11 Brock Funding Announcement

Friends,

Yesterday, along with Mayor Chow and Minister Virani, I made a long-awaited and exciting announcement regarding the site at 11 Brock Avenue.

As part of the Federal Rapid Housing Initiative, $21.6 million in capital funding will be invested in 40 new rent-geared-to-income and supportive homes at 11 Brock Ave.

This site is one of the five housing-ready sites announced in the Generational Transformation of Toronto’s Housing System Report. It is also the first site where the City will lead the project’s development as part of its public builder role.

The City purchased this site from the Province of Ontario in 2019 for the purpose of creating new affordable housing. The four-storey building will provide approximately 40 homes for people at risk of or experiencing homelessness. These homes will be studio apartments with a bathroom and a kitchen. Rents will be geared to income and will not exceed 30 per cent of a residents’ income, or the shelter allowance of their social assistance.

The new homes will be operated as supportive housing by an experienced not-for-profit housing provider. Tenants will have access to a range of support services intended to improve their health and well-being including 24/7 staffing. The City will issue a Request for Proposals for a building operator for this site by the end of 2023.

The project is part of a systemic shift in Toronto’s housing system to create more public and not-for-profit owned and operated purpose-built rental homes. It is a direct result of the vision and efforts of community members and housing advocates to realize housing as a human right.

As the project proceeds, I welcome the community to remain involved in the process.

Sincerely,

Gord

In this week's newsletter

- King Street - Watermain and TTC Track Renewal 2024

- City's Consultation meetings and Surveys:

- Budget meetings from Nov 21st - 30th

- Public Meetings - Accessible and Bicycle Parking in New Developments

- TTC Survey for Service and Customer Experience Action Plan

- Public Meeting and Survey: RentSafeTO

- Bloor West Bike Lanes and Complete Street Extension Update- Junction Window Wonderland

- Seeking Neighbourhood Climate Action Champions

- Community Events

- Heritage York @ Lambton House Board Call-out/Events

- The Junction's 4th Annual Window Wonderland

- Florence Gel is now open to public

King Street - Watermain and TTC Track Renewal 2024

The City of Toronto and the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) plan to renew aging streetcar tracks on King Street West between Dufferin Street and Shaw Street in 2024. The City will also replace the 146-year-old watermain on King Street West between Dufferin Street and Shaw Street.

If you have questions about the upcoming work, please email [email protected]; [email protected] or our office at [email protected]

2024 Budget Consultations

As the City faces significant financial challenges with a projected $1.5 billion operating shortfall in 2024 and a $46.5 billion shortfall over the next 10 years, it is critical for Torontonians to voice what services are most important to them and how we pay for it.

The Mayor and City Council want to hear from Torontonians on the City's 2024 Budget. This year the budget process will include an additional month-long public consultation process.

There will be three virtual and five in-person meetings in various neighbourhoods across Toronto from November 21^st to November 30^th. Notably, there is an in-person meeting at the Toronto Reference Library from 12-3pm on Saturday November 25^th and virtual meetings on Nov 23^rd, 27^th, and 30^th. Residents can also share their thoughts through a survey which will be available until November 30. The link to the survey and the registration links for all the consultation meetings are available on the City's webpage.

What we hear from residents will help to define Toronto's priorities, guide budget decision making, and support the City's discussions with the Province of Ontario and the Government of Canada to secure a new deal for Toronto.

Your voice is important in this process. Be a part of this conversation so that we bring our shared vision to life and build back better.

Review of Parking Requirements for New Developments

Requirements for automobile and bike parking in newly erected or enlarged buildings are identified in the city-wide Zoning By-law 569-2013. On January 19, 2021, Planning and Housing Committee (PH20.4) asked staff to review these requirements to better align them with the objectives of the City’s Official Plan. The Review is guided by the principle that parking standards should allow only the maximum amount of automobile parking reasonably required for a given use and minimums should be avoided except where necessary to ensure equitable access, such as for accessible parking or in areas which would be difficult to serve with transit.

The City is hosting a series of virtual public meetings to gather feedback to inform recommendations for revised Zoning By-law standards of accessible parking and bicycle parking. These sessions will be held on November 20-21, 2023 at the following times:

Topic: Accessible Parking

Monday, Nov 20: 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. – WebEx meeting link
Tuesday, Nov 21: 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. – WebEx meeting link

Topic: Bicycle Parking

Monday, Nov 20: 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. – WebEx meeting link
Tuesday, Nov 21: 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. – WebEx meeting link

More information on this review is available on the City's webpage.

