City Wide
Vacant Home Tax 2024 declaration period opens
Do you own a house or condo in Toronto? If yes, then you need to let the City know if it was occupied or vacant by declaring its occupancy status every year. Even if you reside at your property. The Vacant Home Tax (VHT) program works to increase the availability and affordability of housing in our city. It does this by encouraging people who own homes that are kept empty to make these vacant properties available for rent or for sale, helping to make sure all homes are lived in.
You can make your 2024 declaration quickly and easily online at toronto.ca/VacantHomeTax. Or you can call 311 if you need assistance. You can also visit a Tax and Utility counter at City Hall or one of the civic centres to make your declaration. The City will be mailing more information about the VHT program to all residential property owners in November. The deadline to make a declaration for the 2024 calendar year is April 30, 2025. But don’t wait for the deadline, declare soon.
Line 2 (Bloor - Danforth)–Kipling to Keele stations- Full weekend closure
There will be no subway service between Kipling and Keele stations on Saturday, November 9 and Sunday, November 10 due to planned track work. TTC Staff will be available on site to assist customers. Shuttle buses will operate. All subway stations will remain open for customers to purchase PRESTO fares, tickets and connect to surface routes. Regular service will resume Monday, November 11 by 6 a.m.
Two extra Wheel Trans buses will operate between Kipling and Keele stations for any customer requiring assistance.
To confirm the status of elevators and escalators throughout the system, you can contact the TTC lift line at: 416-539-5438 (LIFT) for real time information on the status of elevators.
Follow @ttcnotices on X and check the Live Service Alerts on ttc.ca for up to date service information and to help plan your trip.
Learn4Life Registration Opens November 13th
Looking for something fun to do this fall? The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) offers a wide range of Adult General Interest and Seniors Daytime classes through the Learn4Life program. These classes provide an excellent opportunity to learn new skills, stay active, and connect with others in your community. Led by expert instructors, Learn4Life offers courses in Arts, Business, Computers, Cooking, Crafts, Dance, Finance, Fitness, Languages, Music, Sports, Sewing, and much more! Registration opens on November 13th.
Visit learn4life.ca to learn more.
TransformTO Net Zero Strategy – Public Consultations and Webinar
The City of Toronto has opened consultations for its TransformTO Net Zero Strategy action plan for 2026 - 2030. See the City website here for more information on the survey, public events, and a toolkit to host your own consultation. This is an important opportunity to have your say!
The Net Zero Strategy has a target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions, community-wide, by 2040. The next Action Plan for the Strategy will cover the period 2026 to 2030, including the interim target of a 65 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 (from the 1990 baseline)
To support this and learn more, Toronto Climate Action Network (TCAN) invites you to join their webinar: "Toronto's Climate Futures? Planning for 2030"
Date: Wed, Nov 13th
Time: 7 - 9pm
Reserve your spot here!
Part 1 will feature a panel discussion with David Miller (former mayor, now with C40 Cities); Gaby Kalapos from Clean Air Partnership; How-Sen Chong from Toronto Environmental Alliance and Maggie Chang from the Climate Advisory Group.
Part 2 will get into the nuts and bolts of hosting a consultation with tips on how to facilitate inclusive conversations.
Avenues Policy Review: Phase 2 Consultation
The City of Toronto Planning Division is undertaking Phase 2 of its consultation on the Avenues Policy Review, which is one part of the Housing Action Plan (HAP).
You are invited to join a virtual Community Consultation Meeting on Monday, November 18, 2024 from 6:00pm – 8:00pm (to register click link).
The purpose of this meeting is to provide an update to residents and businesses in Toronto East-York on the Avenues Policy Review initiative, based on feedback received during Phase 1 of public and stakeholder consultations. Staff are also looking for additional feedback in advance of a final recommendations report in early 2025.
The Community Consultation Meeting will include a short presentation and an opportunity to ask questions of staff.
The Housing Action Plan (HAP) is a cornerstone of the City’s efforts to address current housing challenges. Adopted by City Council in December 2022, the HAP outlines a strong ‘made-in-Toronto’ multi-pronged approach to increase housing supply, housing choice and affordability for current and future residents.
To help accomplish these goals, the HAP directed City staff to find ways to accelerate the supply of housing by examining and removing policy barriers to new housing. Through the Avenues Policy Review, City Planning staff are looking at opportunities to:
- update the vision and policy direction for how Avenues will develop;
- extend and potentially introduce new Avenues;
- streamline study requirements for building new housing along Avenues; and
- consider opportunities to create areas of transition between Avenues and Neighbourhoods to enable more housing.
For more information about this and similar initiatives, please visit the project webpage.
