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Friends,

I am pleased to share that at City Council this week, Council approved increasing permissions for retail and services in neighbourhoods city-wide, so that the goods and services that residents need can be reached closer to home. The increased permission for retail and services are being advanced primarily on two types of street designations – ‘Major Streets’ and ‘Community Streets’.

The staff report on this item proposed increased permissions on Major Streets (where Council adopted permissions for apartment buildings up to six storeys and townhouses in June 2024), to allow a range of options mostly on the ground floor, including small stores, cafes, medical offices, after-school programs, cleaners, barbers and professional offices. More impactful uses are not permitted, for example: vehicle repair, animal shelter, payday loan, warehouse, and club.

City Council voted to adopt these staff recommendations with amendments that account for ward-specific considerations, resulting in the increased permissions being implemented on Major Streets in all 25 wards across Toronto.

To be permitted on Major Streets (ground floor only):

• Retail: All retail uses. This could include grocery/convenience stores, clothing, furniture, second-hand shops, among others.
• Dining: Cafés, restaurants (sit-down or take-out), licensed bars with patios.
• Personal & Pet Services: Examples include hair/nail salons, barbers, tattoo parlours, dry cleaners, pet grooming.
• Arts & Cultural: Music, dance, theatre, artist studios, art galleries.
• Recreation Uses: Examples include fitness clubs, bowling alleys, billiard halls, indoor rinks.
• Workshops: Custom, repair, or refurbishing shops, etc.

To be permitted on Major Streets (ground and second floors):

• Professional/Office: Medical, real estate, accounting, legal.
• Health/Other: Massage and wellness therapy, education, religious education.

The staff report also proposed permitting small-scale retail stores in neighbourhood interiors at properties adjacent to parks, schools, and existing commercial sites, as well as on corner lots on Community Streets. This includes option for stores to include ancillary eating or takeout eating service, allowing for the establishment of small, low impact neighbourhood cafés which serve beverages and food items prepared off-site.

Community Streets are generally those that are identified within the city’s Road Classification Map as Collectors or Minor Arterials and are not major streets. These streets are more likely to have sidewalks on both sides of the street, are more likely to have bicycle infrastructure and public transit service, and are typically through-streets that connect to nearby major streets making them the primary pedestrian corridors with easy access to/from other neighbourhood streets.  A ward-specific collection of maps demonstrating the location of Community Streets can be reviewed here: Attachment 2: Neighbourhood Interiors Zoning By-law Amendment.

Thanks to a successful amendment championed by Mayor Chow, City Council voted to move forward on adopting these permissions for neighbourhood interior small-scale retail in Toronto and East York District (which includes our Ward 4), while allowing for other wards to opt-in by request in the future. I encourage you to review the full item here.

The progress on this item is a significant advancement of our City’s goal to develop more complete and walkable communities city-wide, and demonstrates that when we engage respectfully and collaboratively in dialogue with one another, we can forge paths that all of Toronto can move forward on together.

Sincerely,

Friends,

I am grateful to the groundswell of Toronto residents who are organizing to protect renters’ rights in our province. As you may have heard, changes to the Residential Tenancies Act are being proposed through the provincial government’s Bill 60 that would make it easier to unfairly evict renters.

Thanks to the rapid mobilization of residents who are voicing their disapproval, the provincial government has walked back their proposals to change security of tenure and rent control. However, there remain numerous proposed cuts to renters’ rights that are alarming. If passed, Bill 60 would:

• Block renters from introducing any new evidence and issues to support their cases at Landlord Tenant Board hearings.
• Deny renters the ability to challenge “voluntary evictions” when they have been pressured or misled into signing an N11.
• Cut in half the time available for renters to appeal unfair decisions at the Landlord Tenant Board to just 15 days.
• Eliminate the requirement for landlords to provide 1 month’s rent as compensation to renters when being evicted for “personal use” through an N12. Often, renters rely on this compensation to help them move or find a new home.
• Make it easier for landlords to evict renters by cutting notice periods in half, cutting the options for requesting an eviction be postponed, and hiring more enforcement officers to forcibly remove renters from their homes.

We heard from numerous residents deputing at Executive Committee this week, who shared their experiences of being evicted, and made clear how the rights that are still under attack are vital to safeguarding renters from bad faith evictions and ensuring that evicted renters can stay housed.

Fifty percent of Torontonians rent their homes. They have the right to feel secure, without fear of baseless evictions or needlessly paying more of their hard-earned income towards rent.

I was pleased to join Mayor Chow and colleagues at Executive Committee in unanimously adopting recommendations that respond to the concerns we heard from Torontonians, advocating for all orders of government to protect instead of dismantling renters’ rights and to adequately invest in building the housing supply that Toronto deserves.

I look forward to continuing our City’s advocacy on this issue when the impacts of Bill 60 and the Annual Progress Report – HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan is considered at City Council next week. I encourage you to review and follow the Council discussion here: City Council - Meeting 34 - TMMIS

Sincerely,

Friends,

We are seeing the City’s new role as a public builder pay off. Today at Planning and Housing Committee, City staff presented the City’s annual report on the City’s Housing Action Plan for 2020 - 2030, reporting significant progress on all five pillars of the City’s housing priorities. Key highlights from the report include:

• Creating New Homes - Approved a record of 6,366 new rent-controlled homes in 2024, achieving 46% of the City’s overall target of 65,000 approved rent-controlled homes by 2030
• Protecting and preserving existing homes - Secured more than 700 permanent affordable homes through the Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition (MURA) Program
• Supporting renters and improving housing stability - Adopted the Rental Renovation Licence By-law, which came into effect in 2025, to protect renters from bad faith renovation-related evictions, or “renovictions”
• Prioritizing diverse housing needs - Supported more than 4,600 people experiencing homelessness to move into permanent homes through initiatives like Rapid Rehousing Initiative and Priority Access to Housing and Supports (PATHS)
• Transforming housing policies - Adopted Official Plan and zoning bylaw amendments to permit townhouses and small-scale apartment buildings on lots designated as Neighbourhoods and abutting a major street, which is projected to create 41,083 new homes by 2051.

These interventions along with targeted incentives by the City are helping to steer developers towards building the affordable rental units residents need to live in Toronto.  

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. This is demonstrated by the fact that in the first eight months of 2025, City-led and City-supported projects account for 65% of all housing starts achieved this year.

The staff report makes clear that while the City has successfully modelled how government action can bolster the supply of new homes, these solutions need to be supported through adequate investment from other orders of government to meet the scale of our present housing crisis. I will continue to use my voice and vote on Council to support the growth of affordable rental housing options in our city.  

Sincerely,

Friends,

I am happy to share that the City’s commitment to expanding access to Toronto Public Library (TPL) branches has reached a new milestone. Starting October 19, all 100 branches are now open on Sundays from 12 – 5pm, except on holiday weekends.  

For the first time, every neighbourhood in Toronto will have Sunday access to public libraries and the meeting spaces, technology, books and programming that they provide. This expansion is in response to growing community demand. When TPL increased open hours in 2024, participating branches recorded a 44% increase in visits compared to the same period the previous year. Usage of our TPL – the biggest and busiest public library system in North America – continues to rise, with 81% of Toronto residents accessing TPL services.

Sunday library service in our neighbourhoods represent students finding quiet study space, families attending programs together, and job seekers accessing computers and career resources, for free and close to home.

I also want to highlight that the Toronto Public Library co-presented the winner of the 2025 Toronto Book Awards last week. Since 1974, the awards have honoured works that capture Toronto’s spirit, reflect its diversity and deepen understanding of life in the city. The full list of 2025 Toronto Book Awards titles can be explored here: 2025 Toronto Book Awards : Toronto Public Library

When we invest in our libraries, all Toronto residents’ benefit from increased access to welcoming community spaces, resources, and opportunities for connection and learning. I will continue to support progressive investments in our library system, as our City works towards the addition of more weekday hours and seven days a week service in all 100 branches in 2026.

Sincerely,

Friends,

I am happy to share that in partnership with Toronto Hydro, the City has launched a Furnace Upgrade Program to support homes in switching their aging furnaces to electric heat pumps.

As part of the City of Toronto’s BetterHomesTO initiative, this program helps homes become more energy efficient and comfortable. Electric heat pumps can provide a cleaner home heating solution, helping residents save on energy bills, lower greenhouse gas emissions at home, and have improved indoor comfort year-round. Electric heat pumps can also provide cooling benefits during warmer seasons. 

A key feature of the new program is that residents can now access free energy coaching services to help them navigate what programs, services and offers are available to them, including grants provided by other orders of government. This includes guidance on heating and cooling technology options and access to qualified contractors, service providers and professionals through Toronto Hydro’s Cleantech Services Directory: www.torontohydro.com/cleantech-services-directory.

The City also offers low-interest loans through the Home Energy Loan Program (HELP) to make new equipment more affordable. In 2026, the BetterHomesTO Furnace Upgrade Program will further expand to include heat pump installation services, and targeted incentives for low-to-moderate-income households. 

I know many residents are eager to contribute to Toronto’s goal of Net Zero by 2040, and I’m glad that our City is investing in making the switch to electric heat pumps easier. As greenhouse gas emissions from buildings account for more than 56 per cent of total citywide emissions, working together to support our neighbourhood homes in making the switch to electric heat pumps is a great place to focus.

I encourage you to connect with neighbours and community groups like Toronto Climate Action Network, on accessing BetterHomesTO resources and advancing energy retrofit projects in our communities.

Sincerely,

Friends,

This week at City Council, Council was united in its support for maintaining the Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) program in our city.

You may be aware that the Provincial Government recently announced its intention to introduce legislation at Queen’s Park to ban ASE cameras across all municipalities in Ontario. Premier Ford has attempted to characterize the program as a cash grab by municipalities. It’s important to remember that the ASE program was in fact first introduced by Provincial Government as part of the Safer School Zone Act.

I have heard from concerned parents in our community and across the City about the dangers of speeding motorists around schools. The ASE program is a proven tool to enforce the speed limits in Community Safety Zones recommended by Vision Zero to protect our vulnerable road users against speeding, aggressive and reckless drivers. Operating a motored vehicle is a privilege that comes with responsibilities. The success of the initial 75 ASE cameras since it’s implementation in 2020 resulted in March 2023 City Council directing Transportation Services to procure an additional 75 units, the units were installed earlier this year.

As part of the ASE program evaluation done by Sick Kids Hospital, in collaboration with TMU, data was collected at 204 locations. Data was collected pre installation of the ASE, during the ticketing phase of the ASE, and post ASE relocation. During the ticketing phase, the evaluation found that there was a decrease in average speed of 51.4km/h to 45.2km/h. After an ASE camera was removed and relocated, the average speed of motorists  was still lower than pre-ASE installation, a time halo phenomenon where motorists are more conscious of their speed due to the previous presence of ASE cameras. The fatality rate and injuries for all users on our right of ways are exponential as the speed and size of the vehicle increases and since the ASE program started pedestrian fatalities have reduced from 39 pedestrians in 2019 to 24 pedestrians in 2024.

I supported motions from my Council Colleagues and Mayor Chow to make modifications to the program in an effort to invite the Provincial Government to work in partnership with municipalities to find a way to maintain ASE’s, in the interest of safety.

My comments are available here: https://youtu.be/HWsT18Lxf-k 

I will continue to take every opportunity to advocate for the ASE program along with other City of Toronto initiatives to achieve the goals of Vision Zero. The consistent and continuous overstep into municipal affairs from our Premier is a concern, especially on programs like the ASE program that are recognized to be reliable on decreasing driver speed and increase compliance for the speed limits.

Sincerely,

Friends,

I am happy to share that for a third consecutive year, the City is inviting residents to help shape Toronto’s Budget.

Over the last two years, your participation and advocacy during budget consultations has helped steer the City’s towards reversing decline and investing in the services people rely on. I encourage you to once again share your ideas and priorities for our city in the 2026 Budget Consultations.

Residents are invited to share input by completing a short online survey by Friday, October 31, and by attending one of six in-person or virtual consultations being held in October.  More information on getting involved in the City Budget process is included below in this week’s newsletter.

The consultation results will inform decision making at the City and ongoing discussions with the Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario to build a strong financial future for Toronto. 

A summary will be provided to the Budget Committee at its first meeting on Thursday, January 8, 2026, and will inform the Mayor’s proposed budget, which will be released by Sunday, February 1, 2026. 

I’d like to note that at this week’s Executive Committee meeting, the Committee considered a motion put forward by Mayor Chow requesting the Federal Government and Provincial Government to reverse their cuts to housing supports.   

We heard deputations from community members about how these two funding cuts will dramatically reduce Toronto’s ability to bring people off the streets, out of encampments, and into shelter and housing. These funding cuts to our shelter system also impedes the City’s ability to deliver all other services.

At a time when we are facing a housing and homelessness crisis, we need to be scaling up proven solutions for delivering housing not putting them on hold. You can listen to my comments on this item here. 

Sincerely,

Friends,

On Monday, September 22^nd, Toronto Community Housing (TCHC) hosted a Pre-Application Online Community Meeting for the Swansea Mews Revitalization project. I was pleased to join former residents and neighbours of Swansea Mews to envision the future of this site together.

As you may recall, there was an unfortunate incident in May of 2022 where the underside of a structural concrete panel detached and fell in a bedroom of a townhome unit in Block H of the Swansea Mews community, injuring a resident. Since then, the Chief Building Officer deemed the site uninhabitable, and all tenants were relocated to appropriate accommodations.

TCHC in collaboration with City staff created an Initial Development Proposal (IDP) which considered the general site layout and the guiding principles for future development on the site. The IDP Report was brought to the TCHC Board, and then the Planning and Housing Committee, before being approved by City Council in April 2025.

TCHC has now launched the community engagement process which is essential to the redevelopment plan for Swansea Mews to ensure it reflects the community’s needs and supports an Official Plan Amendment and rezoning application.

The current proposal includes 2 buildings, a 35-storey building and a 20-storey building stepping down to 8 then 5 storeys. The proposal envisions building 154 replacement units and 519 new units for a total of 673 units at the site. Approximately 140 parking spots along with commercial, community and new amenity spaces are part of the proposed plan. Details on the proposed plan can be viewed here.

TCHC’s revitalization of the Swansea Mews community aligns with the City of Toronto’s Urgently Building More Homes mandate and our goal of delivering high-quality, well-maintained homes in vibrant, safe, and inclusive communities. Rebuilding Swansea Mews and adding new housing with a range of affordability levels for all Torontonians responds directly to the city’s rapid growth and the ongoing housing crisis.

I want to thank everyone who participated in this week’s pre-application meeting, and I encourage you to continue being engaged in this process. A short survey will be available on the project website until Oct 1^st and the project team can be reached with questions or comments at [email protected].

Future engagement opportunities will include a City-led Community Consultation Meeting hosted once an application is submitted by TCHC and the development team.

Swansea Mews is an integral part of the neighbourhood, and this revitalization project is committed to co-creating a place where all former residents can return to living in the community and live well.

Sincerely,

Friends,

I am gravely concerned about the recent federal government decision to cut shelter funding for refugees and how this will impact our city.

I encourage you to join me in urging our local Member of Parliament to advocate within the federal government and secure the funding our city deserves.

Sincerely

Friends,

I hope you are having a smooth back-to-school season, and I’m wishing all students and their families a successful school year ahead.

As we transition back into the rhythm and routines of the school year, I want to remind residents that registration opens next week for fall recreation activities. The City offers over 16,300 fall recreation courses and classes for a variety of ages, interests, and skill levels.

Registration for Older Adult (60+) programs opens on Monday, September 15 at 10 a.m. Registration for all other programs opens at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, September 16 for Etobicoke York and Toronto East York and Wednesday, September 17 for North York and Scarborough. You can browse the list of activities and learn more on the City’s Fall Recreation Activities webpage.

I also want to highlight that the City is currently accepting applications for a variety of grant streams to support resident-led projects in our neighbourhoods:

• Funding to support community pollinator gardens

Through the City’s PollinateTO program, grants of up to $5,000 are available for projects that help to create pollinator habitats in Toronto. Applications are open until Tuesday, October 21. Find more information and apply on the City’s PollinateTO Grants webpage.  

• Funding for neighbourhood climate action

Neighbourhood Climate Action Grants provide up to $7,500 in funding for resident-led projects that reduce emissions, raise awareness about climate change and strengthen community engagement. Applications are open until Tuesday, September 23. More details are available on the Neighbourhood Climate Action Grants – City of Toronto webpage.  

• Funding for Indigenous climate action

The City’s Indigenous Climate Action Grant program offers up to $20,000 in funding to support Indigenous-led environmental and climate projects that help address the climate crisis. Applications are open until Wednesday, October 8. Find more information and apply on the City’s Indigenous Climate Action Grants webpage.

I encourage you to connect with neighbours on how these funding streams can support your ideas for community building actions.

Sincerely,

In This Week's Newsletter

City-wide news 

• Street Vending Bylaw Review
• Indoor Temperatures in Rentals
• Grants from the Environment, Climate and Forestry Division
• Consultation on Commercial Vehicles in Residential Areas Zoning Review

Ward 4 news

• Roncesvalles BIA's Roncesvalles Polish Festival - Sep 13 & 14
• High Park Walking Tour - Sep 7
• StART Cycle Track Murals Launch and First Ride
• Reminder Community Environment Day on September 13

In This Week's Newsletter

• 3459-3461 Dundas St West Community Consultation Meeting on Sept 3

• OLT Decision for Application at 2453 - 2469 Bloor Street West

• Communication from Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre on the Parkdale Parkette Temporary Closure

City Wide Updates 

• Fall Recreation Activity Listings: Something for Everyone
• Get Expert Advice and a Subsidized Tree Planted on Your Property
• TTC Seeking Feedback on 2026 Annual Network Plan

Ward 4

• High Park Nature Centre - Join Weedy Wednesdays
• Parkdale Music Crawl & Sidewalk Sale - August 23
• Construction Notice: Road Resurfacing & Watermain Replacement on Sorauren 
• Toronto Hydro Underground Civil Upgrade
• King St W & Dufferin St Intersection Closure
• 3459-3461 Dundas St W Community Consultation Meeting, Sept 3

Our Blue Bin recycling program is changing. Under the Province’s Blue Box Regulation, municipal recycling programs are being transitioned to an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) model, whereby the companies that produce blue bin materials are fully responsible for the end-of-life management of the paper products, packaging, and packaging-like products they supply to the Ontario market.

Toronto’s Blue Bin recycling program transitioned to EPR on July 1, 2023. This means that the City is no longer financially or operationally responsible for the management of Blue Box materials collected. Instead, Circular Materials, an industry-governed group representing producers has taken over responsibility for the collection and recycling of Blue Box materials. The City, however, has been contracted by Circular Materials to continue providing recycling collection services on behalf of producers until December 31, 2025.

Circular Materials is responsible for rebranding the existing Blue Bin assets used for residential curbside collection by covering the existing City of Toronto logo with a sticker containing contact information for Circular Materials’ customer service.