Survey: TTC's 5-Year Service and Customer Experience Action Plan

From April to December 2023, the TTC will engage customers, stakeholders, internal staff, and the public to help inform the 5-Year Service and Customer Experience Action Plan. The engagement will follow a three-round process.

Currently, it is in the third and final round to understand to what degree riders support TTC's draft plan.

The Plan is organized into seven Pillars of Opportunity:
Pillar 1 – Foster a customer-centric mindset
Pillar 2 – Enhance the transit network
Pillar 3 – Improve service reliability
Pillar 4 – Prioritize surface transit
Pillar 5 – Accelerate integration with other transit agencies and complementary modes of transit
Pillar 6 – Enhance safety and comfort at stops, stations, and in vehicles
Pillar 7 – Streamline information and services

Across the seven Pillars, there are 30 actions, and each action includes one or more specific initiative(s).

Take the survey to learn more and share your feedback at ttc5yearplans.ca . The survey will be available online and by mail until December 1.

RentSafeTO Program Update & Fee Changes

The RentSafeTO team is hosting in-person and virtual public consultations to discuss a change in fees as well as the new building evaluation tool and process. Learn more about the changes being made to the evaluation tool and how it will impact building owners and tenants.

Get involved by joining the consultation meeting on Monday, November 20 at 6pm or take the online survey to provide feedback. Details are available on the City's webpage.

Update 10: Bloor West Bike Lanes and Complete Street Extension - Nov 16/23

This email is to provide an update on phase 1 of the installation of the Bloor West Bike Lanes and Complete Street Extension from Runnymede Road to Aberfoyle Crescent. Installation of phase 1 began the week of September 11, 2023. Initial installation is planned for completion in December 2023, with upgrades planned for 2024 and beyond.

*Please note that the traffic study, monitoring strategy and final roll plans have been posted on the webpage, toronto.ca/BloorWest

Work scheduled for November 15^th to 17^th:

Continued installation of flex post bollards between Prince Edward Drive and South Kingsway.
Installation of pavement markings for bus stops along the corridor, and the westbound bus lane between Armadale Avenue and Jane Street.
Installation of remaining signage to support the complete street design.

Work scheduled for the week of November 20^h, 2023:

Closure of the east leg entrance to Mossom Road. Mossom Road will be converted to two ways for drivers to maintain access.
Installation of painted curb extensions at some unsignalized intersections.
Ongoing signage installation and adjustments along the corridor to support the complete street design.

Work scheduled for the rest of November 2023:

Installation of painted curb extensions and all remaining pavement markings between Runnymede Road and Aberfoyle Crescent.

*Work will take place both during the day and at night and is scheduled to avoid conflicts with other construction in the roadway. The work scheduled is dependent on weather conditions.

For more project details, please visit: Toronto.ca/BloorWest

Seeking Neighbourhood Climate Action Champions

The City of Toronto is seeking local neighbourhood leaders to engage with community residents on environmental issues and inspire climate action. Neighbourhood Climate Action Champions will inspire, motivate, and encourage other residents to undertake community-focused actions to support the City’s TransformTO climate action strategy and reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.

Applications from community leaders and residents from communities experiencing social, economic and other barriers, including people of colour, newcomers, 2SLGBTQ+ persons, women, Indigenous peoples, and persons with disabilities / disabled will be given priority.

Find more information and the online application here.

Heritage York @ Lambton House/Tavern Board Call-out and Events

Heritage York is seeking 3 people to fill Board of Directors positions, preferably one with interest in the Treasurer’s job. The Board positions are all volunteer. Please send an e-mail by Sunday, 19 November at 5:00 p.m., to [email protected] providing information about you and what skills, interests and time you could contribute to our Board. We look for a minimum one-year commitment and about 10 hours a month on site.

EVENTS

November 2023

Tuesday, 21 November 7:00 p.m.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING at Lambton House

Friday, 24 November 7:00 p.m. - Cider Tasting

Link: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/heritage-york/events/cider-tasting/

December 2023

Friday, 1 December 6 p.m. - Community Pub with Terry Jones and Friends

Saturday, 2 December 2-4 p.m. - Santa Photos and Wreath Making

Link: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/heritage-york/events/santa-photos-2023-and-wreath-making/

Friday, 8 December 6 p.m. - Christmas Carolling with a child focussed format including seasonal refreshments!