311 Toronto Awareness & Usage Survey (November 4th to December 4th, 2024)
The 311 Awareness and Usage Survey was launched Monday, November 4th and is open through December 4th.
Please take a moment to complete the survey here.
311 will also be conducting the survey in-person at 8 locations in their Neighbourhood Improvement Areas to gather input from people who need internet access, need assistance or are unaware of the 311 service. We will share this information as it comes through our office.
City’s Winter Maintenance Plan
Snow Response
The City’s snow and ice winter maintenance response plan prioritizes safety and mobility for all residents and particularly for emergency and transit vehicles. A fleet of more than 1,400 pieces of snow clearing equipment is ready to quickly mobilize 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The City continually monitors winter weather systems so that crews are ready to be deployed as necessary. The application of a liquid brine road salt is the first line of defence when winter weather arrives and plowing begins when the snow is:
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2.5 centimetres deep – expressways
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five centimetres deep – major roads and transit routes
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eight centimetres deep – residential streets
The amount of time it takes to clear snow and ice depends on the weather, infrastructure type and location. Details about clearing timelines and service levels are available on the City’s website: www.toronto.ca/snow.
Residents can track the location of plows and salt trucks and find out which streets have been recently cleared on the PlowTO map: www.toronto.ca/PlowTO.
The 2025 winter maintenance budget of more than $160 million, pending approval of the 2025 budget, clears snow and ice from:
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14,700 lane kilometres of roads and on-street bike lanes
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7,900 kilometres of sidewalks
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486 kilometres of cycling infrastructure.
A Winter Road Operations Fact Sheet is available on the City’s Winter Road Operations webpage: www.toronto.ca/news/city-of-toronto-winter-road-operations-2
How residents can keep streets and sidewalks safe
Residents also have a role in keeping streets safe during the winter. When less than two centimetres of snow accumulates, property owners are responsible for clearing public sidewalks adjacent to their property within 12 hours of the end of snowfall.
Clearing private property like driveways, parking spaces, steps and ramps within 24 hours of the end of snowfall is also important as it provides safe access to people and vehicles. Find tips on how to shovel snow safely on the City’s Snow Shovelling webpage: https://www.toronto.ca/community-people/public-safety-alerts/safety-tips-prevention/home- high-rise-school-workplace-safety/snow-shovelling/.
Beyond snow clearing, residents can take the following actions to increase their safety and the safety of others this winter:
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Plan for extra time when travelling
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Take public transit and drive according to road and weather conditions
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Keep a safe distance from snow clearing equipment and other vehicles
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Remove snow and ice from vehicles and install winter tires for better traction
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Wear warm clothing and appropriate footwear to avoid slips and falls
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Keep pets indoors during extreme weather conditions.
Watermain breaks during cold weather
City staff are monitoring underground infrastructure as cold weather and rapid swings between thaw and freezing temperatures can cause an increase in watermain breaks.
While the number of watermain breaks has steadily declined over the past decade thanks to capital investment in replacement and rehabilitation of the City’s sewer infrastructure, there are still an average of 700 watermain breaks annually – many occurring between November and March. City crews fix watermain breaks and restore water as quickly as possible. More information about watermains is available on the City’s Watermains webpage: https://www.toronto.ca/services-payments/building-construction/infrastructure-city-construction/understanding-city-construction/water-sewer-mains.
Cold weather can also cause pipes inside the home and on private property to freeze, which can lead to no water or burst pipes. Residents are reminded to:
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Prepare pipes for winter by wrapping foam pipe insulation around pipes prone to freezing, especially near outside walls and in crawl spaces, attics and garages
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Seal air leaks around windows and doors
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Disconnect outdoor hoses and drain and shut the outdoor water supply.
More tips can be found on the City’s Prevent or Thaw Frozen Pipes webpage: www.toronto.ca/services-payments/water-environment/your-water-pupes-meter/water-related-help-advice/prevent-or-thaw-frozen-pipes/.
New Online Registration and Booking Account for Recreation, Parks, Museum and Cultural Spaces
The City of Toronto launched a new system for recreation and cultural activities registration, facility bookings and memberships on November 6, 2024.
Most people will need to create a new account, even if they had one in the old system. Accounts can’t be automatically transferred from eFun. Family and Client numbers are no longer in use.
If you have:
- a Welcome Policy subsidy
- a FitnessTO or sports membership or multi-visit pass
- an Adapted and Inclusive Services (AIS) membership
- credit on your eFun account
a new account has been created for you using your existing email address and memberships and/or subsidies have been applied. Activate your account to access it.