Our Ward 4 is in Solid Waste Management’s District 2 - the area between Yonge Street to the east and the Humber River to the west. District 2 is scheduled to start stickering August 14. Residents are asked to leave their Blue Bin(s) at the curb until 7 p.m. on their regularly scheduled recycling collection day to allow for stickering and repeat this process until their bin(s) have been stickered. More information is available at www.toronto.ca/epr.

City Wide Updates 

     Changes to Blue Bin Recycling Program

     City Parks and Recreation Facilities Survey

     Neighbourhood Retail and Services Survey

     TTC Reaches a New eBus Milestone

Ward 4

     Exploring Pickleball at Sorauren Park

     Tennis Court Improvements and Pickleball at High Park

     The Parkdale Music Crawl and Sidewalk Sale - August 23

     High Park Walking Tour - Scavenger Hunt - August 17

     Exhibition Place Road Closures - August 9

Friends,

I am happy to share that the City is rolling out three new initiatives aimed at simplifying and speeding up the building permit process, so that we can build more affordable homes faster:

       1. Pre-approved building plans for garden suites and laneway suites

The City is launching free, publicly accessible and standardized “made in Toronto” building plans for garden and laneway suites. These building plans, prepared by the City, comply with the Ontario Building Code and are available to the public at no cost. Applicants using these plans can save time and money at the design phase, simplifying and speeding up the delivery of new homes in existing neighbourhoods. The new pre-approved building plans are available on the City’s website.

       2. Online services for building permit applications

The City is expanding its online services to enable online, self-service building permit application submissions for new houses and new residential units, including secondary suites, multiplex conversions and laneway or garden suites. The online services expansion streamlines the permit application process by automating document checks and submissions, reducing manual processing, and allowing staff reviews to begin sooner. Visit the City’s Building Permit Application Guides webpage for more information.

       3. Expanding the Reliance on Professional Engineer’s Seal program

Effective Monday, July 14, the City is expanding its program that allows licensed professional engineers to stamp building drawings and assume responsibility for compliance with the Ontario Building Code. Launched as a pilot in 2024, the program will now include accessory structures such as laneway suites and garden suites, mechanical systems, as well as enhanced fire protection measures. By relying on the engineer’s seal, the pilot program identified that the City can reduce the average time from permit application to occupancy by approximately 28 days.

These actions enable us to accelerate housing development in our city, particularly for “missing middle” housing forms that more residents can afford.

I encourage you to check out Demonstration Plans shared by the city which help visualize how missing middle housing like multiplexes, garden suites or laneway suites can be easily built and fit within our neighbourhoods.  

Sincerely,

In This Week's Newsletter

City Wide Updates 

Multi-tenant Housing Survey

YMCA Street to Homes 2SLGBTQIA+ Youth

Ward 4

Live  Music in the Parkdale Library 

Friends,

We took a significant step forward at City Council this week in expanding housing options available for Toronto residents. The full City Council agenda can be reviewed here.

Council considered a staff report yesterday, Expanding Permissions in Neighbourhoods for Low-Rise Sixplexes, recommending zoning amendments to permit multiplexes with up to six dwelling units (sixplexes) in low-rise residential neighbourhoods city-wide. Implementing these permissions city-wide is a deliverable for fully accessing $471.1 million in funding under the federal Housing Accelerator Fund.

While we were unable to find majority support for permitting sixplexes city-wide at this time, working with my Council colleagues I was able to successfully move a compromise motion in which the policies enabling sixplexes will go ahead in Toronto and East York District (which includes our Ward 4) and to Ward 23 – Scarborough North.

A key component of my motion is that those wards in Toronto that choose to demonstrate leadership in expanding housing options will have access to additional community services, including street cleaning and pubic realm maintenance and improvements. My motion also leaves the door open for Councillors from wards not presently permitting sixplexes to opt-in by request in the future.  

Council adopted the Expanding Permissions in Neighbourhoods for Low-Rise Sixplexes item with these amendments. You can listen to my comments on this item here.

I am pleased that in welcoming sixplexes to Ward 4, we will be supporting residents in different phases of life to find home and contribute to our community.

A broader range of housing options allows our community members to stay in closer touch with their parents, the friends they grew up with, the local shops and places they frequent, while continuing to live in the neighbourhoods they know and love. This is how we keep our neighbourhoods vibrant.

I am proud that Ward 4 is part of this step forward for our city and will continue to advocate for inclusive housing solutions to be accelerated.

Sincerely,

In This Week's Newsletter

City Wide Updates 

• TRCA’s Flood Forecasting and Warning Program

• Toronto Garden Awards Nominations are now open

Ward 4

• 21-29 Oakmount Rd. & 26-36 Mountview Ave. Pre-Application Meeting -July 2

• Notice for two upcoming meetings re: 340-376R Dufferin St

• 1930-1938 Bloor St W and 3, 5, & 21 Quebec Ave Tenant Assistance Plan Public Meeting

• Reminder: Help shape the new park coming to 55b Brock Avenue

Friends,

The City continues to move forward on increasing Toronto’s housing supply.  At Planning and Housing Committee yesterday, we considered several items to accommodate further growth. You can review the full agenda here.

In particular, I want to highlight two staff reports fulfilling key deliverables under the City’s agreement for federal Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) funding:

• Low-Rise Sixplexes

A staff report on Expanding Permissions in Neighbourhoods for Low-Rise Sixplexes recommends zoning amendments to permit multiplexes with five and six dwelling units in detached residential buildings (also referred to as “fiveplexes” and “sixplexes”) in low-rise residential neighbourhoods city-wide.

• Apartment Infill

A staff report on Apartment Infill recommends zoning amendments to enable additional housing on existing apartment sites city-wide by permitting townhouses on sites zoned Residential Apartment Commercial, and by conversion of underutilized common spaces into residential dwelling units. 

It also recommends new permissions to enable deep energy retrofits of existing apartment buildings, which will contribute to Toronto’s housing supply through the preservation of existing and aging housing stock.

Expanding multiplex permissions and enabling additional housing on existing apartment sites is an important step towards increasing housing options for Torontonians. It facilitates the development of housing forms available to a wider spectrum of household compositions at various life stages and incomes, supporting aging in place and multi-generational families living together in the same neighbourhood.

These expanded permissions also support the City in fully accessing $471.1 million in HAF funding to accelerate the delivery of new homes.

Committee adopted both these items, and they now move forward for City Council consideration on June 25-27.

I look forward to the discussion at City Council, and will continue to advocate for broadening the range of housing options available to Torontonians.

Sincerely,

In This Week's Newsletter

City Wide Updates 

• City Planning Public Meeting on June 24
• Become a member of the TTC's Advisory Committee on Accessible Transit
• Community Consultation for  Growing Space for Trees, Infill Housing and "Iceberg Homes"
• Bike Share Toronto brings back Bike For Free Day
• Join Gerstein Crisis Centre for their SafeTALK workshop
• Toronto Public Markets Week is June 15 to 21

Ward 4

• Subway Closure - Jane to Keele stations – Saturday, June 14, 2025
• Sunnyside Outdoor Pool is Open This Weekend!
• Parkdale Developments Walking Tour
• TRCA Celebrate the Humber Tour - June 14

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Our housing system’s purpose should be to produce housing options for all income levels, including residents that rely on rental housing. Instead, the housing market has increasingly been designed to produce wealth, not homes. The City took bold steps this week aimed at fixing this market failure.

Renovictions Bylaw

Yesterday at Planning and Housing Committee, we reviewed a staff report which recommends an implementation framework for a Rental Renovation License Bylaw to protect tenants and prevent “renovictions”.

A renoviction is when a landlord illegitimately evicts a tenant by alleging that vacant possession of a rental unit is needed to undertake renovations or repairs. This results in the displacement of tenants, the permanent loss of affordable market rental housing, and contributes to rising homelessness in Toronto.

In the absence of adequate policies from the provincial government to deter bad-faith evictions, the City has developed its own solution. The proposed Renovictions Bylaw is intended to balance the need to address the misuse of renovations as an excuse to evict tenants, with the need for renovations and repair work that are necessary in Toronto with its often aging, existing rental housing stock.

I was proud to join my Planning and Housing Committee colleagues in voting unanimously to adopt this item with amendments and move it forward to be considered by City Council on November 13, 2024. 

Building More Rental Homes

The City also unveiled a staff report, Build More Homes: Expanding Incentives for Purpose-Built Rental Housing, recommending actions to support the development of 20,000 new rental homes. The City aims to kick-start the first phase of this program and immediately release a call for applications to identify and approve 7,000 new rental homes through its own resources.

This report also underscores that the City cannot respond to the housing crisis alone, and calls for immediate investments from both the provincial and federal government to address Toronto’s significant shortfall in purpose-built rental homes. I encourage you to follow the discussion of this report when it is considered by Executive Committee on November 5, 2024.

I am thankful for our City staff and the community of housing activists that have worked tirelessly to shape and bring forward these two policies. Together, we are demonstrating that building a robust, affordable housing system that meets the needs of all our residents is possible.

Sincerely,

This week, we celebrated the excellent work Clive Scott has done in my office over eleven years to make Parkdale-High Park a safer, more vibrant place where communities can thrive. His thoroughness and commitment made him an excellent advisor. His kindness, love of people, and natural leadership made him an invaluable friend and member of our team.

Thank you Clive, and good luck!

In This Week's Newsletter

City Wide Updates

• Making The Right Call
• New Online Registration and Booking Account for Recreation, Parks, Museum and Cultural Spaces
• TTC Annual Service Plan
• Avenues Policy Review: Invitation to Participate
• 2025 Women4ClimateTO Mentorship Program Applications Open
• Public Information Sessions on Noise
• Housing Rights Advisory Committee Vacancy

Ward 4 Updates

• Developments
  
  • 1930-1938 Bloor St W & 3, 5, & 21 Quebec Ave
  • 138 Dowling Pre-Application Meeting

Friends,

We are moving forward with our work to create a safer Parkside Drive and neighbouring community.

The present conditions are unacceptable. Parkside Drive is, in effect, a highway running in between the front doors of homes and a park. Narrow and missing sidewalks, lack of bikeways, excessive vehicular speeds, and aggressive driving have caused 1487 collisions in the last ten years. Of the collisions, five resulted in serious injuries and two resulted in fatalities.

Parkside is a neighbourhood, not a bypass. A complete street redesign along this corridor with traffic calming on adjacent streets is necessary.   

On Tuesday, Infrastructure and Environment Committee considered a staff report recommending endorsement, in principle, to advance detailed design of the road safety changes identified in the Parkside Drive Study, which includes bike lanes and intersection safety improvements. Funding for these improvements are part of the 2025- 2034 Transportation Services Capital Budget submission for Council consideration and approval.

I was grateful for the residents that shared deputations illustrating the consequences of the current condition and joined them in expressing my support for the staff recommendations. You can listen to my comments to the Committee here.

The Infrastructure and Environment Committee adopted the recommendations without amendments, and the item will be considered by City Council on November 13, 2024.

I am also pleased to share that today at Toronto East York Community Council, we adopted a staff report recommending traffic calming on five streets adjacent to Parkside Drive. As part of the Parkside Drive Study, Transportation staff concluded that speed humps on these neighbouring streets would enhance safety, are desired by the local community, and are technically feasible to implement.  

We are advancing these staff recommended safety improvements, despite the recently proposed legislation by the Province of Ontario that threatens to prevent municipal cycling planning. Building a safe and convenient cycling network is an essential component of our City’s commitment to reducing traffic related fatalities. Together, with my City Council colleagues we will defend our data-driven and targeted approach to achieving a safer Parkside neighbourhood.  

Sincerely,

In This Week's Newsletter

City Wide Updates

• Seniors Tax and Water Relief Programs
• Survey for Dogs Off-Lease Areas Review
• Housing Rights Advisory Committee Vacancy
• Stormwater Management Incentives Consultation
• Public Engagements for the Parks and Recreation Facilities Plan and Parkland Strategy

Ward 4 Updates

• Halloween Howl by Junction Residents Association - Oct 26
• Developments
  • 2400-2440 Dundas St W Community Consultation Meeting
  • Community Consultation Reminder for 2106-2112 Dundas St West & 1 Golden Ave
  • 1930-1938 Bloor St W & 3, 5, & 21 Quebec Ave
  • 138 Dowling Pre-Application Meeting

Friends,

I am pleased to invite you to participate in the City of Toronto’s 2025 Budget Consultations. For the second consecutive year, the City is launching consultations to gather input from residents to help inform budget planning. Until Thursday, October 31, residents are encouraged to share what matters most to them for the City’s 2025 Budget through an online survey or by attending one of six consultation sessions:

• Saturday, October 19, from noon to 2 p.m., North York Memorial Hall, 5110 Yonge St. 
• Wednesday, October 23, from 7 to 9 p.m., virtual meeting
• Thursday, October 24, from 7 to 9 p.m., Scarborough Civic Centre, 150 Borough Dr.  
• Sunday, October 27, from noon to 2 p.m., Rose Avenue Junior Public School, 675 Ontario St.  
• Monday, October 28, from 7 to 9 p.m., Etobicoke Olympium, 590 Rathburn Rd.  
• Wednesday, October 30, from 7 to 9 p.m., virtual meeting

As Vice Chair of the Budget Committee I will be attending the in-person consultation session on Sunday, October 27, and look forward to seeing many of you there.

You can learn more about the 2025 Budget and register for the consultation meeting that is most convenient to you on the City’s 2025 Budget webpage.

The budget consultations are an important opportunity for residents to share your priorities for our City and help shape our collective future. Spurred by unprecedented resident participation during the 2024 budget process, the City has made critical investments in housing, transit, community services and crisis supports this year. As the City continues to get back on track with its Updated Long Term Financial Plan and the historic Ontario-Toronto New Deal, the 2025 Budget is the next step of the journey to create a Toronto that is affordable, safe, and full of opportunity for all of its residents. I am confident that through your continued participation we can advance the bold solutions that are required to become the city we need.

Sincerely,

In This Week's Newsletter

Ward 4 Updates

• TE17.34 - Traffic Calming (Speed Humps and Speed Bumps) - West Parkdale Neighbourhood

• Updates on the Parkside Drive Study:  IE17.4 Final Report and E17.35 - Traffic Calming (Speed Humps) on residential streets

• 3194-3206 Dundas St N Committee of Adjustment Application
• 1930-1938 Bloor St W & 3, 5, & 21 Quebec Ave
• Friends of High Park Zoo - Zoo Boo Event

Friends,

I am wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving long weekend connecting with loved ones and community. I encourage you to consider several City-run activities and attractions that are open this weekend in making your plans.

This week at City Council we are working through a full Council agenda.

First, I must acknowledge the appointment of Shahaddah Jack as Toronto’s first Youth Poet Laureate.  As the Youth Poet Laureate, she will serve as an ambassador by encouraging young Toronto writers to tell their stories and embrace their creativity. She shared her poem in recognition of her appointment. Watch here.  

Yesterday, City Council debated and voted on how PortsToronto will meet a federal regulatory requirement to have Runway End Safety Areas (RESAs) at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport by June 12, 2027. RESAs reduce the severity of damage to an aircraft if it overshoots or overruns a runway. Council adopted with amendments, the staff recommended option to work with PortsToronto on implementing the most efficient and lowest risk option for achieving the mandated safety requirement by the federal deadline.

You can learn more about this item here: Agenda Item History - 2024.EX17.5 (toronto.ca)

I also want to highlight that during today’s session, Council adopted a motion put forward by Mayor Chow to build a Universal Student Food Program in Toronto. This initiative aims to address food insecurity in our city resulting in one in three food bank clients in Toronto being children and youth. While our City’s existing Student Nutrition Program serves over 227,000 meals per to day to kids across our city, there are still over 100,000 kids across more than 220 public schools who not have access to a school food program. You can learn more about this item here: Agenda Item History - 2024.EX17.1 (toronto.ca)

I am proud that our city will be building on our long history of offering nutritious meals at schools. With the level of wealth in our city, it is unacceptable that we have children going to school hungry. Through working in partnership with other orders of government, we can make a universal school food program a reality in our city.

Sincerely,

In This Week's Newsletter

City-Wide

• 2025 Budget Consultations
• New System for Recreation, Cultural Program Registration and Facility Bookings
• October is Circular Economy Month ♻️ 
• Affordable homes lottery at 223 Redpath Ave. 🏠 

Ward 4 

• Bloor West Village Ave Study Public Meeting
• Traffic Control Signals Approved at Queen and Fuller

Developments

• 3296-3316 Dundas St W, October 16 at 4pm
• *NEW MEETING DATE* 138 Dowling Ave, November 19 at 6pm

Friends,

I would like to celebrate with you today’s official opening of Dunn House – Canada’s first-ever social medicine supportive housing site.

Located in Ward 4’s Parkdale neighbourhood at 90 Dunn Ave., this new four-storey modular housing building will provide 51 new rent-geared-to-income and supportive homes for people experiencing homelessness. The new homes will include fully furnished studio apartments with a bathroom and a kitchen in each unit, shared laundry, a commercial kitchen, a dining area, a communal area, and a programming space.

Tenants will benefit from wrap-around social and health services provided by Fred Victor and University Health Network (UHN). This social medicine-led approach – centred on integrating the social determinants of health such as housing and food security and social connection into healthcare delivery – will help tenants attain improved well-being and better health outcomes. In short, Dunn House is not about providing temporary reprieve from homelessness; Dunn House is about providing permanent homes to people experiencing homelessness and a community that enables their recovery journey.

This is a historic moment for our City’s realization of housing as a human right. Recognizing that housing is healthcare, for the first time in Canada housing will be prescribed to individuals who are unhoused and are frequently admitted to the hospital through the UHN emergency departments. As tenants progress in rebuilding their lives, the broader community in turn will benefit from their social and economic contributions and the reduced demand on the city’s shelter and healthcare systems.

I am proud of our community for continuing to be at the forefront of proving what is possible when we choose to prioritize the health and dignity of all our residents. Decades from now when the provision of social medicine is the norm in every community in Canada, people will remember that this model of housing first blossomed here in Parkdale High-Park. 

We are incredibly lucky to be welcoming our 51 new neighbours, who will contribute to us building our best lives, our best community. I am so thankful to all of you who have worked tirelessly to make sure our new neighbours have the best welcome and start, and will continue to work collaboratively to scale the Dunn House model across our city and country.

Sincerely,

In This Week's Newsletter

City-Wide

• 2025 Budget Consultations
• City of Toronto hosts Town Hall to discuss 10-Year Plan to Confront Anti-Black Racism
• 63 Ossington Bus Reroute

Ward 4 

• Opening of Romero House

Developments

• 2280 Dundas St W – Loblaws Site, Oct 7
• 138 Dowling Ave Pre-Application Meeting, Oct 8

Friends,

I’m delighted to share that today the Toronto Community Crisis Service (TCCS) was formally launched city-wide as the City of Toronto’s fourth emergency service.

The TCCS is a non-police-led, 24/7, community-based, client-centred and trauma informed response to mental health crisis calls and wellness checks.

Over the last two years, the TCCS has quickly developed from a pilot program into a city-wide service. It has responded to nearly 18,000 calls for service since its pilot launch in early 2022 and allows our overall emergency service resources to be deployed more effectively. 