The Junction's 4th Annual Window Wonderland

With the holiday season upon us, Toronto’s award-winning winter art exhibit, Window Wonderland, returns to the Junction for its fourth consecutive year. From November 24, 2023 to January 31, 2024, the magical urban art walk, presented by Isaan Der Thai Kitchen, will transform the Junction into a FREE outdoor art gallery featuring 20 spectacular augmented reality (AR) window installations and five murals, all designed by local and international artists.

Latest posts

November 13, 2025

Friends,

I am pleased to share that at City Council this week, Council approved increasing permissions for retail and services in neighbourhoods city-wide, so that the goods and services that residents need can be reached closer to home. The increased permission for retail and services are being advanced primarily on two types of street designations – ‘Major Streets’ and ‘Community Streets’.

The staff report on this item proposed increased permissions on Major Streets (where Council adopted permissions for apartment buildings up to six storeys and townhouses in June 2024), to allow a range of options mostly on the ground floor, including small stores, cafes, medical offices, after-school programs, cleaners, barbers and professional offices. More impactful uses are not permitted, for example: vehicle repair, animal shelter, payday loan, warehouse, and club.

City Council voted to adopt these staff recommendations with amendments that account for ward-specific considerations, resulting in the increased permissions being implemented on Major Streets in all 25 wards across Toronto.

To be permitted on Major Streets (ground floor only):

Retail: All retail uses. This could include grocery/convenience stores, clothing, furniture, second-hand shops, among others.
Dining: Cafés, restaurants (sit-down or take-out), licensed bars with patios.
Personal & Pet Services: Examples include hair/nail salons, barbers, tattoo parlours, dry cleaners, pet grooming.
Arts & Cultural: Music, dance, theatre, artist studios, art galleries.
Recreation Uses: Examples include fitness clubs, bowling alleys, billiard halls, indoor rinks.
Workshops: Custom, repair, or refurbishing shops, etc.

To be permitted on Major Streets (ground and second floors):

Professional/Office: Medical, real estate, accounting, legal.
Health/Other: Massage and wellness therapy, education, religious education.

The staff report also proposed permitting small-scale retail stores in neighbourhood interiors at properties adjacent to parks, schools, and existing commercial sites, as well as on corner lots on Community Streets. This includes option for stores to include ancillary eating or takeout eating service, allowing for the establishment of small, low impact neighbourhood cafés which serve beverages and food items prepared off-site.

Community Streets are generally those that are identified within the city’s Road Classification Map as Collectors or Minor Arterials and are not major streets. These streets are more likely to have sidewalks on both sides of the street, are more likely to have bicycle infrastructure and public transit service, and are typically through-streets that connect to nearby major streets making them the primary pedestrian corridors with easy access to/from other neighbourhood streets. A ward-specific collection of maps demonstrating the location of Community Streets can be reviewed here: Attachment 2: Neighbourhood Interiors Zoning By-law Amendment.

Thanks to a successful amendment championed by Mayor Chow, City Council voted to move forward on adopting these permissions for neighbourhood interior small-scale retail in Toronto and East York District (which includes our Ward 4), while allowing for other wards to opt-in by request in the future. I encourage you to review the full item here.

The progress on this item is a significant advancement of our City’s goal to develop more complete and walkable communities city-wide, and demonstrates that when we engage respectfully and collaboratively in dialogue with one another, we can forge paths that all of Toronto can move forward on together.

Sincerely,

In This Week's Newsletter

City-Wide News

Winter Recreation Activities Registration Opening Soon
City of Toronto Winter Services Plan for People Experiencing Homelessness

Ward 4 news

Swansea Mews Community Meeting - November 20
Bloor West Village Avenue Study
TTC Closures: Kipling to Jane stations
Dundas Street West Closure between Gilmour and Runnymede
1266 Queen Street West (Queen & Dufferin) at the Toronto Preservation Board
Baby Point Gates BIA Winter Event - Nov 22
Live in the Library - Adam Solomon at the Parkdale Library - November 28 - 7 pm
Window Wonderland Transforms the Junction into a Free Outdoor Art Gallery

November 6, 2025

Friends,

I am grateful to the groundswell of Toronto residents who are organizing to protect renters’ rights in our province. As you may have heard, changes to the Residential Tenancies Act are being proposed through the provincial government’s Bill 60 that would make it easier to unfairly evict renters.

