November 20, 2025

Friends,

I was thrilled to join the Community Advisory Committee meeting for the Western Beaches Public Realm Plan yesterday evening, as part of Phase 2 of Community Engagement.

The Western Beaches comprises a four kilometer stretch of waterfront, parks and trails, and communities between the mouth of the Humber River and the eastern edge of Marilyn Bell Park. This Public Realm Plan will provide a renewed vision for the Western Beaches, including recommendations and priorities for improvements, that reflects the changing conditions, current priorities and community needs.

The Committee reviewed and shared feedback on emerging recommendations for the future of our Western Beaches at last night’s meeting. It was heartening to hear just how much the Western Beaches meant to the community members present, not just as a recreational area, but also as a place within a larger living system, connected to the lake, river, and surrounding watershed where people, nature, and place are deeply intertwined.

As part of the next step of this process the City is looking for public input on the proposed big moves. I encourage you to register for the virtual public meeting  on November 27, 2025, from 6 to 8 p.m., and take the online survey  to provide feedback on the draft recommendations. The survey closes on December 8, 2025.

With your involvement we can develop a plan that reflects our shared values and advances sustainability, visitor experience, and connections and access to water at our Western Beaches.

Sincerely,


In This Week's Newsletter

City-Wide News

  • Toronto Home Energy Network - Webinar on Radiators and Heat Pumps

  • The TTC’s Fair Pass Transit Discount Program

Ward 4 news

  • 1499-1501 Queen St W & 91 Beaty Avenue Development Pre-Application Meeting 
  • 21-29 Oakmount Rd. & 26-36 Mountview Ave Community Consultation Meeting on Dec 1

  • 138 Dowling Ave Zoning By-law Amendment at TEYCC

  • Reminder: Parkdale Hub West Block Community Space – REOI Now Live

  • Bloor West Village Avenue Study

  • Construction Update: Sorauren Ave ( Dundas St W to Queen St W ) Watermain Replacement

  • Reminder: Baby Point Gates BIA Winter Event - Nov 22

  • Window Wonderland Transforms the Junction into a Free Outdoor Art Gallery

City-Wide News

Toronto Home Energy Network - Webinar on Radiators and Heat Pumps

Radiators give off lovely, even heat, and they're part of the charm of old houses. But most radiators are hooked up to gas boilers. Can you keep your radiators and get a clean, efficient heat pump, too? Toronto Home Energy Network and Toronto Hydro will cover your options at the next Electrification (with the Experts) webinar on Tuesday, November 25th, 6:30 pm-7:45 pm.

Bring your boiling questions! There will be a live Q&A.

RSVP and learn more here: https://www.thenetwork.to/event-details/electrification-with-the-experts-radiators-heat-pumps


🏠 The Toronto Home Energy Network builds home electrification community groups across Toronto. These groups provide personalized coaching, technology demonstrations, and make electrification what it should be: a smooth, stress-free way to improve your home's comfort and sustainability.


The TTC’s Fair Pass Transit Discount Program

The Fair Pass Transit Discount Program makes public transit more affordable for residents living on low incomes between the ages of 20 and 64, and provides discounts on all TTC vehicles, including Wheel Trans. Individuals who have aged out of Fair Pass will be notified by the end of November 2025 and will be informed about discounted fares available through the TTC. Learn more about the Fair Pass Transit Discount Program. 


Ward 4 news

1499-1501 Queen St W & 91 Beaty Avenue Development Pre-Application Meeting 

PARC is hosting an in-person community meeting wherein they will present their proposal to redevelop their properties at 1499-1501 Queen Street West and 91 Beaty Avenue to accommodate affordable housing, gathering and support space.

The proposal includes the retention of the historic facades of 1499-1501 Queen Street and the construction of a 10-storey mixed-use building at 1499 Queen West containing 3 storeys of resident and community gathering and support space and 7-storeys of housing above, and a 7-storey residential building at 1501 Queen West. A total of approximately 144 residential units are proposed within the redevelopment.  For more information on PARC, please see their website https://parc.on.ca/

The in-person meeting will be held on Thursday, December 4th, 5 PM to 6:30 PM in the second floor Auditorium at PARC (1499 Queen St West).

PARC’s Architects will provide a presentation on the proposal and will be available, along with their Planning, Heritage and Transportation Consultants and Councillor Gord Perks, for a Q&A about the proposal.


21-29 Oakmount Rd. & 26-36 Mountview Ave Community Consultation Meeting on Dec 1

The City has received a Zoning By-law Amendment application for 21-29 Oakmount Rd. & 26-36 Mountview Ave. and resultantly City Planning has scheduled an in-person Community Consultation Meeting for the evening of December 1st at 6pm.

Date: Monday, December 1, 2025

Time: 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Location: Auditorium in Western Technical Commercial School located at 125 Evelyn Crescent, Toronto, ON M6P 3J7

A plan has been proposed to permit residential rental buildings in the form of two towers of 41 storeys and 39 storeys over a shared 6 storey podium, containing 873 residential units (including 11 rental replacement units), 537 bike parking spaces, and 78 vehicle parking spaces (including 10 for visitors). Next month's meeting, consisting of a short presentation of the proposal by City Planning Staff, followed by a presentation from the applicant, and concluding with a Q&A session, will allow you to view the proposal and share your thoughts.

Councillor Perks, City Planning staff, and the applicant will be in attendance to help answer any questions that may arise.

