City Wide
Making the Right Call
In an emergency, every second matters. Building public awareness on when to call 911 versus other services is critical, especially when 911 calls increased by nearly 3,000 last month compared to the monthly average – from more than 100,000 to more than 103,000.
Every type of issue requires a unique response to accommodate the needs of residents and knowing the differences between 911, 311, 211 and the Toronto Police non-emergency line is crucial when seconds matter.
Residents can follow these guidelines to understand how each service is different:
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911 should only be used for police, fire or medical emergencies when immediate action is required including but not limited to when someone’s health, safety or property is in jeopardy, or a crime is in progress.
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The Toronto Police non-emergency line at 416-808-2222 is for connecting with non-emergency police services, personnel and programs. For example, someone involved in a car accident with no injuries should dial the non-emergency line.
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311 provides Toronto residents, businesses and visitors with easy access to non-emergency City services, programs and information. Non-emergency services include noise complaints, garbage pickup, tree maintenance and more.
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211 provides referrals to community and social services, including Toronto's new city-wide Toronto Community Crisis Service, as well as connections to free mental health wellness checks and mental health supports.
More information on how to use emergency and non-emergency services can be found on the City’s website at www.toronto.ca/make-the-right-call and the Toronto Police website at www.tps.ca/contact/make-the-right-call.
New Online Registration and Booking Account for Recreation, Parks, Museum and Cultural Spaces
A new registration and booking account for Recreation, Parks, Museum and Cultural Spaces is coming! Check out these important dates and visit toronto.ca/OnlineReg (FB only: https://www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/parks-recreation/how-to-use-our-services/online-registration-booking/?WT.mc_id=RBT-2024-10-CllrSocial) for everything you need to know.
TTC Annual Service Plan
The TTC needs your insights for the 2025 Annual Service Plan, focused on improving local and overnight routes, construction detours, and the Community Bus Network. Help shape the future of transit in Toronto by sharing your feedback through our survey: 2025 Annual Service Plan (ttc.ca) or request a hard copy at [email protected] or 437-800-1882.
Avenues Policy Review: Invitation to Participate
We want to hear from you! The City of Toronto is updating its Avenues policies in the Official Plan.
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). If you need a refresher on the Housing Action Plan: Avenues, Mid-rise and Mixed Use Areas Study, you can check out the project page at www.toronto.ca/HAPavenues. You can also find the proposed directions for the Avenues Policy Review in the proposals report that was adopted by the Planning and Housing Committee on February 28, 2024.
As we move to the next phase of engagement, we’d like to invite you to upcoming virtual events. City staff will present the updated draft policy directions based on feedback received during Phase 1 of consultations. Staff are also looking for additional feedback in advance of a final recommendations report to the Planning and Housing Committee in early 2025.
Registration links:
November 18 from 6pm – 8pm: Toronto East-York
November 22 from 10am – 12pm: City-Wide
2025 Women4ClimateTO Mentorship Program Applications Open
Yesterday, the City of Toronto opened applications for the fifth cohort of its Women4ClimateTO mentorship program.
Women4ClimateTO offers a combination of mentoring, networking and collaborative learning opportunities to help local women take their climate-related initiatives to the next level. Over a period of six months, mentors from the business and public sectors and social agencies will share their knowledge and skills with the mentees.
Up to 12 women will be selected to join the 2025 cohort. Following the formal mentorship program, the City and its program partners will host a pitch competition to identify and recognize three initiatives with additional support and cash awards totalling $30,000.
Applications for the Women4ClimateTO are open until Wednesday, November 20. Visit www.toronto.ca/women4climate-mentorship-program for more information and to apply!
Public Information Sessions on Noise
The City is hosting public information sessions on noise to inform the public about updates to the Noise Bylaw that came into effect in June 1 and September 1, 2024.
Members of the public can register for one of the sessions below:
More information is available at toronto.ca/Noise. Sample newsletter content can be found in Appendix A below. If you have any questions please reach out to Anna Fernandes, Director, Bylaw Enforcement at [email protected].
Housing Rights Advisory Committee Vacancy
Are you passionate about housing in the City of Toronto and committed to advancing the right to adequate housing?
The City of Toronto is looking for residents with a diversity of living/lived experience of housing precarity and homelessness, including youth, Indigenous and Black residents, housing advocates, academics, and service providers to fill a vacancy on the committee.
Meetings are held a minimum of four times a year during business hours.
Learn more and apply by November 1 here.
Ward 4
Developments
1930-1938 Bloor St W & 3, 5, & 21 Quebec Ave
The owner’s of this site previously submitted an application to the City for a Zoning By-law Amendment and Rental Housing Demolition & Conversion application to permit a 17-storey mixed-use building, containing 144 dwelling units (of which 12 are rental replacement units).
After a community consultation meeting and discussion among the City’s Planning staff, the City decided to refuse the application because outstanding issues could not be resolved within the legislated timeline for decision of 90 days. Details of the decision can be found here.
The applicant has thus decided to appeal the City’s refusal decision to the Ontario Land Tribunal. Details on this case can be found here: https://jus-olt-prod.powerappsportals.com/en/e-status/details/?id=bd357b6e-796c-ef11-a670-000d3a0c9ce2.
A notice was sent to interested parties outlining how to remain involved, a portion of which can be read here If you would like a copy of the full 19 page notice, please reach out to my office at [email protected] and I will be happy to supply you with one.
If you wish to participate in the hearing, instructions on how to do so are listed on page 3 and 4 of the notice, under the heading Party and Participant Status Request. I note this pertinent section from page 4 of the notice:
"Persons who are granted party status may participate fully in the proceeding (see Rule 8). Persons who are granted participant status may only participate in writing by way of a participant statement. This statement is expected to be provided 10 days advance of the Case Management Conference [on Nov 6] as part of the status request and sets out their position in the matter (see Rule 7.7). Only persons who are granted party or participant status by the Tribunal at the CMC are permitted to participate in any further hearing event that is convened by the Tribunal for this appeal."
If you wish to be a party it requires the hiring of a Planning Lawyer who will be able to make planning law-based arguments on why this request should not be granted. If you wish to request participant status, this will allow you to write in to the Tribunal and voice your opinion.
The City will have a lawyer at the Tribunal to defend it’s refusal decision.
If you have any further questions, please reach out to our office at [email protected].
*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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