Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods

Friends,

Next week, at the Planning and Housing, staff will be presenting a report to support expanding housing options in "Neighbourhoods". This report presents a draft Official Plan Amendment to permit townhouses and small scale apartment buildings in residential zones, along major streets, and designated Neighbourhoods across the city.

The report seeks endorsement of Planning and Housing Committee to undertake consultation on the proposed Official Plan amendments and zoning approach. Consultation is proposed for October 2023, after which both the Official Plan and Zoning By-Law Amendments will be brought together to Planning and Housing Committee for consideration early in 2024.

This report presents a proposal to permit townhouses and small-scale apartment buildings up to 6 storeys and 30 units on properties that are located along major streets and designated Neighbourhoods in the Official Plan.

Major streets are an opportunity for gentle intensification in Toronto’s Neighbourhoods.  

This past weekend I attended the Roncesvalles Polish Festival and the Ukrainian Festival where I had the privilege of speaking to many of you. It was a wonderful day of celebration and solidarity. 

Sincerely,

Gord


- HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan Update

- Toronto Police Board's Budget Committee Meetings

- Public Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Network Study

- High Park Station Easier Access Construction Update

- High Park - Pleasure Pad and Ball Hockey Pad closures

- Swansea Town Hall Lunch & Learn - Foil Fraudsters

- Request a "Slow Down" Sign

- Community Environment Day this Saturday

Annual Update on progress towards HousngTO 2020-2030 Action Plan

Today, the City of Toronto released its HousingTO 2022-2023 Update report highlighting progress made toward implementing the 10-Year HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan (HousingTO Plan).

The report focuses on the progress made across the HousingTO Plan’s key strategic priorities:

  • Advancing a human rights-based approach to housing
  • Increasing the supply of affordable and supportive homes
  • Protecting the existing supply of homes
  • Assisting renters
  • Supporting climate resilience
  • Enhancing cross-sector and intergovernmental partnerships
  • Improving accountability and transparency

The report highlights the significant and tangible key actions taken in 2022 and up to June 2023 including the:

  • Completion of 1,082 net new affordable and supportive homes for people experiencing or who are at risk of homelessness
  • Approval of 3,340 net new affordable rental homes
  • Allocation of more than 3,300 housing benefits through the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB) program to help people maintain their homes
  • Allocation of $46 million in funding through the Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition (MURA) program for non-profit organizations to acquire and permanently secure approximately 260 affordable rental homes
  • Launch of new digital dashboards to increase transparency and accountability and to track the City's progress towards advancing the HousingTO Plan on a public platform

The report also proposes to advance a major partnership initiative aimed at supporting the creation of new non-profit co-operative (co-op) homes while ensuring existing co-ops continue to be safe, secure and affordable.

The HousingTO Plan calls on the federal, provincial and municipal governments to invest a combined $33.2 billion over 10 years with the following investment breakdown:

  • City investment of $14.6 billion ($8 billion already committed)
  • Federal request of $10 billion ($2.3 billion already committed)
  • Provincial request of $8.6 billion ($1 billion already committed)

The HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan 2022-2023 Annual Progress Update report is available at: https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2023.PH6.1


Toronto Police Board's Budget Committee Meetings

The Toronto Police Services Board’s Budget Committee will hold a meeting on Monday September 25, 2023 from 10-11:30AM.   The meeting will proceed as a hybrid meeting. 

At its meeting of July 27, 2023, the Board established a Budget Committee for the purpose of reviewing the Toronto Police Service’s 2024 capital, operating, and the Parking Enforcement Unit’s budget requests as well as the Board’s 2024 operating budget request, as they develop.

The Budget Committee will hold three meetings: 

  • September 25, 2023: 10:00 – 11:30AM
  • October 17, 2023: 10:00 – 11:30AM
  • November 27, 2023: 10:00 – 11:30AM

The agenda for the September 25, 2023 meeting is available on the Board’s website at: https://www.tpsb.ca/meetings.

Information about the budget and budget process can be found here: https://tpsb.ca/budget   

Sign-up to make a deputation

If you wish to sign up to make a deputation on an item, please use our Making a Deputation sign-up form: https://www.tpsb.ca/meetings/making-a-deputation. Registered deputants will have the option of making their deputation in-person or virtually. Virtual deputations would be available either by video via WebEx, or audio-only by phone.

The request must be received no later than 12PM on Friday September 22, 2023

In addition, members of the public and media are welcome and encouraged to attend the meeting as an observer through our livestream at:  https://www.youtube.com/live/IQ_4KgVzJGs

As with all meetings, a recording of this meeting will be posted and archived to the Toronto Police Service YouTube account at https://www.youtube.com/TorontoPolice for members of the public to access later at their convenience.


Public Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Network Study: public survey

The City of Toronto is developing a Public Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Network Study to help ensure that public charging will be available where and when it is needed across Toronto, to achieve our goals for sustainable transportation and EV uptake. We’re asking for input from all residents - current and potential EV owners, and drivers and non-drivers – to help us identify where and when public EV charging will be needed to meet demand as more people and businesses switch to electric vehicles and to better understand how public EV charging fits into an equitable low-carbon transportation system in Toronto.

There is an online survey and more information available at toronto.ca/ev.


TTC High Park Station Easier Access Project: construction update

As part of the TTC’s Easier Access Project to make High Park Station accessible to everyone, there will be daytime construction work on Saturday, September 23.

The work will take place in the construction site in front of High Park Station on Quebec Ave and will include drilling holes into concrete to install steel rods as part of building the elevator structures. Efforts will be made to keep noise levels to a minimum.