The 2024 City Budget made critical investments in the TCCS, which enabled the City and its TCCS partners to accelerate the hiring and training of more than 100 community crisis workers to expand the service city-wide.

The TCCS provides free, confidential, in-person mental health support from mobile crisis teams to Toronto residents 16 years of age or older 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Residents should call 211 to be connected to the TCCS. I encourage you to learn more about our fourth emergency service here.

I am proud of our city for making the investments necessary to launch this new service city-wide and ahead of schedule. I believe this holistic approach to community safety builds our capacity to be more responsive to crisis, and with the right expertise.

This transformative change would not have been possible without community members sharing their vision for how we can respond to mental health crisis in a better way. Thanks to your involvement, we are becoming a city that prioritizes responding to all residents with care and the support services that they need.

Sincerely,

In This Week's Newsletter

City-Wide

• National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Events and Initiatives, Sept 30
• Seniors for Climate Event - Oct 1
• 63 Ossington Bus Reroute
• New Parks, Forestry & Recreation Registration & Booking System 
• The City of Toronto invites the post-secondary community to help shape a new Academic Housing Strategy 
• Funding available for student-led climate action projects
• 2025 Waste Collection Schedules are coming

Ward 4 

• Annual Governor Simcoe Walking Tour, Sept 28
• Construction Notices
  • Rehabilitation of West Toronto Railpath Bridge over Bloor Street West
  • Rehabilitation of Brock Avenue Bridge under Metrolinx Rail
  • Rehabilitation of Dupont Street Bridge under Metrolinx Rail

Developments

• 2280 Dundas St W – Loblaws Site, Oct 7
• 138 Dowling Ave Pre-Application Meeting, Oct 8

Friends,

Our city is facing two intertwined housing crises: lack of affordable housing options for middle-income residents and a severe shortage of deeply affordable and supportive homes for low-income people and those experiencing homelessness.

The HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan and the Housing Action Plan (2022-2026) provide a strategic framework to address these challenges.

Today, the City of Toronto released its 2023-2024 Annual Housing Update Report outlining the significant progress we have made on the HousingTO Plan and Housing Action Plan, including:

• Exceeding the provincial housing supply target by 51 per cent, with 31,656 new housing starts including 1,562 new affordable rental homes.
• Securing 368 permanent affordable homes through the Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition Program (MURA) program, which began in 2022.
• Preventing evictions for more than 2,200 low-income households needing support for rent arrears or rental deposits through the Toronto Rent Bank and Eviction Prevention in Community (EPIC) programs.

In 2023, the City increased its 10-year HousingTO Plan targets and approved more than 23,000 new rent-controlled, affordable rental and supportive homes towards this target. However, the rate of affordable housing starts and completions are not keeping pace with the rate of approvals.

The progress report highlights the need for additional and significant funding from other orders of government to help deliver the City’s housing targets successfully. 

Specifically, the City continues to request federal and provincial funding for the Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI), Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB) and MURA Program to create new affordable rental and supportive homes, maintain the existing affordable rental stock and give more people access to affordable housing.

Our efforts to meet the increased housing targets and implement stronger policies are only effective when they are backed by adequate funding. The people of Toronto are in need of affordable homes. Indeed people across this country, are counting on all orders of government to work together to address these challenges, in collaboration with community partners.

I look forward to discussing the report’s recommendations at next week’s Planning and Housing Committee on September 26, 2024, and will continue to support policies that advance the right to adequate housing for all residents. 

Sincerely,

In This Week's Newsletter

City-Wide

• Seniors for Climate Event - Oct 1
• Growing Space for Trees: Protecting & Enhancing the Tree Canopy While Supporting Infill Housing

Ward 4 

• Coyote Information 
• Weston Historical Society Fossils to Factories Event, Sept 29
• Dufferin Grove Housing Co-op 50th Anniversary Celebration, Sept 28
• Electric Vehicle Roadshow, Sept 28

Developments

• 2280 Dundas St W – Loblaws Site, Oct 7

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

Friends,

• Have Your Say on Toronto's Renovictions Bylaw
• Online Public Info Session on TRCA High Park Road Ecology Study
• Every body is welcome with FitnessTO
• Toronto residents can make a splash into September at outdoor pools
• Free EV Charging Friday Sept 13
• West Queen West Heritage Conservation District Community Consultation
• Zoning By-law Parking Requirements Review
• TTC Service Adjustments for TIFF
• 2461-2475 Dundas St W - Zoning By-law Amendment Applications
• 2112 Dundas St W - Zoning By-law Amendment Applications

In this week's e-newsletter

• Public Survey – Toronto Renovictions By-law

• City of Toronto offers exciting activities for residents and visitors this long weekend
  • City Beaches
  • Outdoor pools, wading pools and splash pads
  • Dog-only swim
• Toronto Island Park
• Community Centres and Indoor Pools
• Tennis and pickleball courts
• Conservatories
• Cultural Centres
• Golf at municipal courses
• High Park Animal Display
• Riverdale Farm
• St. Lawrence Market
• Toronto History Museums
• Road restrictions and closures
• TTC
• Toronto Zoo
• Important Reminder about Fireworks
• Waste Drop-Off Depots
  

Connect with me 

In this e-newsletter:

• Parkdale Music Crawl
• Gardiner Expressway Rehabilitation Project 🚧 
• City of Toronto and the Government of Canada announce agreement to fund West Toronto Railpath Extension
• Taste of Junction
• Drop-In Sports for Youth in Parkdale
• Plastic Pellet Blitz - Saturday, August 17 at Sir Casimir Gzowski Park Beach
• Supporting gender diverse youth in Toronto: Register for focus groups 🏳️‍🌈 
• Save money and reduce energy use: Install an eco-roof 🌱 
• Share feedback on the City’s Commemorative Tree and Bench Program ❤️ 

Connect with me 

In this week's e-newsletter:

• Parkdale Music Crawl

• Gardiner Expressway Rehabilitation Project 🚧 

• City of Toronto and the Government of Canada announce agreement to fund West Toronto Railpath Extension

• Taste of Junction

• Drop-In Sports for Youth in Parkdale

• Plastic Pellet Blitz - Saturday, August 17 at Sir Casimir Gzowski Park Beach

• Supporting gender diverse youth in Toronto: Register for focus groups 🏳️‍🌈 

• Save money and reduce energy use: Install an eco-roof 🌱 

• Share feedback on the City’s Commemorative Tree and Bench Program ❤️ 

  ---

  Connect with me 

  

Friends,

Friends,

We received a month’s worth of rain in just three hours on Tuesday. I hope that you are keeping safe and well as we work together to recover from the impacts of Tuesday’s storm.

This weather event is a reminder that we have a lot of work ahead of us for Toronto to be prepared for our changing climate. This weather event is also a reminder that we have exceptional workers in our city that can rise to this challenge. Thanks to the tireless efforts of workers across the city, we were able to respond to thousands of resident emergencies, repair infrastructure, restore power, and reopen our roads and facilities in incredible time. I am thankful to the emergency services, hydro, public transit, and City staff who worked around-the-clock to get Toronto back-up and running within a day.

The City’s crews remain available 24/7 to respond to flooding issues. If you experienced a flooded basement, please report the incident to 311. The City will dispatch staff to investigate and take steps to diagnose whether the reported basement flooding or blocked sewer service line was the result of an issue with the City’s infrastructure requiring the City to take steps to address it. The City also refers to the information compiled from the reports received to help identify where future infrastructure upgrades are required.  

We know that storms like the one we experienced this week are increasing in frequency and intensity in Toronto, and we need to continue taking collective action to increase our resilience. The City’s Basement Flooding Protection Program is a multi-year program currently being implemented to reduce the risk of flooding by making improvements to the sewer system and overland drainage routes. The City is also offering owners of single-family, duplex, triplex and fourplex residential homes a subsidy of up to $3,400 per property to install flood protection devices.

I will continue to support staff’s efforts to increase Toronto’s capacity to cope with and recover from the impacts of climate change. I encourage you to join the City in this work and learn more about steps you can take to in your home and community here. Together, I know we can do the work required to become a climate-resilient city for all.

Sincerely,

Other News

• West Parkdale Cycling Connection Installation Notice
• Phase 2 Consultation Report for Parkside Drive Study
• Honda Indy Road Lake Shore Closure
• Identify 'N Impact Youth Grant Program 
• Sorauren Summer Movies: The Lunchbox, July 27
• Request Slow Down Signs
• City of Toronto's #BeSunSafe Program
• Update on Wabash Public Art Installation
• Tax & Utility Relief programs available for low-income seniors and low-income individuals with disabilities
• Sunnyside Gus Ryder Outdoor Pool Re-Opening

Friends,

Our Blue Bin recycling program is changing. Under the Province’s Blue Box Regulation, municipal recycling programs are being transitioned to an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) model, whereby the companies that produce blue bin materials are fully responsible for the end-of-life management of the paper products, packaging, and packaging-like products they supply to the Ontario market.

In principle, an EPR system is meant to incentivize companies to produce less waste. By designing products that are more durable, and more recyclable, companies can reduce their costs.

In practice, EPR’s effectiveness at reducing waste depends on meaningful recycling targets and transparent reporting on what, where, and how materials are recycled. We must keep an eye on the ongoing rollout of Ontario’s EPR system to ensure it is advancing our society’s waste reduction goals.

Toronto’s Blue Bin recycling program transitioned to EPR on July 1, 2023. This means that the City is no longer financially or operationally responsible for the management of Blue Box materials collected. Instead, Circular Materials, a non-profit industry-governed group representing producers has taken over responsibility for the collection and recycling of Blue Box materials. The City, however, has been contracted by Circular Materials to continue providing recycling collection services on behalf of producers until December 31, 2025.

Circular Materials recently announced that single-use paper beverage cups are being added to Toronto’s recycling program as part of a new pilot. Residents can now place hot (e.g., coffee and tea) and cold (e.g., fountain drinks) paper beverage cups in the Blue Bin. More information on this change is included in this newsletter. While recycling these cups is better than sending them to landfill, the best solution is to build systems that reduce the need for single-use cups to begin with.

To this end, the City is currently focused on helping businesses to eliminate takeaway containers altogether by piloting the Circular Food Innovators Fund, which will provide grants to small businesses to adopt reuse systems for takeout and delivery, or to expand existing reuse infrastructure. The City is also in the process of developing a Circular Economy Road Map that will help identify pathways for more circular and sustainable consumption in Toronto.

Our Ward 4 community has been leading Toronto’s path to a circular economy. Inspired by the trailblazing efforts of Roncy Reduces, Reduces groups are working across our ward, city, and country, to help neighbours and neighbourhood businesses to take on waste reduction together. I encourage you to engage with your neighbourhood Reduces groups to learn tips on how you can reduce waste and support local businesses that are providing alternatives to single-use disposables.

Sincerely,

Other News

• Toronto Beverage Cup Pilot
• *New Date* Art Installation Event at Masaryk Park
• New 311 Service Requests to Address Excessive Heat in Rental Units
• Parkdale Music Crawl
  
• Road Closure, Exhibition Place, Saturday July 13 BMO Field
• TTC Line 2 Full Weekend Closure Between Keele & Kipling
• Parkdale Good Food Market
• Road Closures for Toronto Triathlon 2024, July 14
• Elm Grove Living Centre Update
• Parkdale Caribbean Food Festival & Sidewalk Sale
• Circular Economy Road Map Public Survey
• An Update on the Revue Cinema
• St John's Anglican Church (288 Humberside) Closure
• Addressing Premature Failures of Meter Transmission Units (MTUs)

Friends,

• Construction Notice - Jane Station On-Grade Paving Rehabilitation - Bus Loop Closed

• Beaty Avenue Parkette Playground Improvements

• Kick off summer at the JRA SummerFest!

• Message from Parkdale People's Economy: 'Shape the Future of Parkdale: Join Our FIRST Working Group on June 26!'

• New resources to help prevent evictions in Toronto  

• Reminder: Community Consultations on the Avenues Policy Review initiative

Friends,

Click the video above to hear my comments at Planning and Housing Committee.

• TTC Transit Update notice - 2024 King Street West watermain/streetcar track renewal

• 203 High Park Seasonal Service - Update

• Basement Flooding Study Areas 42, 44 and 62 - Virtual Public Meeting

• Under Armour Toronto Waterfront 10K Race - June 15, 2024- Road Closures

• Explore farmers’ markets as summer arrives in the city!

Friends,

• TTC bargaining with ATU Local 113 - Wheel-Trans Service to Continue

• Community Consultation Meeting: Official Plan Amendment 680

• Community Consultations on the Avenues Policy Review initiative

• White Eagle Long-Term Care Residence Update

• Lifeguards return to City Beaches!

• City of Toronto celebrates Pride Month with month-long programming!

• Traffic Calming (Speed Humps) on Various Streets in Ward 4
• Ride to Conquer Cancer Road Closures - Saturday June 8th

• Parkdale Village BIA: Calling All Vendors

Friends,

• Public Consultations for Expanded Free Public Wi-Fi Strategy

• Reminder: 1337-1355 King St. West - Community Consultation Meeting, June 4th 

• Reminder: Registration for Summer Recreation Programs Opens June 4 & 5

• Travel Training Program for Wheel-Trans Customers

• 1337-1355 King St. West - Community Consultation Meeting

• EHON Neighbourhood Retail and Services Study - Public Consultation

• West Parkdale Cycling Connections Project

• IE14.3 - Cycling Network Plan Update (2025 - 2027)
• Update regarding the Jameson On-Ramp Gate to Westbound  Gardiner Expressway

• City of Toronto issues final 2024 property tax bills

• Annette Village Farmers' Market Starts May 29

• City Spray and Splash Pads now open!

• Toronto Public Library Customer Appreciation Day

• Reminder: Share your Feedback on Improving Dogs off-leash Area

Friends,

• Share your feedback on improving dogs off-leash areas

• More information on the City's Summer Recreation programs

• Junction BIA - New Events Calendar

• Junction Journey: Architecture, History, and Photography Walking Tour 

• Junction Farmers Market returns to Baird Park!
• Gardiner Expressway Rehabilitation Project - Update 
• “Neighbours Night Out” by West Neighbourhood House
• Reminder: 1930 - 1938 Bloor St W and 3, 5 & 21 Quebec Ave Community Meeting and Staff Report to Toronto East York Community Council

• Wabash Community Centre - Public Art Consultation
• TTC Notice - Overnight Work at Queen & Dufferin Intersection, May 6 & 7
• Youth Week
• 1930 - 1938 Bloor St W and 3, 5 & 21 Quebec Ave Community Meeting and Staff Report to Toronto East York Community Council
• Office Space Needs Study
• Upcoming Events at Lambton House
• Upcoming Events at Sorauren Park
  
• Neighbourhood Climate Action Grants open for applications

• Ward 4 Environment and Compost Days - Saturday April 27th 
• Update on 1304-1318 King Street West and 143-145 Cowan Avenue
• Committee of Adjustment Application 6 Noble Street
• Update on King West Construction
• Jane/Dundas Library Renaming Survey
• Wabash Community Centre - Public Art Consultation
• Neighbourhood Climate Action Grants open for applications
• Mayor’s Community Safety Awards now accepting nominations

• Cherry Blossoms at High Park
  
• Ward 4 Environment and Compost Days
  
• 1930-1938 Bloor St W and 3, 4 & 21 Quebec Ave Community Meeting
• Road Closure Notice - Exhibition Place - Saturday April 20
• Add Councillor Perks to your Facebook group!
• Junction Residents' Association Community Clean Up
• Community Event: How to Save Money and Energy with Home Retrofits

Friends,

I am happy to share that last week, several measures aimed at building the city we need for our future, while protecting our housing stock now, were considered at Planning and Housing Committee.

These include updates to the RentSafeTO program, the short-term rental by-law implementation, and Chapter One of the Official Plan.

RentSafeTO Program Update

RentSafeTO: Apartment Buildings Standards program, introduced in 2017, is a bylaw enforcement program that ensures apartment building owners and operators comply with building maintenance standards. The program was the first of its kind in Canada and applies to purpose-built rental buildings with 3 or more storeys and 10 or more units. The objectives of the program are to strengthen enforcement of City bylaws, enhance tenant engagement and access to information, and promote proactive maintenance in apartment buildings to prevent the deterioration of critical housing stock.

This report adopted with amendments by Planning and Housing Committee includes an update on work completed to enhance the program,  including the redesign of the building evaluation tool to expand evaluation categories, introduce a reactive scoring scheme to reflect active violations and outstanding property standards orders, and establish a new threshold for building audits.

Short-Term Rental By-law Implementation Update

The City of Toronto regulates short-term rental activity by requiring short-term rental operators to be registered and short-term rental companies to be licensed with the City and abide by operational standards and regulatory requirements.

The Implementation Update Report provides a review on the implementation regulations and assess their impact on Toronto's short-term rental market.  It also recommends a suite of bylaw amendments that aim to uphold the program's principles, further prevent commercialized short-term rental activity, and address enforcement and bylaw interpretation challenges.

Our Plan Toronto: Official Plan Chapter One

The Official Plan is Toronto’s roadmap for growth. Chapter One of the Official Plan sets out aspirational and vision-based statements that inform how the city will grow for the next 30 years.

These statements reflect the shared values of Torontonians, expressed in a way to guide development, and are the foundation for the other chapters in the Plan.

The current Chapter One was adopted by Council in 2002 as part of the City’s first post-amalgamation Official Plan and similar to other Chapters of the Official Plan requires updating to reflect the changing vision for the city.

Planning and Housing Committee adopted with amendments a staff report that recommends replacing the current Chapter One with a new Chapter One that focuses on advancing reconciliation, a Vision to 2051, and Principles for a successful and inclusive city. The recommended Chapter One will serve as a statement of values that will inform future amendments to the Plan.

Learn more about the new first Chapter for Toronto’s Official Plan here: Toronto's Vision to 2051 - YouTube

These three items will move forward for City Council consideration next week. You can review the full April 2024 Planning and Housing Committee meeting at Planning and Housing Committee - Meeting 11 - TMMIS (toronto.ca).

As always, I am thankful for your engagement and advocacy in informing these measures and creating a more inclusive city for all.  

Sincerely,

Gord

- Vacant Home Tax Update

- Update on High Park Station - Easier Access Project

- Bloor St. W Complete St Extension Update

- Zoning requirement updates for mid-rise buildings on Avenues without Avenue studies Webinar #2

- Parkdale Community Planning Study Launch Event April 27

- Ward 4 Environment and Compost Days

- Swansea Town Hall Event: How to save money and energy with home retrofits

- Wheel-Trans Survey

- Help make Toronto more accessible: Take the survey

- Lights Out Toronto: Protecting migratory birds

Friends,

This week I have heard from many Ward 4 property owners who have received a Notice of Assessment for the Vacant Home Tax (VHT) .

Notices of Assessment for the Vacant Home Tax (for the 2023 taxation year) have been issued to owners who declared their property vacant, and to owners whose property has been deemed vacant because they did not submit a declaration. In addition, a fee of $21.24 has been charged for not declaring by the deadline. 

Some property owners may have received this notice because they were unaware that they needed to declare the occupancy status of the property annually,  or the declaration was late, etc. 