Learn more at toronto.ca/onlinereg
Ward 4
High Park Movement Strategy – Shuttle Service Procurement
The High Park Movement Strategy includes the implementation of a shuttle service to help visitors get around High Park all year long. Having a reliable and accessible means to transport people without personal vehicles will help enhance the visitor experience for all park users and provide access to important locations within High Park. The City of Toronto has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the provision of a people-moving shuttle service, which will help visitors get around key locations within High Park.
This RFP aims to market the opportunity for a supplier to maintain and operate a passenger transportation shuttle service at High Park, advancing the goals of the High Park Movement Strategy, enhancing park user experience, and supporting environmentally friendly transportation practices. The RFP also considers the opportunity for the successful supplier for potential parks in the future, if required and appropriate, at the City’s sole discretion.
Visit Toronto Bids Portal for RFP information
Designation of the Teiaiagon-Baby Point Heritage Conservation District Plan under the Ontario Heritage Act
The Toronto Preservation Board will meet on Thursday, November 28, 2024, starting at 9:30 a.m
This meeting of the Toronto Preservation Board is being conducted virtually; members of the Board, staff, and the public will participate in this meeting remotely.
The Board’s virtual meeting is live streamed on the Toronto City Council Live YouTube. A Live YouTube link will be available on the meeting agenda immediately prior to and during the meeting. A recording of the meeting will be available to view anytime.
Link to the Meeting Agenda: https://secure.toronto.ca/council/#/committees/2511/24738
To provide comments or make a deputation to the Toronto Preservation Board
The public may submit written comments or register to speak at the Toronto Preservation Board on any item on the agenda. Deadline for written comments is Wednesday, November 27, 2024, by noon and email to City Clerk’s email: [email protected].
To request to speak or make a presentation to the Toronto Preservation Board, please register by email to [email protected] or by phone at 416-392-4666.
Each speaker is allotted five (5) minutes to speak. Registered speakers will be provided with instructions from the Clerk’s Office on connecting to the meeting. If you speak at the meeting you will appear in the video broadcast. Video broadcasts are archived and continue to be publicly available.
Proposed Teiaiagon-Baby Point Heritage Conservation District
The proposed Teiaiagon-Baby Point Heritage Conservation District (HCD), west from Jane Street, to the Humber River, along Baby Point Road, Baby Point Crescent, part of Humbercrest Boulevard, part of Cashman Park, Magwood Park, Etienne Brule Park and the Humber River to Catherine Street, is the historic location of Teiaiagon, the mid-to-late seventeenth century Haudenosaunee village associated primarily with the Seneca Nation and is an area with a concentration of heritage resources that distinguish it from its surroundings and merits protection under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act.
For more information about the Teiaiagon-Baby Point HCD Plan, visit:
https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/planning-development/planning-studies-initiatives/baby-point-heritage-conservation-district-study/meetings-events-baby-point-heritage-conservation-district-study/
Committee of Adjustment Application 1229 Queen Street West
The applicant has filed an application to alter the existing two-storey building (Community Centre) by constructing stepped four to seven-storey additions. This altered mixed-use building will contain an expansion of healthcare services and there will be a total number of 55 affordable residential dwelling units within the building on this lot. Also, to reduce the required parking spaces to 14 parking spaces (located at grade abutting Milkyway Lane). No visitor parking spaces will be provided.
This alteration requires a Committee of Adjustment Minor variance. The site still requires Site Plan application approval.
The Committee of Adjustment Minor Variance request will be heard on Wednesday, November 20th.
As Councillor Perks appoints citizens to the Committee of Adjustment to make decisions on minor variances and, on the advice of the Integrity Commissioner, Councillor Perks cannot attempt to influence a member's decision on an application. He does not communicate with the panel members at committee or through written comment about the application.
The Committee of Adjustment process does offer an opportunity for the public to participate in the process. Community members have an opportunity to comment on the application at the virtual Committee of Adjustment hearing.
View the full public meeting notice here.
Developments
*NEW MEETING DATE* 138 Dowling Ave Pre-Application Community Meeting
It has come to our attention that there was a clerical error in the notice delivered to local residents' homes which listed the incorrect timing of the October 8th pre-application meeting for 138 Dowling Ave. This resulted in a number of residents missing the meeting. At our request, the applicant will hold another meeting for those interested. Details below.
Date: Tuesday, November 19 2024 at 6:00pm
Link to register:
https://toronto.webex.com/weblink/register/rea1d8205235361a045727e1f10e3aabe
The applicant is proposing a 14-storey residential building with a mix of 1, 2, 3 bedroom units and studios with approximately 49% 1 bedrooms. They have been working with Planning staff and are hosting this meeting at the request of our office.
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