Thanks to the rapid mobilization of residents who are voicing their disapproval, the provincial government has walked back their proposals to change security of tenure and rent control. However, there remain numerous proposed cuts to renters’ rights that are alarming. If passed, Bill 60 would:

Block renters from introducing any new evidence and issues to support their cases at Landlord Tenant Board hearings.
Deny renters the ability to challenge “voluntary evictions” when they have been pressured or misled into signing an N11.
Cut in half the time available for renters to appeal unfair decisions at the Landlord Tenant Board to just 15 days.
Eliminate the requirement for landlords to provide 1 month’s rent as compensation to renters when being evicted for “personal use” through an N12. Often, renters rely on this compensation to help them move or find a new home.
Make it easier for landlords to evict renters by cutting notice periods in half, cutting the options for requesting an eviction be postponed, and hiring more enforcement officers to forcibly remove renters from their homes.

We heard from numerous residents deputing at Executive Committee this week, who shared their experiences of being evicted, and made clear how the rights that are still under attack are vital to safeguarding renters from bad faith evictions and ensuring that evicted renters can stay housed.

Fifty percent of Torontonians rent their homes. They have the right to feel secure, without fear of baseless evictions or needlessly paying more of their hard-earned income towards rent.

I was pleased to join Mayor Chow and colleagues at Executive Committee in unanimously adopting recommendations that respond to the concerns we heard from Torontonians, advocating for all orders of government to protect instead of dismantling renters’ rights and to adequately invest in building the housing supply that Toronto deserves.

I look forward to continuing our City’s advocacy on this issue when the impacts of Bill 60 and the Annual Progress Report – HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan is considered at City Council next week. I encourage you to review and follow the Council discussion here: City Council - Meeting 34 - TMMIS

Sincerely,

In This Week's Newsletter

City-Wide News

Committee of Adjustment Drop-in Information Session - Nov 26

Ward 4 news

Dufferin Street - RapidTO Installation Begins
Subway Closure Update Kipling to Islington Subway Station
Sunnyside Historical Society Strory-telling event - Nov 19

October 30, 2025

Friends,

We are seeing the City’s new role as a public builder pay off. Today at Planning and Housing Committee, City staff presented the City’s annual report on the City’s Housing Action Plan for 2020 - 2030, reporting significant progress on all five pillars of the City’s housing priorities. Key highlights from the report include:

Creating New Homes - Approved a record of 6,366 new rent-controlled homes in 2024, achieving 46% of the City’s overall target of 65,000 approved rent-controlled homes by 2030
Protecting and preserving existing homes - Secured more than 700 permanent affordable homes through the Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition (MURA) Program
Supporting renters and improving housing stability - Adopted the Rental Renovation Licence By-law, which came into effect in 2025, to protect renters from bad faith renovation-related evictions, or “renovictions”
Prioritizing diverse housing needs - Supported more than 4,600 people experiencing homelessness to move into permanent homes through initiatives like Rapid Rehousing Initiative and Priority Access to Housing and Supports (PATHS)
Transforming housing policies - Adopted Official Plan and zoning bylaw amendments to permit townhouses and small-scale apartment buildings on lots designated as Neighbourhoods and abutting a major street, which is projected to create 41,083 new homes by 2051.

These interventions along with targeted incentives by the City are helping to steer developers towards building the affordable rental units residents need to live in Toronto.

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. This is demonstrated by the fact that in the first eight months of 2025, City-led and City-supported projects account for 65% of all housing starts achieved this year.

The staff report makes clear that while the City has successfully modelled how government action can bolster the supply of new homes, these solutions need to be supported through adequate investment from other orders of government to meet the scale of our present housing crisis. I will continue to use my voice and vote on Council to support the growth of affordable rental housing options in our city.

Sincerely,

In This Week's Newsletter

City-Wide News

Vacant Home Tax Declaration Period Opens Nov 3
Inclusionary Zoning Updates Virtual Information Session
Gardiner Closure Saturday Night

Ward 4 news

King St W & Dufferin St TTC Track Renewal Completed
Baird Park Playground Improvements – Online Survey
High Park Station - Easier Access Project Construction Notice
Reminder: 3286-3316 Dundas St West (Runnymede and Dundas) Community Consultation Meeting on Nov 6

11 Brock Funding Announcement

Topic: Accessible Parking

Topic: Bicycle Parking

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November 13, 2025

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November 6, 2025

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October 30, 2025

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