, and a family-friendly Play Zone hosted in the Darren’s No Frills parking lot.

“Taste of the Junction is about celebrating the creativity and character that make Toronto’s neighbourhoods unique,” says Carol Jolly, Executive Director of The Junction BIA. “During Toronto’s Host City Summer, when more people are expected to be exploring the city, this festival gives residents, visitors, and fans a chance to discover the Junction as a vibrant west-end destination bursting with flavour, art, and surprises. It’s also an opportunity to support local businesses, enjoy public art, and experience one of Toronto’s most creative neighbourhoods.”

A signature feature of this year’s event is Passageways, five immersive, walk-in cultural installations created by local artists. Housed in 10 x 10-ft tents, each installation transforms a small footprint into a richly layered, photo-worthy cultural environment filled with colour, texture, storytelling, and interactive elements. The Passageways celebrate five of the Junction’s largest cultural communities: British, Black, South Asian, Chinese, and Portuguese, incorporating tactile features and audio guides via QR code for a layered, multi-sensory experience.

Visitors are also encouraged to explore the neighbourhood beyond the event site by discovering the Junction’s 11 permanent animated augmented-reality murals using the free Artivive app. As Toronto’s only year-round AR Destination, the Junction offers self-guided AR Mural Tour maps online and at the Taste of the Junction booth, making it easy to explore, discover, and interact with public art throughout the neighbourhood.

One of 11 augmented reality (AR) wall murals in the Junction. Photo Credit: Jae Yang

The Junction BIA gratefully acknowledges the community-minded sponsors supporting Taste of the Junction 2026, including Darren’s No Frills, Govan Brown, Sidorova Inwood, TD Bank Group, and The Diamond. Their support helps transform the neighbourhood into a welcoming west-end destination where culture, creativity, and local business come together for one memorable day.

This project is funded in part by the City of Toronto through the Community Celebration Support Fund (CCSF), in support of FIFA World Cup 2026™ community programming

Website: torontojunction.ca | Instagram: @TorontoJunction | Facebook: @TorontoJunction

South Parkdale parking restrictions from June 12^th to July 2^nd

Springhurst Ave between Jameson Ave and Dufferin St will be converted to a one-way street going Westbound

Permit Parking Changes (24hr permit parking):

Cowan Ave Even side permit parking to be permitted between 12am – 11:59pm between Southern end of Cowan Ave and 95m South of Queen St W
Dunn Ave Even side permit parking to be permitted between 12am – 11:59pm between Springhurst Ave and 225m South of King St W
Elm Grove Odd side permit parking to be permitted between 12am – 11:59pm between King St W and 61m South of Queen St W
Fort Rouille both sides permit parking to be permitted between 12am – 11:59pm between Southern end of Fort Rouille to 36.5m South of Springhurst Ave
Gwynne Ave Odd side permit parking to be permitted between 12am – 11:59pm between King St W and Milky Way
Melbourne Ave Even side permit parking to be permitted between 12am – 11:59pm between Cowan Ave and Dufferin St
Spencer Ave Odd side permit parking to be permitted between 12am – 11:59pm between Southern end of Spencer Ave and 99.5m South of King St W
Springhurst Ave Even side permit parking to be permitted between 12am – 11:59pm between Jameson Ave and Dufferin St
Temple Ave Odd side permit parking to be permitted between 12am – 11:59pm between Tyndall Ave and Dufferin St
Thorburn Ave Odd side permit parking to be permitted between 12am – 11:59pm between Tyndall Ave and Dufferin St
Tyndall Ave Odd side permit parking to be permitted between 12am – 11:59pm between Southern end of Tyndall Ave and Thorburn Ave

No Parking anytime on the following streets:

- West side of Dufferin St between Queen St W and King St W
- East side of Dufferin St 15m North of Springhurst Ave and Queen St W
- Both sides of King St W between Dufferin St and Jameson Ave

No Standing anytime on the following streets:

