Friends
We are continuing to lose members of our community to fatal opioid overdose at a horrific rate. The Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario reported over 500 deaths per year for the last four years due to opioid toxicity in Toronto.
It is unconscionable that the federal and provincial governments have decided to stop their funding of harm reduction services in our city during this time.
Toronto Public Health officials have been clear that this crisis requires an evidence-based response that recognizes addiction as a human health issue. This is a time where we must come together to ensure that the full continuum of overdose prevention health services is available to our community members. This includes services for substance use prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and access to the social determinants of health.
Canadian and international evidence shows that Supervised Consumption Sites (SCSs) saves lives, connect people to social services and are vital pathways to treatment. SCSs are designed to improve the health status of people who use drugs by having trained health professionals available immediately should a person overdose. They are also a place for people who use drugs to connect with other health and social services, including mental health services. They have been shown to prevent overdose deaths and reduce the spread of infectious diseases.
I will be working in partnership with my Board of Health and City Council colleagues, and community, to demand federal and provincial funding is returned to these life-saving services.
This week at Board of Health we began that fight. My colleagues and I voted unanimously to keep funding in the Toronto Public Health 2025 budget for supervised consumption sites (SCS). You can listen to my remarks on this item at Board of Health here.
We cannot allow stigma to be wielded for political gain at the expense of our community member’s lives. I hope you will join me in this fight.
Sincerely,
In This Week's Newsletter
City-Wide
- Bloor West Village Toronto Ukrainian Festival, Sept 13-15
- Roncesvalles Polish Festival, Sept 14 & 15
- Fall PollinateTO Grant Applications Open
- Parking Day Bike Cafe, Sept 21
Ward 4
- Community Environment Day - Sept 15
- 304/504A King Streetcar Diversion - Sept 14 & 15
- Moccasin Identifier Project, Sept 15
- Prepared Parenting Lunch & Learn, Sept 23
- Baby Point Gates BIA & Tapestry Opera Box Concert, Sept 14
- Grenadier Pond Phragmites Removal, Sept 16
- 11 Brock Project Updates
Developments
- Community Consultation for 2461-2475 Dundas St W, Sept 16
- Community Consultation for 2106-2112 Dundas St W & 1 Golden Ave, Sept 17
City Wide Updates
Bloor West Village Ukrainian Festival
Celebrate our vibrate community!
Thousands of people come every year to experience the diversity and beauty of our Ukrainian heritage at the Bloor West Village Toronto Ukrainian Festival. Every group, organization, committee or business that wishes to participate in the parade is welcome to do so.
For information on the festival's parade, performers, schedule, and location, visit https://ukrainianfestival.com/
Roncesvalles Polish Festival
Coming this September 14 & 15, 2024, and building on the long history of the Roncesvalles Polish Festival, which include fan favourites, like Polka and pierogi, in conjunction with a fresh focus to celebrate a broader range of local artists, musicians and, of course, food.
Combining old world charm with today’s Roncesvalles Village; well-known as one of Toronto’s most vibrant, unique, and creative communities, attendees will find an amazing variety of global cuisines from local eateries, exceptional shopping, and quality services, as well as performances by talented local artists and musicians, including Indigenous programming and family friendly activities!
Learn more about the stage schedule and festival map at https://polishfestival.ca/
Fall PollinateTO Grant Applications Open
Calling all gardeners! City of Toronto opens applications for its Fall PollinateTO Grants
Applications are now open for the City of Toronto’s PollinateTO grants!
PollinateTO offers grants of up to $5,000 to support community-led initiatives that result in the creation or expansion of pollinator habitats on public and private lands in Toronto. A priority will be placed on funding projects in Toronto’s Neighbourhood Improvement Areas.
Projects eligible for funding include those that create new pollinator habitats, expand or enhance an existing garden by adding pollinator-friendly plants and/or convert a lawn area, boulevard or hard service into a pollinator garden or rain garden.
The grants are a component of the City’s Pollinator Protection Strategy adopted by Toronto City Council in 2018 to support more than 360 species of bees and more than 100 species of butterflies and other pollinators in Toronto. Many species are in decline due to loss of habitat, climate change and other stressors. Pollinators support healthy and resilient ecosystems that help clean the air, capture carbon, stabilize soil and absorb stormwater.
Since 2019, PollinateTO has supported more than 190 community-led projects, resulting in the creation of 500 gardens and an estimated 25,500 m² of pollinator habitat.
Applications are open until Monday, October 21 and are available on the City’s website: www.toronto.ca/pollinateTO.
The City is hosting PollinateTO information sessions where interested applicants can learn more about the program. Dates include:
• Thursday, September 12 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, October 1 from noon to 1 p.m.