I understand that receiving this notice has been a very upsetting and stressful experience. I have encouraged City staff to look at options to improve this process so that residents do not have to declare the status of their homes annually.

In the meantime, I want to share the latest direction we’ve received on what steps individuals should take to declare occupancy status for the 2023 taxation year:

If your property was occupied for more than six (6) months in 2023, do not pay the Vacant Home Tax charge. Instead, please file a Notice of Complaint and upon receiving and confirming your occupancy, the City will reverse the Vacant Home Tax charge along with any interest that may have been incurred after the May 15, 2024 initial payment due date.

You can file the Notice of Complaint online or via mail.

Online:

• Go to: https://www.toronto.ca/services-payments/property-taxes-utilities/vacant-home-tax/
• Click on the blue tab at the top of the page, called: ‘Submit Complaint/ Appeal/ Respond to Audit’

Mail:

• Complete and print the Notice of Complaint/Appeal form.
• Mail to:

City of Toronto, Revenue Services
Vacant Home Tax Complaints/Appeals
5100 Yonge St.
Toronto, ON M2N 5V7

More information on the Vacant Home Tax can be found here: Vacant Home Tax – City of Toronto

I’ll be sure to share more updates as they become available. As always, If you have any questions or challenges my office is here to support you.

Sincerely,

Gord

-  Our Plan Toronto: Official Plan Chapter One

- New Application – 1930 - 1938 BLOOR ST W & 3, 5 & 21 QUEBEC AVE

- Ward 4 Environment Days !

- Clean Toronto Together Events

- Stay Safe during the Solar Eclipse ️

- Add Councillor Perks to your Facebook group!

Friends,

I hope you’re able to connect with friends and family this holiday weekend. To help with making plans, the City has outlined a list of City activities and facilities that are open and closed this weekend.

I also want to draw your attention to a City Staff Report titled Toronto's Climate Change Readiness: Updates on commitments and a refreshed mandate for coordinating resilience activities. The report,  shared at the Infrastructure and Environment Committee this week updates on the City’s response to climate change. The update includes the first edition of the Annual TransformTO Net Zero Progress and Accountability Report.

This new annual report format offers a comprehensive and accessible view of City-led Greenhouse Gas reduction actions. I am pleased with the level of transparency and clarity this report provides, both in terms of progress achieved through the City's first Short-Term Implementation Plan (2022-2026) and the critical steps that need to be accelerated to achieve our goal of net zero emissions by 2040.

Some encouraging highlights in terms of City-led actions include the Toronto Green Standard, which will significantly reduce emissions from future new developments by requiring net zero designs, the development of Emissions Performance Standards to progressively reduce emissions in existing buildings, the greening of the City’s Corporate fleet, and the TTC planning for a zero-emission bus fleet by 2037 – three years ahead of schedule.

While this report reviews how the City’s actions are making a positive difference, it is also clear that the goal of net zero emissions by 2040 is at risk unless the City, other orders of government, residents, and businesses support and invest transformative actions that meet the scope and scale of the climate change.  The report also highlights actions that are needed to build Toronto’s readiness at a local level to respond to the day-to-day needs of Torontonians living in an increasingly unpredictable climate.

Over the past year, extreme heat, wildfire, flooding, and storm events in Toronto, across Canada, and globally have illustrated how harmful and costly climate change can be to residents and the assets and services that support them. Reflecting on this, I am heartened by the fact that we will now have annual Net Zero Progress and Accountability Reports that will help keep us on track in rising to meet the climate challenge. I will continue to support staff’s efforts to advance the transformative solutions called for in our Net Zero Strategy and look forward to discussing it when this year’s report is considered by City Council on April 17, 2024.

I encourage you to engage with this work and join the City in advancing our Net Zero Strategy goals.

Sincerely,

Gord

-  Reminder: 2453-2469 Bloor Street West - Zoning Amendment - Decision Report Approval

- Wheel-Trans Community Feedback Survey

- Reminder: Public Consultation on a Stormwater Charge and Water Service Charge

Friends,

It’s been a busy week for many as we return from March Break.

This week at Toronto City Council there have been a number of items up for discussion including Toronto as host of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Mayor Chow introduced a plan to assemble a team to make the FIFA World Cup 2026 (FWC26) and its legacy open, transparent and accountable. This includes strengthening and clarifying the structure and mandate of some of the internal and advisory bodies that will play a key role in delivering FWC26. Further, Council passed motions that direct staff to develop a comprehensive community benefits plan and advance climate and transportation solutions as part of delivering FWC26.

When the question of whether Toronto should be a host city was debated by Council in April 2022, I voted against. I believe the tens of millions of dollars we will be spending on this tournament would be better spent building affordable housing and investing in urgently needed public transit and climate solutions. My position has not changed.

However, with agreements now firmly in place for Toronto to host six matches, we must turn our attention to ensuring that the legacy of these games will be one that delivers lasting benefits to the people of Toronto.

In the spirt of ensuring that we don’t get into this situation again – one where we are trying to align an event we’re hosting with our City’s priorities after the fact, I successfully introduced a motion to develop City principles for bidding on large international events. This will set a clear bar for the standards that international events would need to meet and the benefits it would need to provide in order for our City to bid. You can learn more about the Council decisions on FWC26 here.    

Other important items that Council approved include directing staff to review City-owned real estate opportunities and an update to the City’s Congestion Management Plan. These measures are aimed at leveraging City-owned real estate to enable affordable housing, complete communities, and financial sustainability, as well as reducing congestion and deterring illegal blocking of traffic lanes.

The full Council Meeting is available to view at City Council - Meeting 16 - TMMIS (toronto.ca)  As always, please feel free to contact my office for information or to share comment on any Ward 4 or City-related matter.

Sincerely,

Gord

I successfully introduced a motion to develop City principles for bidding on large international events. 

-  2453-2469 Bloor Street West - Zoning Amendment - Decision Report Approval

-  Reminder: Community Consultation Meeting: 1304-1318 King St. W., 143-145 Cowan Ave. 

-  Gardiner Expressway lane reductions beginning March 25

-  Public consultation on a stormwater charge and water service charge

-  Have your say in the library's future!  

-  Request a Slow Down Sign!

Friends,

As students and families take part in March Break, I hope you are finding time to connect with your loved ones and enjoy the City’s many affordable activities on offer this week.

Here at City Hall, the Committee Calendar takes a pause for March Break, however we have many significant discussions taking place next week.

In particular, I wanted to highlight that the first meeting of the Housing Rights Advisory Committee (HRAC) will be held on Monday, March 18.

HRAC is a new Council Advisory Body that will provide advice to Toronto City Council to ensure that the interests and needs of those with living or lived experience of housing precarity, discrimination and homelessness are reflected in City policies, programs and service delivery. I believe that the HRAC will play a vital role in advancing the City’s commitment to realizing the right to adequate housing in Toronto.

Alongside 11 members of the public, I will be in attendance on March 18 as the Member of City Council on this committee.  

Following this, I will also be participating in the Service Excellence Committee meeting on March 19, which looks at improving City services by leveraging 311 data, and City Council scheduled for March 20 - 22.

As always, I will keep you updated on the progress we achieve together.

Sincerely,

Gord

- Community Consultation Meeting: 1304-1318 King St. W., 143-145 Cowan Ave. 

- City of Toronto Prescribed burn in High Park 

-  Part-time summer recreation, aquatic and museum jobs with the City of Toronto

- Parkdale Neighbouring Fund Info Session 

- West Toronto Junction Historical Study (WTJHS)

Friends,

At the December 2023 City Council meeting, Council voted to advance the Single-Use and Takeaway Items Reduction Strategy into Stage 2 by adopting staff report recommendations, and introducing a new Single-Use and Takeaway Items Bylaw (SUTI Bylaw). This represents an important step forward in Toronto’s circular economy transition and pathway towards more sustainable consumption.

The goal of the new  SUTI Bylaw is to address the unnecessary use and disposal of specific single-use and takeaway items and eliminate them from becoming litter or entering Toronto’s waterways.

The SUTI Bylaw took effect on March 1, 2024, and includes the following requirements for retail business establishments:

• Ask-First/By-Request
  • Prior to distributing a single-use accessory food item, either (i) ask a customer if they need the item, (ii) have a customer request the item, or (iii) make the item available to customers at a self-serve station.
  • Prior to distributing a single-use paper shopping bag, either (i) ask a customer if they need the bag or (ii) have a customer request the bag.

• Accept the use of Reusable Items
  • Accept the use of reusable shopping bags and reusable beverage cups brought by customers.

• Ensure Compatibility of Bags
  • Only distribute single-use paper shopping bags that are compatible with the City’s waste diversion programs to customers.

As a result of these requirements, customers can increasingly expect to only receive single-use items, such as utensils, napkins, condiment packages, stir sticks and straws, that they really need.

For its part, the City is committed to helping retail business establishments comply with the bylaw through targeted education and outreach activities as part of the rollout of Stage 2 of the Reduction Strategy.

The City is also working toward Stage 3 of the Reduction Strategy to look at further measures to be considered for large event venues, and any requirements for retail businesses to accept customers’ reusable food containers and to use reusable items for dine-in operations. For more information on the City’s Reduction Strategy, including a directory of businesses and service providers that are showing leadership in reducing waste, please visit toronto.ca/single-use.

Sincerely,

Gord

- First meeting of the Housing Rights Advisory Committee

- Vacant Tax Deadline Extended

- City of Toronto March Break Programs + Free Skate at Coca-Cola Museum

- Outdoor Work Assistance for Seniors

Friends,

Together with community housing advocates, I have long advocated for a pathway to City-wide legalization of multi-tenant housing (MTH), formerly known as rooming houses. MTH is a critical form of deeply affordable housing that provides single rooms and shared amenities to diverse communities, including students, seniors, new immigrants, low-income residents, and people exiting homelessness.

In December of 2022, we celebrated Council's adoption of the motion to legalize MTH. Since then staff across City divisions have been working collaboratively to create a consistent framework rooted in a human rights approach to housing. Through this framework, we are working to secure the affordability and availability of this type of rental housing stock. The framework will also ensure that MTH homes are properly maintained and safety standards are being met to protect tenants and improve their living conditions. Many of the learnings that informed this framework came out of our community as Parkdale had previously legalized rooming houses as part of a City 'pilot'.

Yesterday, the Planning and Housing committee meeting moved three motions related to the MTH framework to support operators with Ontario Building and Fire Code compliance, establish a MTH renovation program and to make technical changes to the zoning bylaw to increase clarity in understanding the bylaw.

These items will be at the March Council meeting in time for the framework to successfully come into effect on March 31, 2024.

Through the implementation of MTH across our city, I am confident we can enable more people to attain safe, secure and affordable housing in which to live with dignity and contribute to community.

Sincerely,

Gord

- Have Your Say in Improving Community Consultation in the Development Review Process

- Notice: Gardiner Expressway Rehabilitation between Dufferin St. and Strachan Ave

- Reminder: West Parkdale Cycling Connections - March 5

- Community Skate at Coca-Cola Coliseum

- Spring Recreation Programs: Registration Starts Next Week

- Reader Input - Reminder to Use Kanopy!

Friends,

I wanted to take a moment to celebrate with you that the City's 2024 Budget marks a significant step forward in broadening access to library services.

With the approval of this budget, our City is investing in the Toronto Public Library (TPL) to increase open hours and add youth hubs across the City. These enhancements supports the City's Poverty Reduction Strategy.

More open hours mean more public access to our welcoming spaces and friendly and knowledgeable staff, increased digital opportunities, more children and youth supports, and reduced barriers to access for equity-deserving groups.

In our ward, this will mean expanded hours at the High Park library branch. Starting in September, the High Park branch will now open on Sundays from 1:30pm to 5pm from September to June, except on holiday weekends.

Equally important is the need for more welcoming spaces for Toronto youth. With the new funding, TPL will be adding youth hubs in September 2024 at Brentwood, Bridlewood and Maryvale branches, as well as the Toronto Reference Library.

Youth Hubs are welcoming drop-in spaces for teens ages 13-18, designed to support teens in their personal development, especially those from vulnerable populations. They offer access to homework help, activities and programs, snacks and a broad range of current technology. They are open after school and during the summer months and are staffed by librarians and other staff, with support from volunteers and placement students.

At this crucial time of growing need for accessible and welcoming spaces in Toronto, I am proud that our City is reducing barriers to access and providing greater geographic equity for our cherished library services.

Sincerely,

Gord

Friends,

City Council has considered Mayor Chow's 2024 City budget.

Mayor Chow brought forward a budget that will get Toronto back on track. It includes critical investments in services people rely on: housing, transit, community services, and crisis response.

The budget will supports the delivery of over 24,000 new rental homes. It also provides an additional 1,296 rent-geared-to-income subsidies to help thousands of people stay housed.

Further it invests a historic $100 million dollars in the Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition program (MURA) over three years. This will enable non-profits to buy units and rental buildings to ensure they remain affordable in perpetuity.

Some amendments were made by Council to the Budget including $1.3 million to support the implementation of the forthcoming Action Plan for Toronto’s Culture Sector, a further $0.08 million to provide an inflationary increase to Local Arts Serving Organizations, $0.75 million to hire Bylaw officers to respond to noise complaints & business licensing and Animal Care & Control Officers for dangerous dogs responses, and $0.97 million for tree planting, pruning, and watering.

Although it was approved by Council, I did not support the motion to increase the Toronto Police Service budget. I remain satisfied that the budget under review proposed an adequate investment in the police budget, without this additional increase. Further, this budget is fully funding the Toronto Community Crisis Service to be the fourth municipal emergency service and operate city-wide this year, which will divert person in crisis calls from police response to a community-based response. Toronto Community Crisis Service is a non-police-led, 24/7, client-centered and trauma informed service that deploys trained crisis workers to respond, de-escalate, and refer people to appropriate mental health and other social services. This holistic approach to community safety builds our capacity to be more responsive to crisis, and with the right expertise.

Property owners will see a property tax increase of 8% along with the 1.5% City Building levy. Relief programs are available for low-income seniors and those living with a disability. To ensure tenants are protected, the multi-residential tax rate increase will be 3.5%, which is below the threshold that allows landlords to apply for above-guideline rent increases

With years of austerity measures, conservative mayors, and the lack of political will to make difficult decisions, vital City services suffered deep cuts and continued to decline. With this budget, it is evident that the Mayor and Council are focused on a path to a more affordable, caring, and safe city. However, we're only at the start of the journey, with much more work to do. I hope you will continue to be engaged to make this City a better one, together.

Sincerely,

Gord

- Development update: 1437-1455 Queen St W

- Construction Notice: Lakeshore West Rail Corridor Maintenance

- Virtual Consultation: Baby Point Heritage Conservation District

- Information Session: Heritage Register Review

- Open Call: Housing Provider for 11 Brock Ave

- Update: 2299 Dundas St W Shelter

Friends,

This week at City Council, I was pleased to vote in favour of the Mayor's successful motion to accelerate the implementation of the Surface Transit Network Plan (STNP).

The SNTP aims to improve the speed and reliability of buses and streetcars by implementing a range of transit priority solutions along 20 major roads. Transit priority solutions can include dedicated bus lanes, high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes, transit priority signals, queue jump lanes, bus bays and other solutions.

With up to 70 per cent of all transit journeys requiring the use of a bus or streetcar, increasing surface transit reliability will improve the lives of thousands of transit users that depend on transit each day.

Council also voted unanimously to expand the City's Administrative Penalty System (APS) to include Red Light Camera and Automated Speed Enforcement violations, effective November 1, 2024.

The new process for Red Light Camera and Automated Speed Enforcement disputes will function similarly to the process already in place for parking violations, which is handled by the City instead of provincial courts.

Establishing the expanded APS moves forward the Vision Zero Road Safety plan, supports speedier dispute resolution, and enables more efficient use of limited court time in provincial courts.

I'm hopeful that together these two key items will improve service on our public transit network and will increase public safety on our roadways.

Sincerely,

Gord

- Notice: King Street West Construction

- Survey: Large Quadricycles

- Community Event: Great Backyard Bird Count in High Park

Friends,

This morning, Mayor Chow released her proposed 2024 City budget which will be reviewed by City Council on February 14, 2024.

This budget protects key services that are important to the people of Toronto. It makes critical investments in housing, transit, and safety.

The budget will require a property tax increase of 9.5%.

Relief programs are available for low-income seniors and those living with a disability. More information on those programs are available here.

To ensure tenants are protected, the multi-residential tax rate increase will be 3.5%, which is below the threshold that allows landlords to apply for above-guideline rent increases.

One highlight of the Mayor's Budget is the Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition (MURA) program. MURA, a City-wide program which began as a pilot here in Ward 4, will receive an additional $100 million dollars over three years, to support community non-profits, Indigenous housing providers, land trusts and co-operatives in acquiring units from the market and keeping them affordable.

The MURA program will be funded in partnership with the federal and provincial governments along with revenue from the Vacant Homes Tax.

The proposed budget which puts the needs of Torontonians front and centre is a result of our community's advocacy and hard work.

As a result of years of austerity measures, conservative mayors, and lack of political will to make difficult decisions, vital City services have suffered deep cuts and decline. This budget is evidence that the Mayor is focused on getting our City back on track. I look forward to the February 14 Council meeting to vote on this budget.

The meeting agenda will be available here and the meeting will be streamed live on the City's youtube page.

Sincerely,

Gord

- Vacant Homes Tax Assistance Drop-ins

- Toronto Public Health Strategic Plan Consultations

- City's Summer Camp list online

Friends,

I have been hearing from Torontonians throughout the 2024 Budget process, including at this week's public presentation sessions. People feel that it's time to reinvest in the services that make Toronto work.

People want investments in public transit that get us back to pre-pandemic service levels, investments in community services that foster strong and connected neighbourhoods, and investments in shelter and housing that ensure that our most vulnerable neighbours have the supports they need.

The inadequate state of our City's services is a direct result of a decade of austerity budgets and service cuts.

The property tax increase in the proposed 2024 Budget is designed to make up for this lost ground and get us back to building a city that we can all be proud of. I have been very encouraged by how many of you have voiced your support for this direction. 

The proposed budget increases funding in the TTC to allow for a fare freeze while increasing services and safety measures. It also includes significant investments in shelter and housing, the winter warming response plan, and the Toronto Public Library system to extend open hours and access to critical community supports and services.

There have been media reports about cuts to policing, however this is not true. The Budget proposes an increases to the police budget. The City has also designated the Toronto Community Crisis Service as the fourth municipal emergency service which is a non-police-led, 24/7, community-based, client-centered and trauma informed service to support non-emergency crisis calls. This holistic approach to community safety builds our capacity to be more responsive to crisis, and with the right expertise.

For those who have written-in, phoned-in, attended meetings, and engaged during this Budget process, thank you for doing your part in building a better City.

Sincerely,

Gord

- Planning and Housing Updates

     - 150 Dunn housing provider selected

     - 2453-2469 Bloor St W Community Consultation Meeting

     - 2112 Dundas St W Community Consultation Meeting

     - Baby Point HCD virtual sessions

- Parkside Drive Study: Public Consultation

- Winter Services Reminder

Friends,

The Budget process is in full swing with the third consecutive Budget Committee meeting happening today. Additionally, today will be the third and final day of the Mayor's Budget telephone town halls. Participants may join at 7pm by calling 1-833-490-0889.