Further information on the project and what is being proposed can be found on the City's Application Information Centre website here: http://www.toronto.ca/26MountviewAve.


138 Dowling Ave, Zoning By-law Amendment

On Thursday, November 27th, Toronto and East York Community Council will consider TE27.2 - 138 Dowling Avenue - Zoning By-law Amendment - Decision Report – Approval.

The application proposes to permit a 16-storey apartment building with 145 purpose-built rental units at 138 Dowling Ave.

The staff report (available here) recommends approval of a Zoning By-law amendment. The application is consistent with the Provincial Planning Statement (2024) and conforms to the City’s Official Plan. Further, information submitted to the City by the applicant is available for your review on the City's Application Information Centre here.

Councillor Perks will follow staff recommendation and vote to approve the application.

A pre-application community meeting was held by the applicant at the request of Councillor Perks on November 19, 2024 and a Community Consultation Meeting was held May 7, 2025. The current application was submitted on March 13, 2025 and deemed complete on April 11, 2025.

You can register to speak or provide written comment through [email protected].

This item will be heard on November 27th after 10am.


Parkdale Hub Community Space – Apply Now!

 The City of Toronto is launching a new community space at 1337 Queen Street West as part of the Parkdale Hub redevelopment. The West Block will offer 23,300 sq. ft. of community space across three floors, featuring meeting rooms, shared kitchens, and office spaces for not-for-profit organizations to lease at a below-market rate, with occupancy expected in early 2029. Agencies interested in applying for tenancy must attend one mandatory online information session and submit a Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI) application.

Sessions will be held on: Nov 20, 2025; Dec 4, 2025; and Jan 15, 2026. To register, email [email protected]. The application deadline is Feb 27, 2026, and Mar 13 for Indigenous- and Black-led organizations.

Learn more and apply by visiting: https://www.toronto.ca/community-people/community-partners/community-hubs


Bloor West Village Avenue Study

The City has completed an Avenue Study to assess the land uses, transportation and servicing infrastructure, community services and facilities, built form character and redevelopment potential for Bloor Street West between Keele Street and the Humber River. The Bloor West Village Avenue Study included extensive community consultation and technical review in order to evaluate existing conditions, develop a vision for the study area and set out recommendations for an area-specific planning framework that will guide future development and infrastructure improvements.

Following the completion of this study a set of guidelines have been created to shape future development in the area. These outcomes, which are available on the City website with additional information here: Bloor West Village Avenue Study – City of Toronto, are being reported to Toronto and East York Community Council on November 27th in Council chambers for consideration.

Should this item move forward to City Council, this will be the final opportunity for the community to provide input. Past engagement opportunities are listed here: Meetings & Events: Bloor West Village Avenue Study – City of Toronto.

If you wish to participate in the Council hearing, instructions on how to do so can be found here: Have Your Say at Council & Committee Meetings – City of Toronto.

Information on this item will be found here: Toronto and East York Community Council - Meeting 27 - TMMIS, once the agenda has been uploaded, closer to the date of the meeting.


Transit Priority Measures to Support the 505 Dundas 6-Minute Network

At the Toronto & East York Community Council on Thursday, November 27, 2025, Transportation Services will be requesting approval, on behalf of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), to install transit priority measures (TPMs) to support 6-minute headways on the 505 Dundas streetcar route from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, with these service improvements to 6-minute headways beginning in November 2025. If approved, the TPMs to support the 6-minute headways would be implemented January 2026. For the full report please see the following link Transit Priority Measures to Support the 505 Dundas 6-Minute Network. If you would like to speak on this item, please click the “Request to Speak” bar at the top of the agenda page Agenda Item History - 2025.TE27.51


Construction Update: Sorauren Ave ( Dundas St W to Queen St W ) Watermain Replacement

Week of November 17th The City of Toronto’s contractor is currently working to complete watermain installation from Queen St W to Dundas on Sorauren Ave.   

 

What work has been completed to date:

  • Installation of new watermain is ongoing
  • Some sections of the street have already undergone watermain chlorination

What’s happening over next two weeks  ( November 24th to December 5th )

  • The City’s contractor will continue to install new watermain on Sorauren working northbound
  • Work will continue on Virtue Street until the end of next week
  • Some water service connections will be made at intersections   

What residents can expect

  • Residents at the north end of Sorauren should expect delays when travelling on Sorauren, access will be maintained by our contractor however due to the nature of watermain replacement and the construction equipment needed,  traffic delays should be expected. Traffic personnel and paid duty police officers will be directing traffic.
  • Emergency breaks can occur during water main installation. These breaks are random and cause water service disruptions. The contractor will contact impacted homes and inform them of anticipated repair time if another break occurs.
  • Side streets between Dundas St W and Wright Ave should expect water service disruptions over the next two weeks. For any scheduled water shut offs our contractor will provide 48hrs notice of water service disruption, this includes the Condo and office spaces at the north end of Sorauren Ave.
  • Residents should continue to expect heavy truck traffic on the north end of Sorauren and at the intersections after Wight Ave.
  • Toronto Hydro is coordinating emergency works on Wright Ave – this work is not related to the City watermain work. For questions about this work please contact

416 542-8000 / https://www.torontohydro.com/contact-us

Anticipated timeline for 2025

  • All construction activities on Sorauren Ave will end as of December 19th . Our contractor will be demobilizing all construction related road equipment and materials until spring 2026. The construction trailer will remain at the present location until the end of this project .

Questions about this work


Baby Point Gates BIA Winter Event - Nov 22

Latest posts

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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