• Thursday, October 10 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Residents can register to an upcoming information session by visiting the City’s PollinateTO webpage: www.toronto.ca/pollinateTO.
Parking Day Bike Cafe
Ward 4 Updates
Community Environment Day
304/504A King Streetcar Diversion
Please be advised that from 5 a.m. on Saturday, September 14, to 11:59 on Sunday, September 15, the TTC will divert the 304/504A King streetcar to accommodate the Roncesvalles Polish Festival (September 14 to 15) TTC service will divert as follows:
The 304/504A King streetcar will divert both ways via Bathurst Street, Dundas Street West, and Roncesvalles Avenue.
504A King Replacement buses will divert as follows:
- Eastbound: from Dundas West Station, east on Edna Avenue, south to east on Dundas Street West, south on Lansdowne Avenue, west on Queen Street West, south on Triller Avenue to King Street West.
- Westbound: from Triller Avenue, west on King Street West, east on Queen Street West, north on Lansdowne Avenue, west to north on Dundas Street West to Dundas West Station.
304 King Night Replacement buses will divert as follows:
- Eastbound: from Dundas West Station, east on Edna Avenue, south to east on Dundas Street West, south on Roncesvalles Avenue, east on Dundas Street West, south on Lansdowne Avenue, west on Queen Street West, south on Triller Avenue, west on King Street West, east on Queen Street West, south on Shaw Street, east on King Street West, north on Bathurst Street, east on Wolseley Street to Wolseley Loop.
- Westbound: from Wolseley Loop, south on Bathurst Street, west on King Street West, north on Shaw Street, west on Queen Street West, south on Triller Avenue, west on King Street West, east on Queen Street West, north on Lansdowne Avenue, west on Dundas Street West, north on Roncesvalles Avenue, north on Dundas Street West to Dundas West Station.
Moccasin Identifier Project
Please note: Wear clothing that can get paint splashed!
Prepared Parenting Lunch & Learn
Baby Point Gates BIA & Tapestry Opera's Box Concert
Grenadier Pond Phragmites Removal
The City of Toronto, in collaboration with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), will be treating invasive Phragmites (Phragmites australis) grass at High Park Grenadier Pond from September 16 to 20, 2024 (weather dependent). The goal of this project is to restore native plant species and improve the ecological health of the pond.
Date: September 16 to 20, 2024 (weather dependent)
Location: Grenadier Pond, High Park
Signs will be placed 24 hours before treatment and removed 48 hours afterward.
For more information on Phragmites management, please visit:
- https://www.toronto.ca/home/311-toronto-at-your-service/find-service-information/article/?kb=kA06g000001UpaXCAS
- https://www.toronto.ca/services-payments/water-environment/trees/forest-management/urban-forest-management/
11 Brock Project Updates
View the 11 Brock Avenue housing development plans (also view the housing development plans in Tibetan.
The City of Toronto and PARC will continue to engage with the local Parkdale community on the development of this site. Updates and invitations to participate in engagement opportunities will be delivered to the surrounding neighbourhood as the project proceeds.
Learn more at toronto.ca/11brock
Developments
Community Consultation Reminder for 2461-2475 Dundas St West
This is a reminder that the City has received a Zoning By-law Amendment application for 2461-2475 Dundas St West and City Planning has scheduled a virtual Community Consultation Meeting for the evening of September 16th at 6pm.
A plan has been proposed to redevelop this space into a 29-storey mixed use building with a 4-storey podium including retail on the ground floor. The building would contain 288 residential units (including 9 rental replacement units), 328 bike parking spaces, and 38 vehicle parking spaces. This month's meeting, consisting of presentations from the applicant and City Planning Staff, followed by 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. You can register for the meeting here: https://toronto.webex.com/weblink/register/r489c0ffcb4f80756f17d5a6ea3cee56f.
Further information on the project and what is being proposed can be found on the City's Application Information Centre website here: https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/planning-development/application-details/?id=5482273&pid=148578.
Community Consultation Reminder for 2106-2112 Dundas St West & 1 Golden Ave
This is a reminder that the City has received a Zoning By-law Amendment application for 2106-2112 Dundas St West & 1 Golden Ave and City Planning has scheduled a virtual Community Consultation Meeting for the evening of September 17th at 6pm.
A plan has been proposed to redevelop this space into a 10-storey mixed use building including 3 retail units on the ground floor. The building would contain 52 residential units, 58 bike parking spaces, and 4 vehicle parking spaces. This month's meeting, consisting of presentations from the applicant and City Planning Staff, followed by 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. You can register for the meeting here: https://toronto.webex.com/weblink/register/r6ef3d47079ba2fb1165e8ae3d4d73f38.
Further information on the project and what is being proposed can be found on the City's Application Information Centre website here: https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/planning-development/application-details/?id=5481364&pid=161633.
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