I also had the privilege of hosting my annual community budget town hall where around 80 participants heard my presentation and asked thoughtful questions. Thank you for your participation and for showing up to make our City better.

As a reminder, the public will have opportunities to present to the budget committee on the 2024 Operating and Capital Budgets next week on January 22 & 23, 2024.

Public presentations will be heard on January 22 at City Hall and Scarborough Civic Centre, and on January 23 at Etobicoke Civic Centre and North York Civic Centre. Please note that all public presentation sessions at the City Hall locations are now full.

For more information on how to participate please see the City's website. To register to depute, please contact [email protected]

The Budget Committee will be wrapping up on January 26, 2024, with the Mayor's proposed budget releasing on February 1^st and the final Council meeting on February 14.

Details on the budget process and information with budget notes, reports and presentations can be found at toronto.ca/budget .

Sincerely,

Gord

- Planning and Housing Updates

    - 2453-2469 Bloor Street West Community Consultation Meeting

    - 1728 Bloor St West Zoning at TEYCC

    - 7 Laxton Avenue at TEYCC

- CaféTO application now open

- Information on Property Tax, Water & Solid Waste Relief Programs 

Friends,

On Wednesday January 10^th, the City of Toronto launched the 2024 Budget process with a staff prepared budget that protects core services and makes investments in transit, shelters, and community safety, based on feedback gathered during consultations with Toronto residents. Given the City's precarious and dire financial situation, this budget aims to correct our course and set the City up to achieve financial stability and sustainability through a new multi-year approach. In the face of a $1.8 billion shortfall, $600 million has been found in savings to propose a balanced budget that protects frontline services.

The 2024 staff prepared budget reflects input from the November 2023 Budget Consultations and furthers the actions of the City’s Long Term Financial Plan (LTFP) and the Ontario-Toronto New Deal Agreement. In addition to striking a new deal with the Provincial Government, the proposed 2024 Operating Budget expects to have access to a Federal funding program providing reimbursement of costs associated with programs that belong under Federal jurisdiction but are currently paid for by the City, currently estimated at $250 million for 2024. The Federal government needs to step up to pay for its share so that the City can focus on providing the services that Torontonians require.  

Toronto residents and businesses are encouraged to continue to be a part of the 2024 Budget process. Feedback can be provided to the Budget Committee in person, online, or in writing. Details are available on the City’s 2024 Budget webpage. I will also be hosting a virtual Community Budget Town Hall on January 16 at 5pm. Details are available at gordperks.ca/2024budgettownhall .

The 2024 Budget launch presentation by City Manager Paul Johnson and Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer Stephen Conforti is available on the City’s website here.

This is a sizeable step in solving the problems caused by 12 years of austerity budgets. We are well on our way back to having a proper financial foundation that will secure future prosperity for Toronto and give it the ability to deliver the services that Torontonians desire.

Sincerely,

Gord

- Parkside Drive Study: Phase Two Public Consultation Launch

- Service Resumed: Dufferin Gate Bridge 

- Masaryk Cowan Community Centre now open

Friends,

2023 has been a momentous and exciting year for the City. After thirteen years, the City has elected a progressive mayor, who recognizes the needs of Torontonians and, in less than six months, has been able to secure funds from the federal government for refugees in shelter systems and negotiate a new deal with the provincial government to ease some of the budgetary pressures and bring the City closer to long-term fiscal stability.

This year, I had the privilege of being asked to Chair the Planning and Housing Committee. Through the P&H committee, we introduced a transformative housing report which identifies the City as a public builder of affordable housing while finding ways to support Indigenous, not-for-profit and co-op housing sectors. I look forward to our federal and provincial governments joining us as we reimagine the road map to achieving housing justice.

As we celebrate the holiday season, I hope to continue working with you in 2024 towards a more compassionate and just Toronto.

Sincerely,

Gord

2023 Highlights:

Bloor Bike Lanes

The last few months have seen the expansion of the Bloor Bike Lanes and Complete Streets project, expanding the installation from Runnymede Rd into the neighbourhoods across the river to our west. The new bike lanes mark a dramatic step up in safety for cyclists and pedestrians while linking the Bloor West neighbourhood into the city's larger bike network to enable swifter and safer travel. Further work on refining the setup, including quashing problems that have arisen, implementing slight reorganizations, and fine-tuning traffic signalization, continues.

Parkside Drive 

Improvements to Parkside Drive continued this year with the new traffic signal that was installed at the High Park Trail intersection, the improved lighting in the City-owned underpass (The Queensway), and the activation of the paid parking (Green P) in the southbound curb lane between Spring Road and High Park Trail. The Phase II Public Consultation event and survey on the future of Parkside Drive will be launching early in the new year.

Traffic Calming Policy 

There has been an update on the Vision Zero Road Safety Initiatives and Traffic Calming Policy. This report dealt with a number of traffic-related items and included a revised Traffic Calming Policy. For instance, the warrants for Traffic Calming on a residential street are now based on the posted speed limit instead of the standard 40 km/h. This should help local streets in need of additional calming measures. The Traffic Operations division is currently in the process of training staff and updating their warrants/procedures to reflect the updated policy.

Speed Limit on Arterial Roads

A motion to reduce the speed limit on arterialroads to 40KM in Ward 4 (with the exception of Lake Shore Boulevard) was approved. This is an important step in the City's on-going work to implement Vision Zero and improve road Although there are sections of arterial roads in our ward that are already posted as 40 km/h due to the proximity of schools, there were still arterial roads posted as 50 km/h. The intent of this motion is to provide consistency, improve safety and protect the most vulnerable road users. Installation of the new 40KM signs are currently taking place and will continue in to the new year.

High Park Movement Strategy

In May, City Council approved the High Park Movement Strategy (HPMS) final report and implementation plan, which aims to make the park safer and accessible for all users without reliance on private vehicles. The Council-approved strategy maintains car-free days on Saturday, Sunday and holiday weekdays, while directing staff to work towards achieving a car-free High Park as the long-term strategy in alignment with the City's commitments to Vision Zero, improved urban design, and encouraging more sustainable modes of transportation. The HPMS is being implemented in phases. Beginning in August, a number of changes to the travel network in High Park were implemented as the first phase of implementation. These initial changes focused on improving road user safety through implementing permanent car-free routes, dedicated bike lanes on shared routes, changes to how motor vehicles can enter, exit, and travel through the park and changes to parking configurations and parking capacities.

As the City work towards achieving a car-free High Park, we recognize that accessibility concerns need to be addressed. There are measures the City can introduce to ensure that the park remains accessible. The City is exploring solutions such as expanding the TTC bus route that serves the park and introducing a year-round accessible shuttle service to key destinations within the park. I appreciate all of the community interest and feedback that has been shared to help shape the HPMS, and will continue to keep you updated as this work moves forward.  

11 Brock Ave

As part of the Federal Rapid Housing Initiative, $21.6 million in capital funding will be invested in 40 new rent-geared-to-income and supportive homes at 11 Brock Avenue. The site will have a four-storey building, providing approximately 40 homes for people at risk of or experiencing homelessness. The site was purchased by the City from the Province in 2019 and will be operated by an experienced not-for-profit housing provider. We will keep you in the loop as the Request for Proposals for non-profits are issued and further information becomes available.

Parkdale Hub 

The Parkdale Hub site was approved as part of the Housing Now Initiative to advance the affordable rental housing component of the project. The Official Plan and Zoning by-law amendments as well as the rental housing demolition application approvals were granted by the Council. The proposal is to build at least 231 new rental housing units of which 30 – 50% will be affordable units. The project team also continues to work to advance the goal of coordinating City owned sites to create new safe, inclusive and accessible community spaces.

Playground Enhancements

I'm happy to share that both Lambton Park and Florence Gell Park saw the completion of playground improvement projects this year. These projects implemented new designs and modern equipment at the playgrounds to ensure they provide safe and accessible fun for many years to come. The final playground design and layout at both of these parks were determined using feedback from the community. The redesigned playground at Lambton Park includes separate junior and senior play structures, a stand-alone junior climber, and a swing set. The new Florence Gell Park playground opened in November and includes separate junior and senior play structures, a swing set, a rope climbing structure, a spinning bowl, accessible play panels, accessible sand desk, rock boulders and wood logs.  

The newly improved Lambton Park Playground

The newly improved Florence Gell Park Playground

You can visit the project websites to learn more about the new features implemented as part of the Lambton Park Playground Improvements and the Florence Gell Park Playground Improvements.

In 2024, I look forward to having another community driven vision for playground improvements take shape at Magwood Park.

- Baby Point Heritage Conservation District Study Update

- Roncesvalles Avenue Accessibility Update

Friends,

Yesterday, Toronto City Council unanimously adopted recommendations to implement the Ontario-Toronto New Deal, an historic agreement that will have a strong positive effect on the City of Toronto's finances. The recommendations approved by Council were part of the “Ontario-Toronto New Deal Agreement” staff report.

My comments at Council are available here .

The new deal at its core is $1.23 billion in operating support from the province over three years and $3.04 billion in capital support over ten years. Capital support includes relief of costs via the City uploading the Gardiner and the Don Valley Parkway to the province which will have impacts beyond ten years.

The new deal reaffirms the City's and the Province's commitments around housing, transit and the sustainability of the City's long term financial plan.

A part of the deal, however, is contingent on the Government of Canada partnering with the City of Toronto and Province of Ontario on these priorities, as a significant portion of the financial support from the Province (the operating funding for shelters and capital funding for 55 new subway trains) is conditional on federal support being provided.

To ensure that we can bring all orders of governments to the table and work towards better services and supports for Torontonians, I encourage you to reach out to your Member of Parliament and urge them to make this commitment.

Both the operating and capital supports will have immediate impacts on our ongoing Budget discussions for the 2024 City Budget and beyond.

I'd like to note that Budget Consultations were held from November 1st to 30th, to gather feedback on the public's priorities for the City's 2024 Budget.

A report on the results of these online and in-person consultations will be posted in January. There will be additional opportunities for members of the public to share feedback both online and in-person to help shape how our City can build a safe, caring and affordable city where everyone belongs. The first budget committee meeting will be held on January 10, 2024.

You can learn more about how to get involved in the Budget here: https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/budget-finances/city-budget/how-to-get-involved-in-the-budget/

Sincerely,

Gord

- Update on 1437-1455 Development Application

- Dufferin Street Bridge One Day Closure

- Bloor West Complete Street and Bike Lanes Extension Update

- Parkdale Community Food Bank's "Feast 4 Parkdale" fundraiser

- Interim Rate increase for Solid Waste and Toronto Water

Friends,

This month, flyers about the City’s Snow & Ice Response Plan were delivered to residents across our ward. Toronto faces an annual snowfall of around 130 cm, and the City's snow clearing plan covers everything from salting and plowing of roads, sidewalks, and bikeways to safeguarding emergency and transit vehicles. With a fleet of approximately 1,400 snow-clearing equipment, the City clears Toronto's vast 14,700 lane-km of roads, 7,900 km of sidewalks and 956 km of cycle tracks. I encourage you to review the flyer to get to know the City's snow plan and how you can support keeping our community safe during this winter season. You can download a digital copy of the flyer and find more information on winter maintenance done by the City at www.toronto.ca/snow.

As we prepare for the upcoming holiday season, I also wanted to highlight some giving opportunities for those looking to support community needs.

The City's annual Holiday Wish List features a map so residents can find community agencies near them that support individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Each agency has provided a list of needed items which includes things such as donations of warm clothes, personal hygiene products and gift cards as well as calls for volunteer support.

Residents can also drop off new, unwrapped toys and gift cards at any of the City’s 84 fire stations for the annual Fire Fighters Toy Drive. Toronto’s 84 fire stations also accept non-perishable food donations for the Daily Bread Food Bank year-round. You can find the fire station nearest you using this map of Fire Station locations.

Donations of funds, goods and services to various giving initiatives by Toronto Animal Services, Seniors Services and Long-Term Care and Parks, Forestry & Recreation can also be made through DonateTO – the City's official giving hub: www.toronto.ca/donate

Sincerely,

Gord

-  Dufferin St. Bridge Reopens 

-  Masaryk Cowan Gymnasium Closure for Maintenance

-  Reminder: Have your say on the Western Beaches Public Realm Plan

Friends,

At the Board of Health meeting this week, committee members endorsed a staff report on mitigating substance use-related harms and fostering mental health and well-being for all residents of Toronto. The strategies in the report titled, "Our Health, Our City: A Mental Health, Substance Use, Harm Reduction, and Treatment Strategy for Toronto" were informed by meaningful consultations and conversations with Torontonians with lived experiences of mental health and substance use challenges, along with insights from experts, community leaders, frontline staff and City officials. It is a forward thinking plan that takes into consideration the City's increasingly diverse population and responds to concerning trends in decreased mental well-being.

The report underscores the vital role of social determinants of health, such as housing, in improving mental health and wellbeing. Relieving the City's ongoing housing crisis can mitigate devastating and preventable loss of lives, including lives lost to the opioid crisis. Inequalities in how income and wealth, and health and social services are distributed are inextricably linked to the prevalence of mental health challenges in our city.

With this report, the committee has directed the Medical Officer of Health to establish an implementation panel with experts in the field as well as those with lived experience to provide advice and oversee the realization of the outlined strategies. I want to acknowledge that this work is built on the efforts of many community members, organizations and experts that have advocated for this data-driven approach.

Moving forward, we will also need the Provincial and Federal government to do their share and continue to collaborate with the City to ensure we can provide the best resources, supports and services to make Toronto healthier.  

Sincerely,

Gord

- Toronto Police Board Budget meeting: Dec 12

- TTC Survey on Street Car Diversion: Deadline Dec 3

- Bloor West Bike Lanes and Complete Street Extension Update

Friends,

If you are planning to register for 2024 winter recreation and March Break programs, program listings are now available online.

More than 13,000 registered courses with approximately 133,500 spaces, as well as more than 2,900 drop-in programs, will be offered including arts, fitness and wellness, general interest, skating, skiing, snowboarding, sports and swimming.

Registration begins for winter recreation programs and March Break camps:

• Tuesday, December 5: For facilities in Etobicoke York (including York South-Weston) and Toronto East York districts
• Wednesday, December 6: For facilities in North York and Scarborough districts

Programs start in January 2024, and March Break CampTO runs from March 11 to 15, 2024.

Residents can visit the Winter Recreation webpage to learn about registration dates and to find program and registration information: www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/recreation/winter-recreation-programs/.

Registration by phone will also be available by calling the Client Services Call Centre at 416-396-7378 from 7 a.m. on registration dates.

In advance of the registration dates, residents who require help preparing for registration can call Client Services at 416-396-7378, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. In addition to normal operating hours, the City will offer extended hours on Monday, December 4, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. The call centre will be open for extended hours on registration days, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Discounts and free recreation programs
Many community centres offer free recreation programs including leisure swimming and drop-in programs for children, youth and older adults. Participants 60 years and older receive a 50 per cent discount on the regular price of adult recreation programs excluding private, semi-private and small group lessons. Information about free programs and other subsidies is available on the City’s Free & Lower-Cost Recreation Options webpage: www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/recreation/free-lower-cost-recreation-options/.  

Sincerely,

Gord

- Reminder: Vacant Home Tax Declaration

- New Traffic Signal on Parkside Drive

- Cycling Network Plan Consultation

- Bloor West Bike Lanes and Complete Street Extension Update

Friends,

Yesterday, along with Mayor Chow and Minister Virani, I made a long-awaited and exciting announcement regarding the site at 11 Brock Avenue.

As part of the Federal Rapid Housing Initiative, $21.6 million in capital funding will be invested in 40 new rent-geared-to-income and supportive homes at 11 Brock Ave.

This site is one of the five housing-ready sites announced in the Generational Transformation of Toronto’s Housing System Report. It is also the first site where the City will lead the project’s development as part of its public builder role.

The City purchased this site from the Province of Ontario in 2019 for the purpose of creating new affordable housing. The four-storey building will provide approximately 40 homes for people at risk of or experiencing homelessness. These homes will be studio apartments with a bathroom and a kitchen. Rents will be geared to income and will not exceed 30 per cent of a residents’ income, or the shelter allowance of their social assistance.

The new homes will be operated as supportive housing by an experienced not-for-profit housing provider. Tenants will have access to a range of support services intended to improve their health and well-being including 24/7 staffing. The City will issue a Request for Proposals for a building operator for this site by the end of 2023.

The project is part of a systemic shift in Toronto’s housing system to create more public and not-for-profit owned and operated purpose-built rental homes. It is a direct result of the vision and efforts of community members and housing advocates to realize housing as a human right.

As the project proceeds, I welcome the community to remain involved in the process. 

Sincerely,

Gord

- King Street - Watermain and TTC Track Renewal 2024

- City's Consultation meetings and Surveys:

     - Budget meetings from Nov 21st - 30th

     - Public Meetings - Accessible and Bicycle Parking in New Developments

     - TTC Survey for Service and Customer Experience Action Plan

     - Public Meeting and Survey: RentSafeTO

- Bloor West Bike Lanes and Complete Street Extension Update- Junction Window Wonderland

- Seeking Neighbourhood Climate Action Champions

- Community Events

     - Heritage York @ Lambton House Board Call-out/Events

     - The Junction's 4th Annual Window Wonderland

- Florence Gel is now open to public

Friends,

In the ongoing November City Council meeting which started yesterday, Council has voted to advance some transformative items.

The new housing report “Generational Transformation of Toronto’s Housing System to Urgently Build More Affordable Homes" responds to Toronto City Council’s direction to develop a plan to approve 25,000 new rent-controlled homes in addition to what was already planned. This plan the City’s total housing target to 65,000 new rent-controlled homes including a minimum of 41,000 affordable rental, 6,500 Rent-Geared-to-Income (RGI) homes and 17,500 rent-controlled market homes by 2030.

By approving this plan, Council and the Mayor have taken a leadership role in addressing the housing crisis through dedicating more City-owned land to create new affordable homes; accelerating the delivery of “housing ready” projects on City and not-for-profit owned land; streamlining and optimizing people, processes and technology to expedite approvals and housing delivery; and supporting the not-for-profit and co-op housing sectors.

Council also voted in favour of expanding Toronto Community Crisis Service as a City-wide program ensuring that all Torontonians can benefit from this 24/7, community-based, client-centered and trauma informed service to support non-emergency crisis calls. In its first year of operations the Toronto Community Crisis Service received 6,827 calls for service, with 78 per cent of calls transferred from 911 successfully resolved without police involvement. This program joins Toronto Fire, Paramedic and Police as the fourth municipal emergency service.

As part of the Shelter Infrastructure Plan and the Homelessness Services Capital Infrastructure Strategy Council authorized and directed staff to take a number steps to maintain existing agreements as well as procure new sites for respite spaces and shelter beds .