- West side of Dufferin St between Springhurst Ave and Thorburn Ave
- South side of Springhurst Ave between Dunn Ave and Dufferin St
- North side of Temple Ave between Tyndall Ave and Dufferin St
- North side of Thorburn Ave between Tyndall Ave and Dufferin St
- West side of Tyndall Ave between Springhurst Ave and Thorburn Ave
- Both sides of Tyndall Ave between Thorburn Ave and King St W

Parking Sign Definitions:

Latest posts

Update on the 2299 Dundas St West Men’s Shelter

Friends,

As part of the George Street Revitalization (GSR) project, the City continues to relocate existing shelter programs to new and enhanced facilities across Toronto. The 2299 Dundas St. W. Men’s Shelter will create a safe space for 80 men experiencing homelessness. This program will provide case management to assist clients in securing permanent housing and access to onsite healthcare and mental health supports, including a Managed Alcohol Program. The anticipated construction completion date for this shelter is Winter 2026.

The shelter will be staffed 24-hours a day, seven days a week and offer specialized programs that will provide health and housing support to help residents improve their health and move toward permanent housing.

Services and features of the shelter will include:
• Onsite healthcare, including personal support workers, nursing, medication support, and access to an in-house physician.
• Access to health services, including a Managed Alcohol Program (MAP) and the Annex Infirmary program which provides short-term medical observation, care, and recovery support to clients experiencing health challenges.
• Case management to support clients secure permanent and supportive housing.
• Mental health services and referrals to a wide range of additional community supports

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, by providing an alternative to sleeping in parks, sidewalks, or transit shelters.

If you are interested in supporting the shelter, through the offer of programs that benefit shelter residents, participating in community events or partnerships, or donating goods, please email [email protected].

There will be a community event to welcome the shelter to the neighbourhood once construction is completed. Updates will continue to be shared as the project progresses on the City’s webpage at toronto.ca/2299dundas.

If you would like to receive future updates, ask a question or share an idea, you can reach the project team at [email protected] .

Sincerely,

Gord

In This Week's Newsletter

City-Wide News

TRCA Flood Safety Information
CultureLink Career Workshop
Grassy Narrows River Run Rally Save the Date

Ward 4 news

Pat Capponi Parkette Opening Event
Toronto East York Community Council
- 1464 King Street West and 10 to 12 Maynard Avenue
- 1497 and 1501 Queen Street West and 89 and 91 Beaty Avenue
- 1 & 3 Close Ave & 78 Springhurst Ave
- 1730 Bloor Street West
- 2273, 2277 and 2279 Bloor Street West
- 34 to 50 Southport Street
- Renaming Close-Springhurst Parkette in Honour of Diane Rajaram
- Transportation Items
  - CNE Traffic and Parking Regulations
  - King Street Construction
  - Armadale and Mayfield - All-Way Stop
  - Traffic Calming Various Streets
  - St. John's Road - Additional Speed Humps
Parkdale Parking Restrictions during FIFA

Expansion of Ontario’s Deposit Return Program

Friends,

On June 10, 2026, the Infrastructure and Environment Committee voted in favour of urging the Ontario government to immediately implement a deposit-return program for non-alcoholic beverage containers.

Currently, Ontario operates a successful deposit return system for alcohol, seeing an average of 75 percent of all empties returned to Beer Stores each year. The deposit return provides a consumer incentive to consciously recycle. This system must be expanded to include all beverage containers.

Ontario is one of Canada’s only provinces without a deposit-return program for non-alcoholic beverages. As a result, Ontario has the lowest beverage container recovery rate in Canada—at roughly 50% of containers being recycled. Other provinces such as Alberta, British Columbia, and Nova Scotia have an expanded deposit return program and see recovery rates 50% higher than Ontario. The Ontario government proposed expanding the deposit return program to include non-alcoholic containers in 2023 but has yet to do so.

The City of Toronto will join the Peel Region, the City of Waterloo, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, and the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative in urging the Ontario government to immediately implement a deposit-return program for non-alcoholic beverage containers.

The IEC Committee received a letter of support from the Canadian Beverage Association to expand the Deposit Return Program as the current mixed recycling system is inefficient, resulting in higher cost for producers with worse outcomes.