Staff will be present in the general area to monitor the work and ensure safety.


High Park - Pleasure Pad and Ball Hockey Pad closure due to emergency work

The headers for these rinks are not functioning properly and require improvements in order to enable a successful skating season this winter. This work is anticipated to occur between September 20, 2023 and November 1, 2023.

Until Nov 1st:

  • The south rink pad with the 3 Pickleball courts will be closed all the time, since they will have a large amount of equipment staged on this pad and a significant amount of welding work occurring here.
  • The north rink pad with the 5 Pickleball courts on it must be closed each weekday from 7am – 4pm for safety while their work is ongoing. However they are going to be able to leave these 5 courts open each day from 4pm onward to enable evening play. They will also not be working on weekends, so these 5 courts are also accessible all day Saturday and Sunday.

Swansea Town Hall Lunch & Learn - Foil Fraudsters: a workshop on how to spot scams


Contact my office to request a "Slow Down" lawn sign

You can help remind the public to slow down and to be aware by displaying “Please Slow Down” lawn signs in your neighbourhood.

Contact Councillor Perks' office at [email protected] to request your sign.


Community Environment Day - September 23

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Friends,

The City is hosting a series of Open Houses and a Virtual Town Hall to inform residents about zoning changes for Major Transit Station Areas (MTSA). All residents are welcome to attend.

MTSAs are defined areas within a short walking distance from subway stations and GO stations. Inside these areas, the Province requires that the City plan for growth and development through updated zoning that permits increased building heights and densities. To implement these requirements, the City must determine which lots are within 200m and 500m of each station.

The City has published draft maps showing the 200 metre and 500 metre distances from each station. I’ve included an overview map of the MTSAs in Ward 4 Parkdale-High Park for your reference:

 

Specific draft maps for each of the MTSAs in Ward 4 Parkdale-High Park can be reviewed here: 8e12-city-planning-zoning-for-major-transit-station-areas-toronto-east-york-Ward-4.pdf

The next step in this process is for the City to update its zoning by-laws to allow the new heights and densities. Staff are working on these zoning updates and will bring them to City Council in the second quarter of 2026.

Zoning implementation of MTSAs is one of 54 initiatives in Toronto's 2023 Housing Action Plan (HAP), which seeks to increase housing supply within complete, inclusive, and sustainable communities. The new homes enabled by the HAP also contributes to the Province’s housing target of 285,000 new homes in Toronto by 2031.

I encourage you to join the upcoming in-person Open Houses and Virtual Town Hall to learn about upcoming zoning changes, ask questions, and share your feedback. Information about the requirements in MTSAs and upcoming events can be reviewed on the project website here: www.toronto.ca/StationAreaZoning

Sincerely,


In This Week's Newsletter

City-Wide News

  • Warming Centre and shelter spaces open today
  • Free Home Energy‑Saving Programs
  • Public Consultation: Waste Management Strategy
  • Community Champion Award: Call for Nominations

Ward 4 news

  • Community Consultation Meeting: Development Application for 1730 Bloor Street West
  • High Park Nature Centre: Great Backyard Bird Count
  • 108 - 162 Vine Avenue Official Plan Amendment Application

Friends,

I have heard from hundreds of residents over the last week who have participated in the City’s 2026 Budget Public Consultations. From the residents that attended our Ward 4 Budget Town Hall, to all of you that took the time to make deputations at Budget Committee Public Presentations, I am grateful for your thoughtful contributions to shaping our City’s priorities.

An overarching theme we have heard is Torontonians’ desire to address homelessness in our city. I am pleased that the staff-prepared 2026 Budget is squarely tackling this issue by investing in the only solutions that work – preventing families from becoming homeless in the first place and growing the supply of welcoming shelter space and affordable rental housing.

The proposed 2026 Budget allocates $10.8 million in funds for the Toronto Rent Bank to ensure we can provide relief to anyone who requires it. Toronto’s Rent Bank helps families stay housed when times are tough by providing grants to help people make rent, cover arrears or secure a new home. This investment will help 2800 households avoid homelessness and remain housed.

The capital budget makes significant investments in safe, well-designed shelters with the services people need to build a good life. Meanwhile, this budget supports the City’s Public Developer projects to break ground on over 9,800 new rent-controlled and affordable homes, while construction continues or wraps up on an additional 7,000 homes, which will help to lower rents across our city.

Together, we have made tremendous progress in reducing homelessness in Toronto through implementing these approaches. Last year alone, the City helped over 4,300 people move from shelters into permanent homes, protected nearly 4,000 more households from eviction, preventing families from becoming homeless, and reduced the number of encampments across Toronto by 64 per cent. This past year 65 per cent of all housing starts in Toronto were in City-led or City-supported projects.

Toronto residents have been clear during the budget consultations that our City must continue to build upon these proven interventions for addressing the housing crisis. I look forward to supporting the City’s investments in these programs at City Council’s 2026 Budget meeting on February 10.

Sincerely,


In This Week's Newsletter

City-Wide News

  • Become a Neighbourhood Climate Action Champion!
  • Electrification with Experts: Webinar
  • City begins process to update zoning near major transit stations
  • Help Shape the Future of Toronto's Skate, Hockey and Curling Facilities
  • RentSafeTO Program Updates and Public Consultations
  • LEAF's TCHC Planting and Stewardship Program Applications
  • Community Champion Award: Call for Nominations

Ward 4 news

  • High Park Nature Centre Event: January 25
  • Events at Parkdale Library
  • 108 - 162 Vine Avenue Official Plan Amendment Application
  • 508 Lake Shore Streetcar Service Suspension
  • Events at Lambton House

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

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