Council also voted on a number items to address the lack of shelter spaces as the system reaches a breaking point. Over the last few years, we have grappled with the rising demand for shelter spaces while facing significant financial constraints. Council adopted a report calling on the federal government to do their fair share in responding to this crisis, including matching the provincial increase of $6.67 million funding for the Canada Ontario Housing Benefit program and urgently funding and operationalizing federal sites such as armouries to provide emergency accommodations for refugees and asylum seekers.  

With the colder weather upon us, the urgency of the matter rises. I call on you to connect with your federal representatives to urge them to do their fair share and support the City's efforts to provide warmth and shelter for those seeking refuge.

Sincerely,

Gord

- Development Items at Toronto East York Community Council

          - 403 Keele Street and 48-50 Heintzman Street

          - 209 Mavety Street

          - 2760 Dundas Street West

- Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods - Survey deadline extension

- Micromobility - Public Survey

- Bloor West Bike Lanes and Complete Street Extension Update

- Callout for a basketball tournament at Masaryk Cowan Community Centre

- Reminder: Community meeting - Development Proposal for 1730 Bloor Street West

Friends,

2024 Budget launch and consultations

As the City faces significant financial challenges with a projected $1.5 billion operating shortfall in 2024 and a $46.5 billion shortfall over the next 10 years, it is critical for Torontonians to voice what services are most important to them and how we pay for it.

The Mayor and City Council want to hear from Torontonians on the City's 2024 Budget. This year the budget process will include an additional month-long public consultation process.

There will be three virtual and five in-person meetings in various neighbourhoods across Toronto. Residents can also share their thoughts through a survey which will be available until November 30. The link to the survey and the registration links for all the consultation meetings are available on the City's webpage.

What we hear from residents will help to define Toronto's priorities, guide budget decision making, and support the City's discussions with the Province of Ontario and the Government of Canada to secure a new deal for Toronto.  

Your voice is important in this process. Be a part of this conversation so that we bring our shared vision to life and build back better.

Toronto Community Crisis Service (TCCS) expansion

This week, following a successful first year of the Toronto Community Crisis Service (TCCS) pilot, the City's Executive Committee adopted a report to expand this program city-wide by the end of 2024.

The TCCS is an alternate approach to responding to someone in crisis that focuses on health, prevention and well-being.

This non-police-led, 24/7, community-based, client-centered and trauma informed service to support non-emergency crisis calls will become the fourth municipal emergency service alongside Toronto Fire, Paramedic and Police services.

TCCS staff can be dispatched by calling 911 or 211.

Sincerely,

Gord

- Community meeting: Development Proposal for 1730 Bloor Street West

- Community meeting: Transportation and Pedestrian Study at Exhibition Place 

- Closure Notice: Bloor St. West from Dundas St. West to Perth Ave

- Update Bloor West Bike Lanes and Complete Street Extension

- Community Event: High Park Walking Tour - Art in the Park

Friends,

This week, the City released an extensive and ambitious housing report to tackle our growing housing crisis.

The report “Generational Transformation of Toronto’s Housing System to Urgently Build More Affordable Homes" responds to Toronto City Council’s direction to develop a plan to approve 25,000 new rent-controlled homes in addition to what was already planned, thereby increasing the City’s total housing target to 65,000 new rent-controlled homes including a minimum of 41,000 affordable rental, 6,500 RGI homes and 17,500 rent-controlled market homes by 2030.

The estimated cost to deliver the remaining 60,545 homes is between $28.6 billion and $31.5 billion across the next seven years and requires contributions from all orders of government. The report includes estimates of funding needed from each order of government to be between $500 million and $800 million per year, in addition to repayable financing.

The report details recommendations including dedicating more City-owned land to create new affordable homes; accelerating the delivery of “housing ready” projects on City and not-for-profit owned land; streamlining and optimizing people, processes and technology to expedite approvals and housing delivery; and supporting the not-for-profit and co-op housing sectors.

Since the launch of the HousingTO Plan, the City has committed approximately $8 billion in land, capital and operating funding and waived fees and charges. However, the growing housing and homelessness crises require a more robust range of actions across the housing continuum to adequately address the needs of current and future residents.

While the City is committed to taking every possible action within its jurisdictional and financial capacity to address the housing crisis, financial support from the federal and provincial governments is necessary.

I call on you to connect with your provincial and federal representatives to urge them to stand with us so that we may make a concerted effort to build more affordable housing.

Sincerely,

Gord

- Seasonal Public washrooms closing soon

- Jane Street Road Resurfacing

- Junction Residents Association's Halloween Howl

- Bloor West Complete Street Extension Update

Friends,

Next week, at the Planning and Housing Committee, there will be two items on the agenda pertaining to the Parkdale Hub.

The intention of the Parkdale Hub is to improve and expand important City-owned facilities and community agency space at the intersection of Queen Street West and Cowan Avenue. The Parkdale Hub was considered by City Council in 2017 as an opportunity to integrate and improve service delivery and unlock City-owned lands for new affordable rental housing.

In May of 2023, City Council approved the site to be included as part of the Housing Now Initiative to advance the affordable rental housing component of the project.

Two staff reports include Item PH7.5 which recommends approval of City-initiated Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments, and the Rental Housing Demolition application to permit the proposed development concept. The proposal is to build at least 231 new rental housing units, of which between 30-50 percent will be new affordable rental housing units in accordance with the City's Housing Now Initiative; and item PH7.11 which recommends that Council approve the alterations proposed for the designated heritage properties at 220 Cowan Avenue and 1313 Queen Street West. The impacts of the proposed development on the heritage properties are mitigated through the overall conservation strategy and the compatible design of the new construction. 

Planning and Housing Committee meeting can be viewed live on October 26th at Toronto City Council - YouTube .

I will continue to provide updates more information on this project becomes available. Please share any comments or questions by emailing [email protected]

Sincerely,

Gord

- Lambton Park Playground Enhancement Project Update

- Western Beaches Public Realm Plan

- Emergency Bridge Repairs: Dufferin Street Bridge

- Bloor Street West Full Closure for Bridge Installation

- Bloor West Complete Street Extension

- CaféTO Update 

Friends,

As I write this letter, I am participating in the second day of the October City Council meeting.

Yesterday on the Council floor, we debated and voted on one of the Mayor's key agenda items Transitioning the Vehicle-for-Hire Industry to Net Zero Emissions

In December 2021, City Council directed Municipal Licensing and Standards (MLS) to set a goal of net zero emissions by 2030 for vehicles-for-hire (VFH), and to align plans for vehicle electrification and emissions reduction to achieve this ambitious goal .

The Economic and Development Committee recommended that Council approve amendments requiring individuals renewing or applying for a vehicle-for-hire licence to use a Zero Emissions Vehicle. By January 1, 2031 all vehicles-for-hire must be Zero Emissions Vehicle.   

Staff will be reporting back in late 2024 regarding the City's plan to support the capacity and infrastructure needs of the electrification of the Vehicle-for-Hire sector as well a comprehensive framework regarding transportation and emission impacts. While we await that report, Council has approved amendments to maintain the current number of net total vehicles-for-hire licenses, with the exception of zero-emission vehicles.

My comments during Council on this item.

Yesterday I also introduced a condolence motion for community activist, Diane Rajaram:

The Mayor and Members of Toronto City Council are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Kissoondai (Diane) Rajaram on Tuesday, September 19, 2023.

Diane was an active member of the Parkdale community where she lived for over forty years.

Her community involvement started as a volunteer of the Safe Arrivals Program at Dr Rita Cox - Kina Minagok Public School and grew to include serving on the Board of Parkdale Community Legal Services. She was a member of, and for a time took on the title of President, Parkdale Tenants Association, and was actively  involved with the Parkdale-High Park New Democratic Party.

Her passion was a constant source of inspiration for the community.

She participated in numerous campaigns to address issues around tenant rights, employee wages, refugee status and the rights of psychiatric survivors. Diane was often the first point of contact for neighbours in crisis.

Diane was employed for many years as a Personal Support Worker assisting seniors to remain independent in their homes.

Her proudest role was being mother to Nadia, who she raised to be a champion for social justice.

Sincerely,

Gord

- Planning Updates 

     - 7 Laxton Community Consultation Meeting on October 17

     - 1728 Bloor St W Application Update

     - Presentations for 1266 Queen St W and 1437 - 1455 Queen St W

     - Consultations on Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods

- Municipal Licensing and Standards Updates

     - Short-term Rental Implementation Consultations

     - Learn more about changes to RentSafeTO

     - Reminder: Heat in Apartment Buildings

- Construction Updates

     - Streetcar Track Replacement - Dufferin and Springhurst

     - 2442-2454 Bloor St W and 1-9 Riverview Gardens at TEYCC

- Community Events

     - Junction Farmers Market ending on Oct 28

     - High Park Walking tour - Oct 15

Friends,

Last week at  Executive Committee, City staff provided a status update report on the City's Vacancy Home Tax.

The intent of this Vacant Homes tax is to dissuade property owners from leaving much needed housing vacant and unused while this year generating $54 million.

Along with the update, staff proposed administrative changes to improve the process of declaration as well as to increase to the tax rate from 1% to 3% of the property's current value assessment (CVA) for the year in which the home is vacant.

In my capacity as chair of the Planning and Housing Committee, I met with Reema Patel, the new Deputy Ombudsman (Housing). The Deputy Ombudsman's role is to oversee the fairness of the City of Toronto's housing policies and programs. I look forward to working with her and welcome her to this new role.

The Ombudsman’s office will also be presenting a report to City Council next week on their recommendations to Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) to ensure that tenant’s human rights are respected and protected. TCHC has agreed to take steps to implement all recommendations. 

Next week’s City Council meeting agenda is now online and the meeting can also be watched live on the City’s youtube channel.

Sincerely,

Gord

- Wabash Community Centre Update

- REMINDER: Community Consultation Meeting on October 10

     - Development application at 1437 -1455 Queen St W

     - Development application at 1266 Queen St W

- 7 Laxton Community Consultation Meeting on October 17

- Parkdale Hub at Toronto Preservation Board

- Mechanical Leaf Collection Changes

- Bloor West Complete Street Extension Update #5

- Seniors Assistance Home Maintenance Program

- Runnymede Library reopens tomorrow

Friends,

In the last few days, I have been contacted by community members regarding a deadline related to rent-geared-to-income (RGI) housing applications.

Due to the Housing Services Act, a piece of provincial legislation, housing providers are required to review eligibility of applicants and to take action to cancel applications if there is no response from applicants to outreach attempts.

In order to help applicants to streamline their application process, complete annual reviews, view housing options, and connect with the City's RGI team, the City created an online portal called MyAccesstoHousingTO. 

Since July 2021, the City has been working with community partners, including shelters and housing organizations, to connect with applicants to ensure they register and are active on the portal. Communication efforts included five Canada Post letters campaigns, registration clinics and workshops, and providing access to 800+ shelter and community partner agency staff to support clients.

While staff have put in a tremendous amount of effort to ensure applicants move to the new system, there are still approximately 30,000 applicants who have not made contact and are at risk of having their applications cancelled.

Therefore today, at the Planning and Housing Committee, I put forward a motion to extend the deadline for housing applicants to move to the portal to at least January 31, 2024. Additionally, there will be a 24-month grace period after the deadline to allow applicants to be put back on the list.

I also advocated for additional resources for frontline workers and staff to ensure better supports are provided for transitioning applicants.

I would like to thank community members who've written and called in. I'm committed to continue conversations with housing activists and those with lived experiences to ensure that this process is a fair and just one.

Sincerely,

Gord

- Community Consultation Meeting on October 10

     - Development application at 1437 -1455 Queen St W

     - Development application at 1266 Queen St W

- Bloor West Complete Street Extension Update

- Roncesvalles Village 3rd annual Truth and Reconciliation Day Event

- CultureLink Workshops at the Parkdale Library

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

Friends,

Yesterday, I attended an on-site meeting in High Park with staff from the City's Parks and Urban Forestry divisions. It was a great opportunity for me to see the important work taking place in the park to protect this environmentally sensitive area. I truly appreciate all of the important work City staff are conducting to protect and increase the biodiversity that exists within the Park.

Urban Forestry staff have been leading conservation efforts within the park to protect the Black Oak savannah which is a globally rare and threatened ecosystem. In Toronto, Black Oak savannah remnants can be found in South Humber Park, Lambton Park and High Park – much of which is located in our ward. High Park contains approximately 29 hectares of fragmented savannah and oak woodland, and is the most significant area of remnant prairie and savannah plant communities in the Toronto region. This unique environment supports a diversity of flora and fauna and has one of the highest diversity count of Ontario's ecosystems. Staff have been working for many years to protect this environment and focus on restoration efforts through activities which include planting and prescribed burns.

A prescribed burn is a deliberately set and carefully controlled fire. Fire-dependent ecosystems, such as Black Oak savannahs, contain rare native prairie plants that respond positively to burning and grow more vigorously. These burns are a part of the City’s long-term management plan to restore and protect rare Black Oak woodlands and savannahs in Toronto. You can learn more about this here: toronto.ca/services-payments/water-environment/trees/forest-management/urban-forest-management/prescribed-burn/

My office will continue to work closely with staff to look at how we can improve our efforts to protect and restore the natural spaces in High Park, while engaging the wider community in supporting this work.

Sincerely,

Gord

Transportation Updates

   - Bloor West Complete Street Extension

   - TTC Route Changes due to Ukrainian and Polish Festivals

   - Service Change - 501 Queen Street Car

Apply for the new Housing Rights Advisory Committee

PollinateTO Grants now open

Reminder Community Environment Day

Friends,

Yesterday, Council voted in favour of a number of key items on affordable housing, refugee supports and City's fiscal plan.

Council directed the City manager to create a plan including an implementation framework and a timeline to build 25,000 new rent-controlled homes with a mandate to report back later this year.

I am proud of the City's commitment to taking meaningful steps in solving the housing crisis. The support from the community is integral in pushing forward this work.

Here are my comments in support of this important motion.

In light of the unprecedented pressures on our shelter system due to an influx of refugee claimants, staff reported that the City will incur an estimated cost of $200 million in 2023 and $250 million in 2024. Council voted in favour of requesting the federal government fully reimburse the City for these costs along with other sustainable and fair funding tools.

I want to thank the community churches and organizations that have made space available to ease some of the pressure. I encourage you to write to your federal representatives to support the City and the community in providing shelter to our growing houseless population.

Toronto City Council also approved the Updated Long Term Financial Plan, including a series of actions to address Toronto’s unprecedented financial crisis. The City faces an estimated $1.5 billion shortfall for the 2024 operating budget and an estimated $46.5 billion shortfall over the next 10 years. This will have a direct impact on the City's ability to provide programs and services.

City Council voted on a number of important actions to help reducing the funding gap. Among the measures, they voted in favour of implementing a graduated Municipal Land Transfer Tax rate for residential properties valued above $3 million. Additionally they opted to remove the cap of $5/hour for on-street parking rates and to conduct a comprehensive rate review. Council also requested staff reports on new revenue and policy tools such as a foreign buy land transfer tax and a commercial parking levy. Finally, they requested that the Province upload the responsibility and costs associated with the continued construction and maintenance of the Gardiner Expressway and the Don Valley Parkway, including any future capital and operating costs.

However, even with the actions approved by Council, immediate and sustained support from the Government of Canada and the Province is urgently needed. Council will request that the Province authorize new revenue tools that grow with the economy, such as a municipal sales tax on the purchase of goods and services in Toronto, or a share of existing sales taxes. Along with my Council colleagues, I will continue to advocate for both orders of government to contribute their fair share to ensure the City can continue providing vital services and programs to all its residents.

If you would like to watch the complete council meeting, can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/@TorontoCityCouncilLive/

Sincerely,

Gord

TTC Updates 

   - Keele Station Track Maintenance

   - Route Changes 501

   - Route Changes 504

Community news and events

   - Community Environment Day

   - High Park Walking Tour

   - Swansea Historical Society

Municipal Licencing and Standards Updates

   - Noise By-law

   - Night Economy

Parks Forestry and Recreation Updates

   - Marilyn Bell Tennis Courts

   - Sunnyside Boardwalk 

Friends,

Today the City of Toronto Executive Committee is meeting for the first time under Mayor Chow. I am pleased to be a member of this committee. Two important items are in discussion.

First, a report from the City Manager and the Interim Chief Financial Officer provides an updated Long-Term Financial Plan (LTFP) for the city which identifies immediate and long-term opportunities to address the City's fiscal challenges, which amount to an expected $46.5 billion over the next 10 years. This report includes options to review operating expenditures, financial incentives, new and existing revenue tools, capital prioritization, asset transactions, and intergovernmental funding arrangements. The report can be read online at: https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2023/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-238625.pdf. While the City has limited revenue tools and strategies available under the City of Toronto Act, the LTFP makes every effort to address the City's financial challenges on its own. However, ultimately, the City's existing revenues do not match the complexity or the level of expenditures incurred and new revenue sources are required.

The second item introduced by Mayor Chow is to create a plan, an implementation framework and a timeline to build 25,000 new rent-controlled homes. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2023.EX7.2.

This is an exciting time at City Hall as we focus on making important changes to address the significant issues our city faces. We are primed to make some bold changes with Mayor Chow at the helm and the recent reshuffle of Committee appointments. Keep reading our newsletter to stay up to date on City Hall goings-on as we tackle these problems.

Sincerely,

Gord

Planning & Development Updates

   - Ontario Place Redevelopment – Public Consultation meetings

   - West Queen West Planning Study Community Meeting

   - OLT Decision on 1354-1360 Queen St W/8-14 Brock Ave

   - 1304 King St West Pre-application Meeting

   - 2442-2454 Bloor Street West Community Meeting

City Divisions Updates

  - Fall Recreation Program Listings

  - Runnymede Library Renovation Closure

  - Gus Ryder Pool extended season

  - TTC Survey - deadline August 27

Friends,

Today, the Striking Committee made Council member appointment recommendations to fill positions on various committees and boards.

One of my appointments is the Chair of the Planning and Housing Committee.

I deeply view housing as a human right and I will advocate for building and investing in more affordable, supportive and social housing. I also look forward to continuing my work with the community and my colleagues on various committees, boards and agencies.

Here is a complete list of my appointments -

   Executive Committee

Standing Committees:

   Chair, Planning and Housing Committee

Special Committees

   Vice-Chair, Budget Committee

City Boards

   Board of Health

Heriage Boards

   Heritage Toronto

   Toronto Preservation Board

Other City Bodies:

   Toronto and East York Community Council

Council Advisory Boards

   Housing Rights advisory committee

External Boards and Committees

   Artscape Toronto

   Housing Services Corporation

   Toronto and Region Conservation Authority

   BIAs in Ward 4

   Swansea Town Hall

For any Ward 4 or City-related matters, feel free to contact my office at [email protected] .

Sincerely,

Gord

Public Education Campaigns from Municipal, Licensing and Standards:

   - Using Leaf Blower 

   - Responsible Dog Ownership

Community Events:

   - Toronto Nature Stewards - Aug 23

   - TRCA Celebrate the Humber - Aug 27

Friends,

I am pleased to share that the City will be undertaking work to implement the first steps of the High Park Movement Strategy.