You can hear my comments on the matter at the IEC meeting here: https://youtu.be/73ZTlD1yDIU

As we push for ways to be more sustainable, I encourage you to participate in the Plastic Free July challenge, a global campaign encouraging individuals and communities to cut down on single use plastics throughout the month of July. We can use this movement to make incremental changes in individual habits but also to mobilize as a community to influence our governments and businesses to adopt sustainable practices.

Sincerely,

Gord

In This Week's Newsletter

City-Wide News

FIFA Related Nighttime Waste Collection Changes

Ward 4 news

Sorauren Construction Progress Update – June 18,2026
Swansea Town Hall: Clean Indoor Air Toronto
Summer Fest - Baby Point Gates BIACommunity Environment Day - June 27
Community Environment Day - June 27
Parkside Live: A Summer Music Series
Taste of the Junction 2026
Parkdale Parking Restrictions during FIFA

Landmark funding deal to build more rental homes

Friends,

This week at City Council we adopted a landmark funding deal in which $1.5 billion in funding will be provided to the City of Toronto to reduce development charges in partnership with the provincial and federal governments. The full City Council agenda can be reviewed here: City Council - Meeting 42 - TMMIS

The City can now reduce its residential development charges by 40 to 60 per cent for the next three years, and use this funding to pay for major infrastructure projects including our road network, water infrastructure, and enhanced transit capacity to support a growing population. These reductions will apply across the board for residential development. Deeper development charge discounts (60 per cent) will be offered to units with two or more bedrooms, to help incentivize building more housing for families.

At a time when our housing market has slowed down, these development charge reductions will help make projects more financially viable, build more of the kind of housing we need, and make homes more affordable for residents. It will also help generate an estimated 143,000 jobs through construction and related industries.

This funding deal was inspired by the City’s successful Purpose-Built Rental Housing Incentives program.

The first phase of the program, launched in fall 2024 with more than $1.2 billion in financial contributions from the City of Toronto, supported more than 8,000 rental homes, including more than 2,000 affordable homes.

Building on that success, with the greater financial stability provided through the $1.5 billion in federal and provincial infrastructure funding, the City of Toronto is now in a position to launch a new phase of Purpose-Built Rental Incentives.

The second phase of the program will support up to 10,000 new rental homes, including a minimum of 2,000 affordable rental homes. We will prioritize shovel-ready projects and City staff will review and approve applications on a rolling basis over the coming weeks and months.

We are proving as a city that there is a crucial role for government to steer development towards building housing that Torontonians can afford to live in. In doing so as a municipal government, we are influencing other orders of government to invest in Toronto with us.

Sincerely,

Gord

In This Week's Newsletter

City-Wide News

Celebrate Canada Day
Pride Weekend
Outdoor Swimming Pools
FIFA Related Nighttime Waste Collection Changes

Ward 4 news

Toronto East York Community Council
- 1464 King Street West and 10 to 12 Maynard Avenue
- 1497 and 1501 Queen Street West and 89 and 91 Beaty Avenue
- 1 & 3 Close Ave & 78 Springhurst Ave
- 1730 Bloor Street West
- 2273, 2277 and 2279 Bloor Street West
- 34 to 50 Southport Street
- Renaming Close-Springhurst Parkette in Honour of Diane Rajaram
- Transportation Items
Sorauren Ave Construction Update
Celebration of Compassion at Roncesvalles United Church
Celebrate Around the World on Roncy in Roncesvalles Village!
Swansea Town Hall: Clean Indoor Air Toronto
Summer Fest - Baby Point Gates BIA Community Environment Day - June 27
Community Environment Day - June 27
Parkside Live: A Summer Music Series
Taste of the Junction 2026
Parkdale Parking Restrictions during FIFA

Demand No Jets at Our Waterfront

In This Week's Newsletter

City-Wide News

Ward 4 news

City-Wide News

Ward 4 news

Latest posts

Update on the 2299 Dundas St West Men’s Shelter

In This Week's Newsletter

City-Wide News

Ward 4 news

Expansion of Ontario’s Deposit Return Program

In This Week's Newsletter

City-Wide News

Ward 4 news

Landmark funding deal to build more rental homes

In This Week's Newsletter

City-Wide News

Ward 4 news

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