Starting on Monday, July 31, the City of Toronto will begin implementing the first phase of improvements to how park visitors access and move around High Park.

Changes that will be in effect as of Saturday, August 5 include:

• The West Road and parts of Colborne Lodge Drive, south of Grenadier Café, will be car-free at all times
• The main vehicle entrance will be at Parkside Drive and High Park Boulevard and will be open Monday to Friday and closed on weekends and holidays. Visitor vehicles will not be permitted to enter at Bloor Street West
• Visitor vehicle access will be provided to the Children's Garden, Colborne Lodge Drive and the Spring Road Parking lot at all times
• Public parking spaces within High Park will be reduced. Designated pick-up/drop-off spaces will be added near main destinations
• Dedicated bike lanes will be added to Centre Road and Colborne Lodge Drive
• Improved pavement markings and signage will be added to pedestrian crossing areas

Council also endorsed the continued closure of High Park to visitor vehicles on Saturdays, Sundays and statutory holidays and a long-term strategy to achieve a car-free park. High Park has been closed to visitor vehicles on weekends and holidays since March 2020.

The HPMS was launched in 2021 with goals to improve safety, accessibility and the park's natural environment. Recommendations were informed by extensive research and analysis, including traffic and parking studies and feedback gathered through a multi-phase engagement process that reached more than 10,000 participants.

For more information about the project, visit www.toronto.ca/highparkmove.

And please contact my office if you have any questions by email at [email protected] or by phone 416-392-7919.

Sincerely,

Gord

In this week's Newsletter:

• Developments:
  • 2442 - 2454 Bloor St West: Meeting Postponed
  • 2115 - 2117 Bloor St West: Meeting Aug 2nd
  • 2280 Dundas St West Update
• Dufferin Bridge Closure: Meeting Aug 3rd
• TTC Fair Pass Discount Program Expansion
• High Park Walking Tour:  Aug 6
• DonateTO: housing refugee claimants

Friends,

Here are a few highlights from this week's City Council meeting:

Mayor Chow brought forward two key items – securing shelter and supports for refugees, and declaring gender-based violence and intimate partner violence an epidemic in the City of Toronto.

The Mayor's motion to secure shelter and supports for refugees was approved unanimously. It recommends that the City match the provincial contribution of $6.67 million to the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit program, while requesting that the federal government provide its historical 2/3 funding to the program. The motion also requests that the City Manager increase the number of temporary shelters available. Council expressed its gratitude to the federal government for providing $97 million through the Interim Housing Assistance Program but reiterated the request for the full $157 million.

As part of the motion to declare gender-based violence an epidemic, Mayor Chow directed the City Manager to work in partnership with City staff including the Medical Officer of Health and the Director of the Indigenous Affairs Office. The recommendations include urging the provincial and federal governments to enact the Renfrew inquest's jury recommendations which provide a roadmap to prevent intimate partner violence from escalating to femicide.

Council voted unanimously in favour of both of Mayor Chow's key items.

Yesterday, Council also voted in favour of pursuing a ban on two-stroke engine equipment. Two-stroke engine leaf blowers, which are gas powered, negatively impacts climate, air quality and health.

In other news, I have been appointed as a member of the City's Striking Committee which will meet in August 2023 to assign Councillors to new positions on standing committees. Stay tuned for more updates on this matter.

For any Ward 4 or City-related issues, contact my office at [email protected].

Sincerely,

Gord

Send your favorite photos of places in Ward 4, Parkdale-High Park to [email protected] . Don't forget to tell us your name so that we can give you credit when we share your photo!

In this week's newsletter:

• Development Meetings
  • date change for 2442 - 2454 Bloor St West
  • 2115 - 2117 Bloor St West
• Ontario Place for All
• Swansea Summer Music Series at Swansea Town Hall 

Friends,

This week, I had the pleasure of attending the Indigenous Welcome Ceremony and the Mayoral Declaration of Office Ceremony for Mayor Olivia Chow. It was a moving celebration and I look forward to the work ahead.

Last week, I highlighted the need for federal governments to take responsibility for providing funding and housing supports for refugees and asylum seekers as many continue to turn to a shelter system which is at a breaking point.

On Monday, as part of the General Government Committee I spoke on this matter. My comments can be viewed by clicking the image below:

This matter will be at Council on the July 19-21, 2023 meeting.

The agenda will be available here https://secure.toronto.ca/council/#/committees/2462/23196 and the meeting can be viewed live at https://www.youtube.com/@TorontoCityCouncilLive

The meeting will also be Mayor Chow's first Council meeting.

I look forward to continuing the work to resolve the housing crisis with short term solutions of making more shelter beds available and the long term solution of building affordable housing.

Sincerely,

Gord

• Community Meeting on the 2442-2454 Bloor St W (Bijou) site
• Emergency Bridge Closure – Dufferin Street Bridge 
• High Park Walking Tour - July 16
• Reminder: Ward 4 Community Environment Day 

Friends,

Refugees and asylum seekers in our City are facing a crisis in accessing shelter and other supports. The federal government needs to take responsibility for providing funding and housing supports to these individuals and families.

The City's shelter system is at a breaking point. Over the last few years, we have grappled with the rising demand for shelter spaces while facing significant financial constraints. While the City has increased shelter occupancy from supporting 4,000 people in 2016, to 9,000 people today, we are still unable to meet the demand for hundreds of additional spaces each night. The Federal government already owes the City more than $97 million this year alone for providing housing and other supports to refugees.

Every month, there are roughly 500 families and individuals who are unable to find housing who are now turning to the shelter systems. Community organizations providing front-line services to refugees have issued a joint public statement calling for urgent action to address the refugee housing crisis. We need to act quickly, especially before the winter months.

I will be working with my Council colleagues to call on the federal government to renew their funding commitments and ensure they have a long-term plan in place for supporting refugees and asylum seekers. I encourage you to reach out to your MP Arif Virani on this matter as well.

I also encourage you to take action by signing this Progress Toronto petition: https://www.progresstoronto.ca/petition-tell-ottawa-to-support-sheltering-refugees 

Sincerely,

Gord

In this week's newsletter:

• Community Environment Day on July 15
• Outdoor pools and wading pools are now open

Friends,

On June 26, 2023, Toronto residents elected Olivia Chow as the new Mayor of Toronto. I want to wish Olivia and her team a hearty congratulations. I look forward to welcoming her officially as the Mayor of Toronto on July 12.  

I also wanted to provide an update on a matter that is on the City's Economic and Community Development Committee July 6th agenda, a staff report titled Alcohol in Parks Pilot Program.

The report proposes a pilot program to allow personal alcohol consumption in twenty parks across Toronto. Under the proposed rules, drinking will be allowed inside the participating parks, except for children’s areas (playgrounds, splash pads, wading pools) and higher risk park amenities (outdoor pools and skate parks).

A set of guiding principles were developed to inform the park selection process. Based on those principles, staff recommended Lithuania Park in Ward 4 for a pilot. All other parks in Ward 4 were excluded as they did not meet the selection criteria.

Throughout this process, I have called on City staff to ensure community consultations be undertaken prior to implementation of any pilots to ensure we minimize any potential harms. Engaging the community to ensure our approach creates areas of safe alcohol consumption is critical. Alcohol use causes health and social harms. You can learn more about these concerns here: https://www.camh.ca/-/media/files/pdfs---public-policy-submissions/camh-alcoholpolicyframework-2019-pdf.pdf

Due to the timelines of this pilot, staff would not conduct community consultations. This means that the community would not have the opportunity to be thoroughly informed, ask questions and ensure that the pilot is tailored to meet local needs. Therefore I refrained from including Lithuania Park in Ward 4 as part of the pilot. While I support the consumption of alcohol in designated public spaces, we need to take a community-centred approach to making these changes in our City.

An evaluation of the pilot will be conducted to understand the impacts of the program for park visitors and the surrounding communities. I look forward to the results of this evaluation as well as opportunities to include community voices as we implement this program in a safe manner.

Sincerely,

Gord

Friends,

Election day for the 2023 by-election for the Mayor of Toronto is on Monday, June 26 and 1,445 voting locations will be open across the city from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters must cast their ballot at the voting location assigned to them in the ward where they live.

Voters can visit MyVote to:

• Search their address to find out where to vote
• View, download or print a Voter Information Card (if they are on the voters’ list)
• Find accessibility information about their voting location
• Review a sample of the ballot
• Review the candidates running for mayor.

Voter eligibility

To vote in the 2023 by-election for mayor, voters must be:

• a Canadian citizen; and
• at least 18 years old; and
• a resident in the city of Toronto; or
• a non-resident of Toronto, but they or their spouse own or rent property in the city; and
• not prohibited from voting under any law.

What to bring to the voting place

Voters are reminded to bring identification showing their name and qualifying Toronto address and their Voter Information Card (VIC), if they received one. VICs provide information about when and where to vote and can contribute to a more efficient voting experience. VICs are not required to vote and cannot be used as identification.

Accessibility for election day

The Voter Assist Terminal is a ballot-marking device that allows voters with disabilities to mark their ballot privately and independently. The features include a touch screen, an audio function, a braille keypad, a sip/puff tube device, a rocker paddle/foot switch and zoom features to adjust font sizes and colour contrast.

If a voter requires the use of a Voter Assist Terminal on election day and one is not located at their designated voting location, they can request to have their ballot transferred by calling 416-338-1111, press 6.

More information about Toronto’s 2023 by-election for mayor is available on the Toronto Elections webpage.

• Update on 2280 Dundas Street West
• Parkside Drive Study Update
• Committee of Adjustment Hybrid Hearings
• High Park Restoration Program

Friends,

Yesterday, I was pleased to vote for the Bloor Complete Street proposal at City Council. This vital connection between Runnymede and Resurrection Road will add much needed cycling infrastructure along Bloor Street.

As Toronto continues to grow, other forms of transportation need to be improved. New strategies are needed to move more people safely, quickly, and comfortably. Improving the city's cycling network is one of several strategies being implemented to improve the ease of moving within the city. I was pleased to support staff recommendations and will continue to advocate for safe cycling infrastructure and other forms of mass transportation.

Changes to Bloor Street West would be made with materials that can be installed quickly, such as planters, bollards, roadway paint, and signage. No major road reconstruction is planned, and installation would take place in two phases in 2023 and 2024. More information on the Bloor Complete Streets project, which also includes additional safety measures for the area such as painted curb extensions, the construction of missing sidewalk connections, improvements to the South Kingsway/Bloor intersection, and various accessibility improvements can be found here. The project proposes road safety improvements, cycle tracks, and public realm upgrades to meet Toronto’s Vision Zero Road Safety Plan and Climate Change Action Plan goals.

In addition to installing more bike lanes there is a plan to expedite the implementation of priority bus-only lanes across the city via the Surface Transit Network Plan. The plan anticipates that the improved reliability of the new priority bus-only lanes will result in a faster and more reliable commute. The City has identified the top 20 Transit Corridors to start this project including the following locations in Ward 4: Jane Street, Keele Street, and Dufferin Street. More information on this project can be found here.

Best,

Gord

• Public Consultation Notice: Wabash Community Centre Project 
• 150 Dunn Ave Modular Housing Update
• Multiplexes Now Permitted City-wide
• 3239-3251 Dundas St W: Zoning By-law Amendment
  
• REMINDER: 2400-2440 Dundas St W Community Meeting 
• Toronto Nature Stewards Events
• Good Neighbour Guide for Residential Infill Construction is now available 
• Join LEAF's Young Ravine Leaders!

Friends,

The Bloor Street West Complete Street Extension between Runnymede Road and Resurrection Road aims to make travel on the street safer, more inviting, and attractive for everyone. 

I am pleased to share that the public consultation is complete and that Transportation Services will be recommending installation of complete street elements on Bloor Street West from Runnymede Road to Resurrection Road as well as accompanying changes to the South Kingsway intersection. 

If approved, phase 1 from Runnymede Road to Aberfoyle Crescent will be installed in summer of 2023.

This is great news for all road users.

Proposed changes to the street include road safety improvements, cycle tracks, and public realm upgrades to meet Toronto’s Vision Zero Road Safety Plan and Climate Change Action Plan goals.

Changes to Bloor Street West will be made with materials that can be installed quickly, such as bollards, roadway paint, planters and signage. No major road reconstruction is planned.

In Ward 4, Highlights of the proposed design on Bloor Street West include the following:

• Reducing the speed limit to 40km/hr between Runnymede Road and Kipling Avenue;
• New cycle tracks with physical separation on both sides;
• One motor vehicle lane removed in each direction between Runnymede Road and Aberfoyle Crescent;
• Centre lane or median converted to new, centre left-turn lane from Armadale Avenue to South Kingsway; Old Mill Drive to Riverside Drive
• Westbound bus lane and right-turn lane on the north side of Bloor Street West from Armadale Avenue to Jane Street;
• On-street parking retained on both sides of the street from Runnymede Road to Armadale Avenue, and in existing parking lay-bys from Armadale Avenue to Aberfoyle Crescent (in the summer, on-street parking can become cafés beside the sidewalk as part of the CaféTO program);

Highlights of the proposed design at the South Kingsway intersection include the following:

• New cycle tracks and removal of one motor vehicle lane per direction on Bloor Street West;

• Close the eastern entrance of Mossom Road to southbound vehicles in order to improve safety and predictability of motor vehicle movements at the intersection. The majority of pedestrian collisions have occurred with drivers turning across the South Kingsway crosswalk with pedestrians having the right-of-way. Two irregular driving manoeuvers would no longer be allowed with the proposed closure to the eastern entrance. Mossom Road would be converted to two-way travel for part of its length to provide residential access. A new left-turn lane would be provided at Riverside Drive and the existing left-turn restriction from Bloor Street West would be removed;
• Extend the length of left-turn lanes for drivers turning from Bloor Street West onto South Kingsway and Jane Street; and
• Add more green signal time for the busiest motor vehicle movements.
• More details on the proposed changes are available here: ca/BloorWest

As part of the approval process, staff will report to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee on June 5, 2023. You can see the staff report here: https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2023.IE4.3

If you wish to register to speak to this item in person or virtual at Infrastructure and Environment Committee or if you wish to submit written comment, please email [email protected]. Registered speakers will be provided with instructions on connecting to the meeting.

IEC will also be streamed live online at www.youtube.com/TorontoCityCouncilLive

You can also contact my office by email at [email protected] or by phone at 416-392-7919 to share your feedback.

I look forward to continuing to work with you to make our streets and neighbourhoods safer.

Best,

Gord

In this week's newsletter

• New Public Space at the Dowling Avenue Bridge
• 1229 Queen Street West Pre-Application Open House
• Reminder: 1728 Bloor St. West Community Consultation Meeting
• -Parkdale Community Recreation Centre's (CRC) CampTO Explore program  - Registration Now Open
• Toronto Police Services Board Seeks Input from the Public for its Four-year Strategic Plan

Friends,

By now, my yearly newsletter has been delivered to most of the residents of Ward 4, Parkdale — High Park. This newsletter provides you with a summary of the work my office has been doing and highlights key City and community issues. In case you missed the physical newsletter, I am sharing a digital copy with you below.

Should you have comments or questions, please feel free to contact my office by email at [email protected] or by phone at 416-392-7919 to share your feedback.

Best,

Gord

• Advance voting starts today until June 13
• Development Applications
  • 2400-2440 Dundas St W
  • 1266 Queen St West
• City's programming adjusted due to Air Quality

Friends,

At yesterday's meeting of Toronto East York Community Council, I introduced a motion to reduce the speed of all arterial roads to 40KM in Ward 4 (with the exception of Lake Shore Boulevard). This motion was approved by the committee. This is an important step in the City's on-going work to implement Vision Zero and improve road safety. The Vision Zero Road Safety Plan is a comprehensive action plan focused on reducing traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries on Toronto’s streets. 

Although there are sections of arterial roads in our ward that are already posted as 40 km/h due to the proximity of schools, etc , there were still arterial roads posted as 50 km/h. The intent of this motion is to provide consistency, improve safety and protect the most vulnerable road users.

More information about the motions from the meeting can be found here:

https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2023.TE5.40

https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2023.TE5.53

The speed limit reduction on arterial roads compliments other work taking place to make our streets safe for all road users. For instance, the Complete Streets Guidelines address the needs of all users, such as people who walk, bicycle, take transit or drive, and people of varying ages and levels of ability. When roads and sidewalks are due for reconstruction, the City uses a Vision Zero lens for redesigning the streets.

The City is also conducting a review of the Traffic Calming Policy which will come to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee later this year. Please stay tuned for more information about this work.

Sincerely,

Gord

In this week's newsletter

• 1728 Bloor St. West Community Consultation Meeting
• Splash and Spray Pads open!
• Licensing & Zoning for Restaurants, Bars & Entertainment Venues
• Information on Responsible Dog Ownership
• Feeding wildlife information 
• Toronto Elections reminds eligible voters of May 26 deadline for mail-in voting applications

Friends,

At the May, 2023 City Council meeting, a motion to initiate pilot projects to legalize drinking alcohol in City parks was approved.

The motion directs staff to work with City Councillors interested in hosting a pilot in their ward. Staff will consult with Councillors, provide a list of parks most suited for the pilot, and report back with a recommended approach to the Economic and Community Development Committee this July. The proposed pilot is set to run from Saturday, August 5 to Monday, October 9^th, 2023

Council also requested that the report include advice from the Medical Officer of Health on any harm reduction, treatment or education programs to be in place prior to the approval and implementation of the pilots.

Too often this discussion gets lost in personal mores about alcohol. We need an approach which centres evidence and health. There are some indisputable facts. People will use alcohol. Alcohol use causes more health and social harms than all other drugs combined. Those harms are best dealt with by smart policies: treatment, education, and keeping areas of alcohol use safe.

I will be speaking with City staff in the coming days to better understand the impacts of this pilot project on our community. I would appreciate your input and feedback on what parameters or considerations you think the City needs to take. Please send your thoughts by email to [email protected].

I will continue to keep you updated as this work continues.

Sincerely,

Gord

• Update on 1660 Bloor Street West - Construction Staging Area
• Update on 3239-3251 Dundas Street West - Decision Report Approval
• Update on 35, 41, 95 High Park Avenue, 66, 102-116 Pacific Avenue -  Decision Report Approval 
• City of Toronto launches 2023 summer recreation program listings
• The Horticultural Societies of Parkdale & Toronto Plant Fair

Friends,

City Council has approved the High Park Movement Strategy (HPMS) final report and implementation plan which will be transformative for High Park. The City will continue to keep vehicle restrictions in place on Saturdays, Sunday and holiday Mondays. We have also committed to a long-term goal of getting to a car-free High Park. City staff have been given directions to develop a implementation plan on how we can achieve this while continuing to keep the park accessible.  

The HPMS will take a phased approach to changes in the park. The first phase of implementation will involve restricting vehicle access on West Rd and a portion of Colborne Lodge Drive to allow for designated spaces that are for pedestrians, cyclists and other modes of active transportation. Vehicles will be able to drive into the park Monday to Friday by entering through Parkside Dr and exiting onto Bloor St. Parking spaces will also be available in the park on weekdays. Private vehicle access will be restricted on Saturdays, Sundays and holiday Mondays.  

As the City works towards achieving a car-free park, we recognize that accessibility concerns need to be addressed. There are measures the City can introduce to ensure that the park remains accessible. The City will be exploring solutions such as expanding the TTC bus route within the park and introducing an accessible shuttle service that operates around the year in the park.

While there is still a great deal of work we must do, this is an important step in the right direction. Working to achieve a car-free High Park aligns with the City's commitments to Vision Zero, improved urban design and in achieving our climate change goals. I appreciate all of the community interest and feedback that has been shared and helped shape this strategy. I will continue to keep you updated as this work moves forward.

Sincerely,

Gord

• City Council adopts Multiplex study report
• 504 King Streetcar on Roncesvalles Avenue
• Swansea Horticultural Society Plant Sale - May 13th

Friends,

Starting this week, eligible voters can confirm they are on the voters’ list and add or update their information for Toronto’s 2023 by-election for mayor, taking place Monday, June 26. To appear on the final voters’ list, all revisions must be submitted to Toronto Elections by Friday, May 26.

Residents can check if they are on the voters’ list by visiting Toronto Elections MyVote or calling 311.

Voter information cards will be mailed to eligible voters on the voters’ list starting Tuesday, May 23. The cards provide information about when and where to vote either during the advance vote from June 8 to 13 or on Election Day, June 26.

If an eligible voter on the voters’ list does not receive their voter information card in the mail, they can visit MyVote (www.toronto.ca/myvote) and print or upload a digital copy of their voter information card to their mobile device to show at their voting location. Eligible voters do not need a voter information card to vote and it cannot be used as identification. More information about voter information cards is available on the Toronto Elections webpage .

All voters are required to show identification with their name and qualifying Toronto address. A complete list of acceptable identification is available on the Toronto Elections Identification webpage .

How to apply to vote by mail

Eligible voters can choose an alternative to in-person voting for Toronto’s 2023 by-election for mayor and can apply to vote by mail until May 26 at 4:30 p.m.

The mail-in voting option is a convenient way to vote, allowing applicants to vote from the comfort of their homes. Interested voters must apply to vote online by visiting the Toronto Elections Vote by Mail webpage  or by calling Toronto Elections at 416-338-1111 and pressing 5.

More information about mail-in voting and how to apply is available on the Toronto Elections Vote by Mail webpage .

Completed mail-in voting packages must be received by Thursday, June 15, at noon. Completed packages can be returned through Canada Post to arrive by the deadline or hand delivered to a secure mail-in voting drop box. One yellow drop box will be available in each of Toronto’s wards between June 1 and June 15. Drop box locations will be listed on the Vote by Mail webpage  in late May.

Jobs available for the 2023 by-election

Applicants can now register and book an interview for temporary paid positions to work during the 2023 by-election for mayor. Voting place election officials will help Toronto residents vote in person during six advance voting days from Thursday, June 8 to Tuesday, June 13 and on election day, Monday, June 26.

Available positions include ballot officers, tabulator officers, customer service officers and standby officers. Successful applicants will enhance their skills in customer service, problem solving and teamwork.

Anyone who is at least 18 years of age and legally eligible to work in Canada can apply. Role responsibilities, requirements, pay and time commitments, including training and working hours, are available on the Toronto Elections employment webpage .

More information about Toronto’s 2023 by-election for mayor is available on the Toronto Elections webpage .

Sincerely,

Gord

• Request for Proposals has been issued for 150 Dunn Supportive Housing
• High Park Movement Strategy Coming to City Council 
• Free Leaf Compost Saturday May 6th 
• 2453-2569 Bloor Street West Pre-Application Community Meeting

Friends,

I am happy to share that the High Park Movement Strategy (HPMS) final report has been approved by the Infrastructure and Environment Committee (IEC). As I have shared in previous emails, I have advocated as part of this process to set the path for a car-free High Park and to keep the vehicle restrictions in place on Saturdays, Sundays and holiday weekdays. Based on a motion I prepared for IEC, we were successful in achieving these changes.

Here is a link to the full report that was considered by the Infrastructure and Environment Committee. You can also see my comments at the committee meeting here: https://youtu.be/-t9ROOeZO6w

The report will be considered at the May 10-12 City Council meeting. Once the agenda for the City Council meeting goes live on May 5, you can share your feedback on the strategy with members of City Council by emailing [email protected].

Following approval by City Council, staff will begin to implement changes proposed in the High Park Movement Strategy. The first phase of implementation will involve restricting vehicle access on West Rd and a portion of Colborne Lodge Drive to allow for designated spaces that are for pedestrians or cyclists only. Vehicles will be able to drive into the park using the Parkside Dr entrance and exit onto Bloor St. The park will also continue to restrict vehicle access on weekends and holiday Mondays.

Thank you to the thousands of residents who took the time to share feedback and inform the development of this strategy. As a result, we are taking important steps to make High Park safer for all visitors.

Sincerely,

Gord

• Update on the Parkdale Hub Project
• Seniors Assistance Home Maintenance Program
• Notice: 2453-2569 Bloor Street West Pre-Application Community Meeting
• Reminder: Virtual Community Meeting for 1660 Bloor St West - May 2
• Free Leaf Compost on April 29, May 4 and May 6
• Junction Farmers Market Board are now accepting applications

Friends,

The cherry blossom (Sakura) trees in High Park are set to reach peak bloom this week. Tens of thousands of people regularly take part in the viewing of blossoming Sakura in High Park. The blossoms typically last four to 10 days, depending on weather conditions.

Vehicle access and parking in High Park will be restricted starting Thursday, April 20 for the duration of peak bloom, with the exception of TTC Wheel-Trans vehicles. We encourage you to take public transit, cycle or walk to the park to enjoy the cherry blossoms.

City parks contain ecologically sensitive areas. Visitors are asked to stay on paved trails, avoid climbing the cherry trees or removing blossoms or branches, and use designated bins for litter and recycling.

More information, including a map of locations and accessibility information is available at: www.toronto.ca/cherryblossoms

Update on the High Park Movement Strategy

The High Park Movement Strategy (HPMS) has been in development for over a year and half and is finally set to come to Infrastructure and Environment Committee on April 26^th, followed by City Council on May 10^th. 

Thanks to the great work of City staff and the participation of thousands of residents and community groups, we are now closer to approving a final plan.  You can read the staff report here: https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2023.IE3.7

Having reviewed the full report, I see the opportunity to build on the proposed strategy. I will be working with members of Council and City staff to look at what steps we need to take to get to a car-free High Park. There are two specific areas of the strategy that I would like to see improved:

First, I believe we can move forward on this strategy without losing the achievements we have already made. This means keeping the vehicle restrictions on Saturday, Sunday and holiday weekdays. Weekend vehicles restrictions have already been in place for the last two years and have been well received by visitors to the park.

Secondly, the majority of residents who engaged in the HPMS process shared their vision for a car-free park. While we cannot immediately achieve that, I believe that the City must set a goal of achieving a car free park and initiate the work for implementation. Some examples of steps the City will need to take include expanding the TTC bus route that serves the park and introducing a year-round accessible shuttle service within the park.

Interested individuals have a final opportunity to share their thoughts on the Report and recommendations at the April 26^th Infrastructure and Environment Committee meeting. You can request to speak at the Committee or submitting your written comments by email  to [email protected] or by calling 416-396-7287. Please make sure to reference that your comments are about IE3.7 - High Park Movement Strategy - Final Report.

The report proposes a mix of area-based and time-based road closures including permanently closing West Road and portions of Colborne Lodge Drive to vehicles at all times.

Staff have also proposed vehicles restrictions continue within the park on Sundays only. Road closures would be supported by traffic calming measures and improvements to pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, transit and shuttle service, changes to parking, public realm and renaturalization opportunities and a recreational cycling pilot.

You can see my earlier statement on the HPMS strategy here.

Thank you again for all of your feedback and support on this work. Let's work together to make the park safe, accessible and enjoyable for everyone.

Feel free to contact my office by email at [email protected] or by phone at 416-392-7919 if you have any questions or comments that you would like to share.

Sincerely,

Gord

• Reminder: Town Hall on Community Safety and Well-being tomorrow
• Virtual Community Meeting for 1660 Bloor St West 
• Community Compost Days are just around the corner
• Opening of seasonal park washrooms and fountains
• Consultation on Zoning Regulations for Outdoor Patios on Private Property

Friends,

The Road Safety Review Staff Report - St. Mark's Road, between Humbercrest Boulevard and Varsity Road was reviewed and adopted at Toronto East York Community Council (TEYCC) yesterday: https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2023.TE4.38

This Staff Report provides an overview of the assessments and improvements proposed and/or undertaken by Transportation Services to date since the investigations took place last year.

Upcoming work

Review the accessibility of the pathway that connects St Mark's Road to Underwood Avenue / Gooch Avenue

This matter was forwarded to Parks Forestry & Recreation staff for review and follow up. It was subsequently determined that this pathway may be under the jurisdiction of Transportation Services. Staff are reviewing in more detail. 

Road Resurfacing and Pavement Marking

St Mark's Road between Pasadena Gardens and Varsity Road is tentatively scheduled for resurfacing in 2023.

• Sharrows will be painted in 2023 on St Mark's Road between Varsity Road and Humbercrest Boulevard. This will be a part of the Jane / Baby Point wayfinding cycling route
• Share Lane Markings, or “Sharrows” are road markings used to indicate a shared environment for bicycles and motor vehicles. The shared lane markings highlight cycling routes, which alert all road users to the presence of bicycle traffic on the street, and may also be configured to offer directional and wayfinding guidance for people cycling.  

Road safety remains top of mind as we continue with this work.

Please do not hesitate to contact my office if you have any more questions.

Sincerely,

Gord

• Invitation to Town Hall on Community Safety and Well-being
• Community Consultation Meeting on Ontario Place
• Community Compost Days are just around the corner
• Here's how to host a Jane's Walk
• Join Toronto Nature Stewards as a volunteer

Friends,

Earlier this week, I was pleased to attend City Parks' staff Community Open House on the High Park Movement Strategy (HPMS).

So many community members have contributed to the HPMS through participating in meetings, commenting by email or engaging online. It has been great to hear from so many about your future hopes for High Park.

The goal of the HPMS is to better serve High Park users while prioritizing safety, accessibility and the park's natural environment.

Recommendations for travel network changes in High Park will be informed by your feedback, technical analysis and existing City policies and objectives such as TransformTO, Toronto Accessibility Design Guidelines, and Vision Zero.

City staff will be sharing a final report outlining their preferred strategy to City Council later this Spring.

As part of the Community Open House this week, staff shared their preliminary thoughts on a preferred strategy which includes restricting vehicle access to specific roads within the park and maintaining current vehicle restrictions on Sundays. If you were not able to attend, more details are available here: https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/planning-development/construction-new-facilities/parks-facility-plans-strategies/high-park-movement-strategy/

I believe that we can take specific steps to further advance our goals to achieving a car-free High Park. I also strongly believe that we must do that work without losing the achievements we have already made. I will focus my efforts on advocating for specific actions as part of the strategy which aligns with the feedback we have received from the wider community.

First off, I think it is important to build upon the success we have already achieved through the weekend vehicle restrictions in High Park. This means maintaining the Saturday, Sunday and Holiday Monday vehicle restrictions in High Park. The weekend restrictions were first introduced as a public health measure during the height of the pandemic to allow residents to access the park and practice safe physical distancing and continued based on positive community feedback about the experience in the park during car-free weekends. I believe that the community will continue to benefit by keeping the car-free weekends in place.

We also need to take steps to ensure that the park remains accessible to all residents. This will require an on-going effort to explore solutions such as expanding the TTC bus route within the park and exploring an accessible shuttle service that operates around the year.

The vast majority of residents who have been engaged in the HPMS have shared their vision for a car-free park. With more than 10,000 residents survey submissions, the majority (57%) supported the strategy which proposed a car-free park. I understand that it may take us some time to get there, but I believe the HPMS can outline the steps to reaching this goal of a complete car-free High Park.

We have the opportunity through the HPMS to make improvement to High Park and have a park for our future. Cities around the world are moving in the direction of eliminating private vehicles in parks. A car-free High Park also aligns with our commitments to Vision Zero, improved urban design and in achieving our climate change goals. I believe that by working together as a community, we can address any short-term challenges this may pose. Together, we can take the steps to make High Park safe, accessible and enjoyable for all visitors.

Thank you again for all of your feedback and support on this work. I will continue to work to share updates about the next steps in the strategy.

Sincerely,

Gord

• - Public Drop-in Events: Bloor St W Complete Street Extension - April 12, 13
• - Development Updates
  • 2760 Dundas St West (Former Peacock Hotel)
  • 1728 Bloor Street West (N/East corner of Bloor and Indian Grove)
• - Review: Public Input Needed for Night Economy Review

Friends,

Yesterday, Toronto City Council declared the mayoral seat vacant and passed a bylaw requiring a by-election. City Clerk has set the by-election for Monday, June 26. Beginning Monday, April 3, until Friday, May 12, those who are eligible may file a nomination to run in the mayoral by-election.

More information on the process is available at https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/elections/by-election/. The City Clerk has set the by-election for Monday, June 26.  This by-election is an opportunity to choose someone who wants to build a better future for our City by recognizing and meaningfully addressing the various challenges our City faces.

City Council is currently meeting this week. As part of the agenda, we will be discussing the Ombudsman's report on the investigation into the City's processes for clearing encampments in 2021. Council will also discuss Community Safety Issues and the City's response to address the series of senseless violent incidents on the TTC including the recent tragic incident at Keele station.

The city needs to take a proactive response to address such crisis situations.

Over many years, public transit, mental health services and access to housing has been chronically underfunded in our city. We are now seeing the impacts of those funding decisions. To prevent violence, we need to focus our efforts on investing in programs and services that provide health and long term supports to individuals in need.

The City is working closely with the TTC to take a multifaceted approach to addressing the rise in violence. The City has partnered with the TTC to strengthen transit system outreach including the recent addition of street outreach mental health specialists. You can learn more about this work here.

For those that have taken the time to share your thoughts on the matter, thank you. There is a need for urgent action and a collaborative approach to addressing these concerns. I will continue to advocate to improve transit service and safety while also prioritizing programming and investments to support vulnerable community members.

Sincerely,

Gord

In this week's newsletter:

• Stone Soup Network honoured as a Toronto Community Champion
• Virtual Stakeholder Meeting Invite: Bloor St W Complete Street Extension
• Clean Toronto Together set for April 21-23
• Public Input Needed for Night Economy Review
• Swansea Town Hall looking for a new Board Member
• Sistering Community Project: Making Visible on April 1, 2023
• Reminder: High Park Movement Strategy Open House on April 3, 2023

Friends,

I wanted to share some good news. Now that Roncesvalles Avenue between Queen Street West and Harvard Avenue has re-opened to through traffic, buses are now running along the entire stretch of Roncesvalles Avenue.

Please see the TTC notice here.

The City’s contractor continues to work on Roncesvalles Avenue and The Queensway. Travel lanes continue to be reduced on The Queensway from Glendale Avenue to Parkside Drive.

Updates on each of the work areas is summarized below:

Roncesvalles Avenue

• Work crews have completed base asphalt on Roncesvalles Avenue (top asphalt remains).
• Line marking will be completed in the next coming days.
• Roncesvalles Avenue reopened to vehicles March 14th 2023.
• Work will continue with the installation of various TTC streetcar track platforms (from Queen St to Dundas St) modification/extension work with only lane restrictions as necessary.
• Work will also continue overnight on Roncesvalles Avenue for overhead wiring for TTC streetcars.
• Pending completion of civil works, TTC 504 King Streetcar service is scheduled to resume at the start of May.

The Queensway

• TTC track work is ongoing between Glendale Avenue and Parkside Bridge.
• The Stage 2 work is to be completed in late Spring 2023. Upon completion, all travel lanes on The Queensway will be restored.
• Once civil works are completed, extensive overhead power system upgrades will be installed to allow for the resumption of regular 501 Queen Streetcar Service in the Summer.

Full project details could be found here: https://www.toronto.ca/community-people/get-involved/public-consultations/infrastructure-projects/king-queen-queensway-roncesvalles-construction/

Information on how to subscribe to email updates and the meeting details for the Tuesday morning weekly virtual trailer could be found at the following link: https://www.toronto.ca/community-people/get-involved/public-consultations/infrastructure-projects/king-queen-queensway-roncesvalles-construction/get-informed-kqqr-construction/

A link to a Frequently Asked Questions about the KQQR work could be found here: https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/9371-KQQR-FAQ-February-2023.pdf

Sincerely,

Gord

• TIGP: Helping seniors in your community
• Upcoming utility relocation work at Scarlett/St Clair/Dundas St W

Friends,

I wanted to provide an update on the Basement Flooding Protection Program taking place on Old Mill. Like many of you, I too learned of this issue late last week.

In August 2022, my office was notified that this project would be delayed due to unforeseen construction impacts at the intersection of Bloor St. West and Old Mill Dr. What wasn't shared at that time was why.

Late last week, I was notified that the delay was due to an emergency rescue of a micro-tunnel boring machine after it had become entangled by some unforeseen underground infrastructure. The City's Interim Chief Engineer has assured me that at no time was the safety of residents or the community at risk.

The underground infrastructure that caused the entanglement were tie-backs in place from a previously approved private development and are no longer needed. The processes for tie-back mapping and shoring approvals are being reviewed.

I have asked staff to provide me with a weekly update on the activity and progress of this work. I will share these updates with you.

I also wanted to let you know that to help expedite the timeline for completion for this project, work will take place every Saturday from 8:00am to 5:00pm until March 25^th 2023, weather permitting.

Please see the Construction Update Notice for more information and updated timelines.

Sincerely,

Gord

• Free Public Skating at the Coca Cola Coliseum
• 1437-1455 Queen St W Pre-application Meeting
• Parkdale Hub Meeting Presentation
• Upcoming utility relocation work at Scarlett/St Clair/Dundas St W
• Applications open for Pam McConnell Award

Friends,

Yesterday at Planning and Housing Committee, staff brought forth a report with a set of recommendations in response to changes required to City's Official Plan and Municipal Code to conform to the provincial bill, Bill 109.

This omnibus bill forces changes to the City of Toronto Act, Development Charges Act and Planning Act. On new developments, the bill specifically affects pre-application consultation process, changes definition of a complete application, shifts approvals from City Councillors to a delegated staff authority, and reduces timelines to appeal Site Plan Control applications.

The City should have the right set of regulations for development applications and an efficient consultation process. This bill does not do that. It instead dramatically reduces local discussion on how the future of our city develops, and deregulates how planning applications are dealt with, while starving the City of funds needed to manage development applications and the impacts of development.

While Planning staff are obligated to bring forth recommendations to conform to this undemocratic provincial bill, I will work to ensure that we build back tools for local engagement.

My Comments at Planning and Housing on this matter

Sincerely,

Gord

• Notice: Community Meeting regarding 34 Southport Street
• Expansion of Harm Reduction Program 
• Youth Violence Prevention Grant Application
• Mayoral by-election set for June 26